THE BIBLICAL BASIS FOR CARING FOR THE CREATION - Implications for Issues relating to Population, Global Warming and Tackling Biodiversity Loss Nola Stewart B. Sc., Dip. Ed. August 2014 Oxford Round Table 10 th International Conference on ‘Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change,’ August 3 – , held at Harris Manchester College, University of Oxford, ENGLAND.

We are covering … 1.The Biblical basis for creation care 2.Human numbers linked to environmental degradation via the economy 3.What is more effective: to reduce population or per capita consumption?

CONTENTS PART A Biblical basis A1 Creation ‘good’ A2 Human responsibility A3 Balance in nature A4 “Multiply” - Command or blessing? Context? A5 Broken, then restored relationships PART B Economy B1 Comic book presentation on “Money” B2 Money comes from Earth’s productivity, via jobs B3 Money exchanged for more of Earth’s productivity B4 Population overshoot B5 Impact on Biodiversity PART C Reduce population? Or per capita consumption? C1 Recycling C2 Momentum of population graph C3 Other considerations C4 The Bible: Procreation superseded by New Creation C5 Collision course with Nature C6 Summary

Part A The Biblical Basis for Creation Care

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. - Genesis 1 : 1 ORION NEBULA - Dane Donaldson

God saw all that he had made and it was very good. ( Genesis 1:31)

… God created man in his own image … male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

Can you identify ‘rada’ on this plant?

…“Let the land produce … plants… that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” (Genesis 1 :11)

“Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth” And God blessed them saying, “Be fruitful and multiply…” (Genesis 1:22)

GO FORTH AND MULTIPLY … All species?Or just Humans?

Is ‘Go forth and multiply’ A COMMAND OR A BLESSING?

What is the context of the words, “Go forth and multiply?” It’s one of close to ZERO populations

(Hand drawn graph, source: US Census Bureau)

THE FALL – Broken relationships God Self OthersNature Broken

A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal (Proverbs 12 : 10)

Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field till no space is left, and you dwell alone in the land - Isaiah 5:8

Jesus said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” John 12:32 … On the Cross, Jesus paid for the sin of the world, and drew men’s hearts to Him. A Christian will now want to obey God, instead of pleasing himself. This will include looking after God’s Creation

THE CROSS - Healed relationships God Self OthersNature Restored