The Earth on Which We Live

In Hong Kong, environmental protection has become an issue of increasing concern. Ecologists and environmental experts point out that human beings have disrupted the ecological succession of nature and caused serious ecological damage. When we hear these concerns, how should we respond?

Creation and Dominion

As Christians, we believe that God is the Creator of all things. This was how the world looked like before it was created: “…the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters” (Gn 1:2). In its primordial state, the world was a formless void with chaotic waters. God also said to let the dry land emerge from the waters, and God established order from chaos and made life possible. According to Genesis 1:3-28, God brought all things into being merely by God’s words. When God said, let there be something, and that something existed. Moreover, God saw that everything God created was “good.” Finally, God made humans rule over the land: “God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth'” (v. 28).

Human-centred Dominion

What does it mean to rule over the land? Some think that ruling over the land is granting human beings all the resources to use any way they see fit for their own benefit. The scripture they cite is: “See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food” (Gn 1:29). This interpretation is based on anthropocentric creationism, and the idea behind it is that after God had created human beings, God turned the world over to them, while God rested. Humankind was put in charge of the earth, which seems to suggest that the rest of creation is secondary in importance, and other creatures’ existence is to serve the interests of human beings, who can rule, consume, and use them at will.

Lynn White points out that “dominion” understood as such has to do with an anthropocentric religious point of view, which only promotes an exploitative relationship and turns religion into a tool for abusing other species, resulting in the ecological crisis we face today. Being the most anthropocentric religion, Christianity not only establishes a human-nature dualism but also falsely claims that it is God’s will to allow humans to exploit nature for their selfish purposes.¹ White draws this conclusion by saying that the culprit of the ecological crisis is Christianity. White calls upon Christianity to repent and make its utmost effort to establish a set of Christian values that is of ecological significance.²

Biblical View of Dominion

Indeed, White’s criticism is worth considering. What the Bible suggests, however, is not exercising control in a tyrannical and domineering manner. To begin with, we must point out that the Bible emphasizes the need for humanity to depend completely on God, its Creator. From the Genesis creation narrative, we see that the heavens, the earth, and everything in them belong to God and every part of the creation is important, each having its own value and being appreciated by God. The realm of creation is a mutually-connected and interdependent whole, and humankind is merely a part of it. If any part of this created world is damaged, human lives will also be affected. Moreover, God’s dominion in the Old Testament included showing God’s loving care. Hence, the responsibility of dominion cannot be separated from the provision of care. The creation narrative in Genesis chapter 2 reveals God’s care for God’s creation: “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed … to till it and keep it” (Gn 2:2-9, 15). These verses show that humans were created also for the sake of the earth, born out of God and the earth, and together with God took care of the earth. God put humans in the Garden of Eden to tend to it. In God’s plan, humans are not only put in charge of the earth but also serve as gardeners and protectors. If the human dominion is stemmed from God’s, then it must be like God’s which includes the provision of care and protection.

Bible scholar and theologian Richard Bauckham is also of the view that human dominion (radah) is not about use, but about care. Dominion is likened to a shepherd tending one’s flock with loving care and compassion, in the same manner as God the real shepherd who gives God’s life for God’s sheep. By the same token, the same holds true for human dominion.³ Therefore, when humans share the dominion of God, they are sharing with God the responsibility of caring for all creatures, rather than holding authority to dominate or exploit the rest of creation. Human dominion should manifest a form of obedience to the Creator, a willingness to shoulder the responsibility of caring for other creatures. This view of dominion that “cares for all of God’s creation” challenges the attitude of dominion that sees authority as a form of unrestrained, arbitrary power.

The Real World: Ecological Crisis

In the real world, however, humans impose despotic and hegemonic rule over their fellow human beings and the rest of creation. They are not only continuously hurting one another, but also harming other species. The reality is that we are living in a world that is in opposition to the idyllic picture depicted in Genesis chapters 1 and 2, with our fragile ecosystem taking a heavy toll. We are now facing a string of extreme weather incidents caused by climate change: hurricanes, wildfires, floods, droughts, and the like. Elizabeth Kolbert in her book, The Sixth Extinction, discusses one of the rare incidents in natural history, the mass extinction of species.⁴ Indeed, reef-building corals, fresh-water mollusks, sharks and rays, mammals, reptiles, and birds are disappearing in large quantities.⁵ Kolbert states that although climate change is one of the causes contributing to natural disasters, the main culprit remains human beings.⁶ Faced with such a scenario, how should we respond?

