Dr. Timothy Tennent: Environmentalism vs. Creation Care
At the dawn of Creation, we were commissioned by God to be faithful stewards of the created order (Gen. 1:26-28). We were given dominion over the earth, under the sovereignty of God as the Creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible. To begin with, this should foster in us a sense of wonder and praise. After all, the Creation is magnificent in its beauty, astounding in its detail and finely ordered by God. This means that dominion over the earth cannot be construed as any form of recklessness in the use of the earth’s resources, but a careful stewardship of that which belongs to God.
While environmental concerns have been raised throughout history, the publication of Aldo Leopold’s A Sand County Almanac in 1949, and the more popular Silent Spring in 1962 by Rachel Carson did much to document the damage to the created order due to indiscriminate use of chemicals and how modern technology has depleted many precious resources. Most everyone who is reading this reflection will be familiar with the rise of environmental activism in our time. Earth Day, for example, was established in 1970 and Greenpeace in 1971. Christians were not, as is sometimes stated, uninvolved in these growing concerns. In 1970 Francis Schaeffer, arguably the most influential evangelical of that time, published his Pollution and the Death of Man, which sparked a wide range of Christian efforts to think Christianly about this problem, including the founding of The Evangelical Environmental Network.
In more recent years, there seems to have been a growing sense that environmentalism is often at loggerheads with Christian faith and this has created disillusionment among many younger Christians who wonder why the church seemed to be playing “catch up” on issues around the environment, since it seemed such a natural place which could unite all Christians. Back in 2009, in collaboration with Blessed Earth I helped to co-author a document known as the Seminary Stewardship Alliance which sought to reaffirm the Christian commitment to caring for the created order as a natural part of our creational mandate. Blessed Earth was founded by Matthew Sleeth, the author of many remarkable books including Love God, Save the Planet; Reforesting Faith; 24/6, and Hope Always. There are few more bedrock doctrines in the Bible than our belief in the goodness of creation and therefore the importance of the entire created order in God’s plan of redemption. Dozens of seminaries across the country signed the document and it has had a positive influence on how this issue is being taught to future Christian leaders around the country.
While many of our goals in caring for the created order are not in conflict with many of the goals of the environmental movement, there are some important differences. These differences are precisely why we prefer the phrase “Creation Care” rather than “Environmentalism.”
First, Christians act within the larger worldview that the Creation does not belong to us, but we are stewarding it on behalf of God. God is the Creator. This is His world. All things on earth belong to him: “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,” is a beautiful poetic summary from Psalm 24 which captures the biblical worldview. We are caring for His Creation.
Second, we believe that Creation is destined to be fully renewed and therefore, caring for the created order is an eschatological imperative. When heaven descends on the earth in the New Creation, we know that polluted rivers will be cleaned and the air made pure. This is not a reason to “exploit now because the end of the world is coming.” Rather, a more fully Christian eschatology acknowledges that we are not going to be taken out of this world to some other realm, but heaven itself is descending down to us and the present order will be fully united with the realm of God’s presence (Rev. 21:1-4). In other words, we are not leaving this creation, God is coming to join us here. Yes, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, but it is this earth which is being renewed, not some other place.
Finally, environmentalism mostly focuses on the non-human order, whereas creation care sees the necessity of caring for all of God’s creation, including the humans who inhabit it. This is why Matthew Sleeth’s books are so insightful. Some of his books are more straightforwardly about creation care in the traditional sense such as his Love God, Save the Planet or Reforesting Faith. But, he also has books on the importance of Sabbath keeping (24/6) and how to foster hope in the rising tide of suicide (Hope Always). For the environmentalists, these books seem to be off topic. But, for Christians committed to creation care, all of Sleeth’s books are about creation care; the whole of creation, including the people walking around in God’s image whose lives are on destructive paths every bit as much as the spotted owl.
So, reclaiming a proper view of creation care helps to expand our view of salvation. The final goal is not merely redeemed individuals plucked out of this world, but the full healing of the entire created order, including men and women created in his image as well as all that God has made.
This word is well-balanced, God-focused and a model for all of us as we think and speak about these issues.
So true! Thank you.
Outstanding insight to these topics (a “sweet spot” for me starting some 38 years ago)! I’m going to take time and read-up on your source material.
I graduated with an MS in 1976 in Biology and Ecology… was able to use that degree in the US Air Force some ten years later (Air Force Academy faculty…teaching basic biology & also Ecology)… in retirement after an Air Force career, I became an Asbury MDiv graduate (2015).
What a blessing!
PS. I’ve recently published a reflection on my 47-year AF career [https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/voices/2021/236/Dietvorst_voices.html]
…now working on my spiritual formation reflections.
When we read Genesis God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them reflecting our nature. So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea, the birds in the air, the cattle, And, yes, Earth itself, and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.” Genesis 1:26 (The Message). Our creation in God’s image is so that we have the character and capacity to care for creation. Yes, we are fallen people but restoring that image is in great part to give us the will and way to restore the creation to God’s original intention. I really think this is the first commandment we find in the Bible.
so this is heaven?
Thank you Dr. Tennent for a clearly written statement on the difference between “Environmentalism” and “Creation Care.” I am known around Wilmore as the guy who knows about solar energy and solar panels to create clean energy. I am often asked how a retired pastor got involved in environmentalism and I reply that I am a “Solar enthusiast” and a proponent of Creation Care. This usually sparks a lively conversation about caring both for the Earth and for the people of the Earth in a good way. I will be sharing your article with others in my circle of influence.
This is our Father’s world,
Dale Shunk ATS ’77