Earth Day and the Christian call to stewardship
Today is Earth Day. Even just a decade ago, many evangelicals would have shied away from commemorating this date, due to its perceived association with extremist activism and politics.
But today, the significance of “creation care” is something that Christians of all stripes recognize. Christians, after all, have a unique understanding of creation—one that has nothing to do with partisan politics or extremist ideologies. We believe that God has given us stewardship over the Earth and its resources, and that as stewards, we have both authority over and responsibility for the flora and fauna around us.
A ThinkChristian post from a few years ago offers a good look at the steadily growing engagement of environmental issues by Christians individuals and organizations, as well as many links to Christian stewardship organizations. Of particular interest to Christians should be the social justice aspect of environmental care, since it is often the case that the people most directly affected by environmental problems are those living in the poorest and least developed parts of the world.
Is your church marking Earth Day this week? Whether or not your church community commemorates Earth Day, do you have any stories about how you or your church have acted out the role of “creation steward”?
I have regarded “Earth Day” as a humanist/”tree hugger” venture and tended to treat it lightly, if at all. This article, and it’s reminder that we are “creation stewards” is a good reminder that we cannot throw the baby out with the bath water.
We should not just have an Earth day we should take care of the Earth everyday….It is a Political now radical social cause. People are now worshipping the Earth rather than the Creator. I cringe when the words Social Justice are used. It is only Gods justice we need to seek. I have to question the motives of any Church or organization that use Social Justice, Environmental Justice or Economic Justice…these were/are the fuel that radical gvts have used and are using today to gain power. It is not justice at all it is political power grab….There has been an infiltration of the Socialist movement in the Church to make it a political stance…We only need to seek Gods Justice not Societal justice.
Every day is Earth Day. We are made of earth, had the spirit breathed into us and became “living souls.” Every breath I take is a gift from the Creator. And without this gift and the proper use of it, I return to “dust” and die like every man.
” … to till it and keep it” (Gen 2:15) means to cultivate and take care of, does it not? Then Revelation 11:18 tells us the consequence of our not doing so. So, EVERY day is Earthday — it is more than a suggestion.
In another but similar vein, Darren Remington, in Christian Computing: Linux for Everyman, put forth a lucid argument for the likes of Lucid Lynx. Read it at the URL http://www.linuxtoday.com/news_story.php3?ltsn=1999-07-06-009-10-PS&tbovrmode=1
Agape, my friends!