Global Ecological Crisis Is God or Humanity to Blame? Dr Cherryl Hunt, University of Exeter

Global Ecological Crisis The immediate causes Human population Use of resources Industrialisation Production of toxins – pollution Potential for major climate change ALSO political and economic issues

Global Ecological Crisis The problem Decrease in numbers of individual organisms Decrease in number of different species (diversity) Destruction of habitats and whole ecosystems - soil erosion

Ecological Crisis and Bible The problem Decrease in available land for cultivation and for accommodation Possible threat to all life forms - except bacteria

Global Ecological Crisis Faith and Faith Texts Theistic Worldview Some texts or stories common to three Abrahamic faiths. Some similarities in environmental ethics Faith –cause of problems? –leads to complacency? –any resources with which to think about how we treat the planet?

Global Ecological Crisis Christians to blame because they treat the earth as expendable?  James Watt I do not know how many future generations we can count on before the Lord returns  Constance Cumbey Our peace was to be with God – not nature…God was going to make all things new – not redeem nature along with man

Global Ecological Crisis Is the Bible to blame?  2 Peter 3:7 ‘by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the godless’  2 Peter 3:10 ‘the heavens will pass away …and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed

Global Ecological Crisis Is the Bible to blame?  2 Peter 3:12-13 ‘the heavens will be set ablaze and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire….we wait for a new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home’

Global Ecological Crisis Is the Bible to blame?  Revelation 21:1 ‘I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more’ (See also Joel 2:30-3:21; Mark 13)

Global Ecological Crisis Christians to blame because they treat the earth as exploitable? Lynn White: Christian teaching ..is the most anthropocentric religion the world has ever seen’ ..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’

Global Ecological Crisis Christians to blame because they treat the earth as exploitable? Lynn White: Christian teaching ..made it possible to exploit nature in a mood of indifference to the feelings of natural objects.’  Man’s effective monopoly..was confirmed and the old inhibitions to the exploitation of nature crumbled.’

Global Ecological Crisis Christians to blame because they try to domesticate the earth?  Calvin Beisner  devastation as part of God’s dealings with people  wilderness speaks of loss of man’s dominion  technological change ‘a foretaste of the restoration of the cursed creation foretold by Paul and entailed by the incarnation, death, and resurrection of Christ.’

Global Ecological Crisis Is the Bible to blame?  Genesis 1:28-30 ‘fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth’  Genesis 2: 15 ‘God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it’

Global Ecological Crisis Possible responses to sacred texts  The Bible is of little or no use because a.it is the cause of present troubles. b.it deals primarily with the relationship between God and humanity.  The Bible may have been used to justify exploitation of the earth; however, it is really very ‘green’ and provides lots of resources with which to construct a positive environmental ethic.

Global Ecological Crisis Possible response - stewardship  Genesis 1:28-30 ‘fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth’  Genesis 2: 15 ‘God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it’

Global Ecological Crisis Possible responses - stewardship  ‘Dominion’ means stewardship  ‘subdue’ may relate to creation’s relationship with chaos  we should rule in similar manner to God i.e. caringly  The land belongs to God; we are tenants

Global Ecological Crisis Possible response –creation’s intrinsic worth  Other creation is ‘good’ even without humans (e.g. Gen 1.10, 12, etc)  creation praises God (e.g. Ps 19, 96)  God cares for the birds and flowers (Mt ; cf also Job 38 – 41)

Global Ecological Crisis Possible response – creation has a destiny  Isaiah ; new heavens and earth wolf and lamb, leopard and kid, lie down together lion eats straw child and asp

Global Ecological Crisis Possible response – creation has a destiny  Colossians 1:15-20 ‘...through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven…’  Romans 8:18-23 ‘ ….the creation was subjected to futility…..in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God

Global Ecological Crisis Possible response – creation has a destiny  Use of Romans 8 and Colossians 1 to argue that redemption is cosmic in scope  Renewal of earth and heaven; downplay verses suggesting destruction

Global Ecological Crisis Possible responses – Green Christianity Creation accounts Laws about land Psalms of praise Promise of new earth Creation-centred Christ Cosmic redemption

Global Ecological Crisis and Bible Possible responses – Green wash??  Jesus, his ministry and his teaching embedded in nature  The role of animal sacrifice  tendency to view through ‘green-tinted glasses’?

Global Ecological Crisis God (sacred texts) or human greed and selfishness to blame?  need to acknowledge nature of texts  need to read the texts in our current situation  need to read humbly, to acknowledge our ‘spectacles’ and let the text challenge us  need to read in community