Christians must be concerned about the environmental consequences of their actions, but environmental concerns are not primary. The primary concern for the Christian must be to love God and love others. A Christian response to environmental issues will never make the earth more important than God or man. A Christians response to climate change will guard against causing harm to others. The protection of species and environments must never be the end in itself but a means to the goal of loving God and others.
The protection of the environment is not trivial. God has given mankind dominion over the earth. That rule is to be exercised for the glory of God and the well-being of nature. In providing for the good of people and creatures, some change and loss of environment is unavoidable. Repeated walking along a path will destroy the vegetation on that path. The tilling of a field will kill plants native to that spot. These are unavoidable and generally acceptable damages. They are acceptable when they bring benefit to mankind, when their scope is limited, or when the damage is reversible.
Practices which do widespread or irreversible harm ought not be pursued. In the mid-twentieth century, DDT worked wonders as a pesticide. However, its use nearly wiped out the bald eagle population in America. The United States government rightly responded by banning the use of DDT. The damage caused by the use of DDT was widespread and almost irreversible. Because America responded in time, the bald eagle population has rebounded and is no longer an endangered species. Christians ought to be concerned to limit or reverse destruction caused by mankind. Christians ought to oppose products and practices which have widespread, irreversible, negative impacts on the environment.
This does mean all irreversible actions are negative. Humans have worked diligently to eradicate certain viruses. No one bemoans the near extinction of small pox or polio. No one opposes ongoing efforts to crush malaria, measles, or intestinal parasites. Though the eradication of deadly viruses necessarily involves the near extinction of certain species, few would seriously object we should protect harmful viruses like poliovirus. Environmental concerns usually involve issues which are less simple than the destruction of deadly viruses. The point here is that causing an unalterable change to the environment, including the extinction of a species, is not necessarily wrong just because it is irreversible. Before embarking on projects which would irrevocably alter the environment, great care must be take to discover and weigh as fully as possible the likely consequences of that action. Irreversible change must be justified by producing genuine and ongoing benefit to humanity which cannot be accomplished without that change.
Mankind is capable of causing severe harm to our world. However, man is incapable of rendering the earth uninhabitable. God promised in Genesis 8:22, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Man’s actions can make the world a more difficult place to live. Man’s actions can shorten the life spans of millions of people. Man cannot stop the seasons. The snowball earth and the hothouse earth are equally impossible. The earth will continue to spin on its axis and orbit the sun. The hydrologic cycle will continue. Men will plant crops and harvest the fruit. God has promised these things will not fail. Concern for the future well being of the earth is warranted. Panic is not.
Man is responsible to steward God’s creation. This stewardship is to be exercised by a careful use of the natural world. In using the resources of the world, men ought to seek to prevent significant or irreversible harm to the world. Humanity needs to work to reduce or repair the harm done without increasing harm to others. This care must seek the benefit of people and the flourishing of other creatures. This care must be practiced in submission to God. Humanity is the steward of the earth entrusted by God with the rule of the world He created.
Everlasting Truths 