Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/72

Contributor - Ted L. Dykstra

Title - Ecology - The Christian View

Topic - Ecology

There is no longer any doubt that our present ecological crisis is of major concern to all mankind. This fact was readily apparent at the recent United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden in June of this year. Scientists, diplomats and politicians from 109 countries gathered together to discuss our common problem, environmental pollution and how to solve it.

Environmental pollution is everyone's problem because human life -on this planet hinges on the interrelationships of various types of organisms within a uniquely balanced environment, characterized by natural cycles and rhythms community development and structure, geographic distribution and population alterations. Any changes to this balance, whether sudden or gradual, physical or chemical, will have grave effect on the ecological patterns in the environment. The simple fact is, that if man is not able to solve his ecological problems then his resources, both physical and natural, will die.

What is the underlying cause of our ecological crisis ? In an article entitled : "The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis", published in "Science" Magazine, Dr. Lynn White Jr., a history professor at U.C.L.A. openly blames Christianity for our ecological problems, because :

Christianity, in absolute contrast to ancient paganism and Asia's religions . . , not only established a dualism of man and nature but also insisted that it is God's will that man exploit nature for his proper ends ... By destroying pagan animism, Christianity made it possible to exploit nature in a mood of indifference to the feelings of natural objects."

Is Dr White correct in his assumptions ? Does the Bible really teach that man has unqualified dominion over nature and is allowed to treat nature in a destructive manner ? Our answer of course must be a resounding NO ! But do we really know what the Bible does teach concerning man's relationship to nature ?

Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer in his book "Pollution and the Death of Man - The Christian View of Ecology", presents an excellent perspective of the Christian's relationship to nature. Schaeffer argues that Christianity, and particularly Reformation Christianity does give a unified answer -as to the proper relationship between man and nature. Reformation churches believe that nature is not merely an academic proof of the existence of the Creator without having any value in itself. Dr. White's argument that Christians believe in a transcendent God, removed from nature and breaking into nature only through revelation, does not readily compare with the picture of the God revealed in Genesis. How can a God who existed before the beginning of time and who created everything out of nothing, be removed from his creation? In Genesis 1 : 31 we read that " - - God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good." Obviously if God himself felt that his creation was very good it is difficult to comprehend how Professor White can argue that Christianity teaches that nature has no value in itself.

White in fact even goes a step further by stating that Christianity teaches that it is God's will that man exploit nature for his own ends.

Man named all the animals, thus establishing his dominance over them. God planned all of this explicitly for man's benefit and rule: no item in physical creation had any purpose save to serve man's purpose.

It is unfortunate that Dr. White did not bother to study the Bible more thoroughly or he may have come to the conclusion that the scriptures teach no such thing. It is true that Genesis 1 : 26 - 31 tells us that man has a special relationship to God because he is made in His image, and that as a result of this relationship man has a very special place in creation, that of supervising the rest of creation but as Dr. Schaeffer so clearly points out, the fact that man was given dominion over the "lower" forms of creation in no way signifies that he is sovereign over them. The Bible clearly teaches that only God is the Sovereign Lord and man is to use the "lower" orders of creations with that truth firmly entrenched in his mind. Man is to act as a faithful steward over God's possession. We are not to exploit nature but to use it wisely as things borrowed or held in trust. For example, the Christian views a deer as a creature like himself. This, of course, does not mean that we attach human characteristics to the deer for if we hunt a deer for sport or meat we are not killing a human being, it is still a deer. It does mean, however, that we must remember that the deer was created, as a deer, by God and that it therefore deserves our respect. (i.e. Christians there fore would not chase a deer on a snowmobile until the animal drops from exhaustion.)

While man is separate from the "lower" orders of creation such as a deer, the tree or the fish because he is created in God's image, he is also united to nature because all nature was made by God. Paul Fromer in a recent article in the Church Herald entitled, "Does the Bible Authorize Pollution ?" correctly points out that Dr. White's mistake is his failure to see the personal character of the relationship God wants to have with man and wants man to have with his creation. It is not man over nature, but both man and nature under God. God being the creator and ruler of the universe treats his creation with integrity because he understands the different creations with in his domain and their interrelationships with one another. If God treats his creation in that way, should we who are made in his image, not treat our fellow creatures in a similar manner ? Why ? Because as Christians we love the God who made the universe and therefore we have respect for what he -has made. This is true for all facets of creation, whether it be a river or a lake, a scenic area, a bird or animal, or the air we breathe. Unfortunately, as Schaeffer indicates in his article, man is a rebel who has alienated himself from God. Although he was given dominion over creation, because of his fall in the Garden of Eden he has exercised his dominion wrongly. He has exploited created things as though they had no value and as if he has autonomous rights to them.

The Bible teaches us that since the fall man is not only separated from God but from his fellow man and his individual self as well. Similarly man is alienated from nature but nature is also divided from nature. The Bible also teaches, however, that on that day when Christ returns all these divisions will be healed and restored because of his atoning death on the cross. Christ's death not only redeemed man from the consequences of the fall but all nature as well. This truth is clearly emphasized in Romans 8 : 19 23. Therefore, should we as Christians who believe in the total redemption of both man and nature when Christ returns, not already now be treating creation with this in mind ? Thus if Dr. White had studied the Bible more thoroughly he would have come to the conclusion, as Dr. Schaeffer did, that true biblical Christianity does offer a solution to our present ecological crisis, by presenting us with a balanced and healthy attitude to nature arising out of its creation by God. The Bible offers hope that because of the redemptive work of Christ we, even in our day, can have substantial healing in nature of some of the divisions arising out of the fall.

As Christians we must ask ourselves how the Christian Church can apply these biblical truths to the whole ecological question in a practical sense. We must show the world that the Church can make a substantial contribution to solving the pollution problem. Christians must show the world that they can exercise dominion over nature without being destructive. This means that a Christian farmer should not dump leftover fertilizers or pesticides into a handy nearby river or pond, and a Christian hunter should not exceed his limit by almost half of what is allowed and then leave what he does not need to rot and decay. On a larger scale it means that Christians involved in industrial activities such as oil exploration, pulp mill or strip mining operations take -all the precautions necessary for land reclamation and reforestation to insure that the land is not turned into an economic desert. If Christians can show the world that they can exercise dominion over nature without being destructive, the secular world may take note and follow our example.

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