Hope: A New Heaven and a New Earth

Christians harbor the hope of “a new heaven and earth.” In Revelation, John said, he saw “a new heaven and a new earth” (Rv 21:1). Besides using analogical imagery to chastise the Roman Empire, he also encourages us to imagine what it would be like in the eschaton so that we could take comfort from it. It could also serve as a reminder of things to come—God will live among us: “…he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away” (v. 4). This verse implies the renewal of the whole creation (v. 5). Bauckham indicates that “renewal” is a radical transformation, not a replacement of an old creation by a new one. Renewal is a means for humans to heal their relations with other species; it is not a way of annihilating them. This is also a confirmation of God’s verdict of “good” and “very good” on the things God created in the beginning (Gn 1).⁷ The vision of this renewal focuses on the image of the New Jerusalem, which would be the permanent residence of God and humans. There, God and God’s people will have an intimate relationship (Rv 21:3). The redeemed will see the face of God and the Lamb, worshipping in the face-to-face presence (22:3-4).⁸ Such a vision points to the reconciliation between humans and God, as well as that between humans and the rest of creation. In fact, these two aspects of reconciliation are so closely related that they are inseparable. This vision is not only to be realized in the future but has its impact in the here and now, helping us sustain hope in dark times. The vision of a new heaven and a new earth is the “Garden City” humans yearn for; it is a world that does not intend to replace nature, but a place where humans live in harmony with nature.⁹ God loves God’s people as well as everything on the planet, and time and again God opens a new path for us.

Hence, we know that God will continue God’s work in the world. Even at present, God does not cease God’s creative acts. God has not forsaken the world after creation, nor has God merely sat high above in the sky. Indeed, God loves this broken world and has never left us. God is not keeping a distance. The world is also God’s dwelling place, where God lives among us.

Protecting the Environment and Practicing Faith

When we talk about protecting the environment, we are not only dealing with a scientific issue; it also has to do with practicing our faith. If we believe that God created the world and lives in it, we should care about our planet. Specific actions we can take include leading a simple life to avoid wasting nature’s resources. We should also not compete with other species for living space so that we do not drive them to extinction. Nor should we turn nature into an artificial world where forests are depleted. We should be careful not to indulge in our insatiable desires and become greedy, hurting our neighbors as well as our planet.

More specifically and closer to home, we can think carefully about the way we live (such as the clothes we wear, the things we buy, the food we eat, and so forth), and see how we can help limit our carbon footprint in order to minimize environmental pollution. For instance, in our daily lives, we can use reusable or recyclable bags to limit plastic waste. We can also install solar panels, using solar energy to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Protecting the Environment and Theological Education

Our seminary can offer courses that bring more attention to environmental protection so that the goal and scope of theological education will no longer be human-centred. Since theology is not solely concerned about “God and I,” it is not proper to talk about God and humanity to the exclusion of other species—as if only human continuity were the most essential.

In other words, we will no longer confine God’s creation and care to human beings alone; nor will we look at things from a human perspective. Instead, we start seeing with the eyes of faith (2 Cor 5:7), learning to appreciate every new creation in Christ. In Christ, we see ourselves in a world transformed, which is a new creation, a world changed by God’s love. Hence, the education provided by the seminary is not confined to teaching and learning in the classroom; it should involve all the activities of the teachers and students. We affirm the value of all of God’s creation (land, trees, animals, humans, and so forth). We teach “right living,” which is simple, contented, and self-disciplined. We teach “sacramental” living filled with the presence of God. This sacramental lifestyle is to realize a new spirituality and exemplify a new ability in self-discipline. The exercise of self-restraint in our lives is not to renounce the beauty of this created word; rather, it is to give up the greed and selfishness of the contemporary world driven by commercialism.

Fulfilling Vocation: Creating Beauty and Kindness

What we are doing now may not have an immediate effect on our current situation, but we should still do “the right thing,” trying to make every effort to protect the environment. Steven Bouma-Prediger points out that despite global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer, and the extinction of other species, we still have to continue responding to the call and take up the role of caretakers. We fulfill our vocation regardless of what results we may achieve, or in spite of the state of our planet earth; we do it simply because it is all about our character.¹⁰ Faced with an array of challenges, we, therefore, need to ask ourselves: Should we do what is right? At this moment, are you in despair or filled with the Holy Spirit that moves you? Is this the time we should set things right with love, or let chaos continue to rule the world?

By no means can we do everything, but we can do what is right and things that are within our reach. Everyone can take small actions, which may be inconvenient but important. It is true that trying to limit our use of plastic bags and putting kitchen waste into a collection bin every evening may not save our planet, but every time we do this, we are making a difference. Such practices are good in themselves and they are also good for our souls. They can create beauty and kindness, and benefit all creatures.

The earth is humans’ habitat and the place where God lives. Let us continue to exercise good dominion over our planet and take good care of it, in which we are all living our lives. Amen.

*This article is adapted from the writer’s speech delivered at our Opening Convocation Ceremony (August 23, 2022). All Scripture quotations are taken from the NRSV.
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¹Lynn White Jr., “The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis,” reprinted in Readings on Ecological Systems: Their Function and Relation to Man, ed. A. E. Lugo and S. C. Snedaker (New York: MSS Educational Publishing, 1971), 335.
²White Jr.,”The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis,” 338.
³Richard Bauckham, Bible and Ecology: Rediscovering the Community of Creation (London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 2010), 16, 18, 31.
⁴Elizabeth Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History (New York: Henry Holt, 2014), 7-8.
⁵Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction, 17-18.
⁶Kolbert, The Sixth Extinction, 237.
⁷Bauckham, Bible and Ecology, 175-176.
⁸Bauckham, Bible and Ecology, 177-178.
⁹Bauckham, Bible and Ecology, 177-178.
¹⁰Steven Bouma-Prediger, For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010), 186.

Nov 2022