Christian Environmental Ethics

1. Christian Environmental Ethics Christian environmental ethics always begin with the Bible as it is the word of God.

2. HSC Requirement for Ethics • Always Quote the sources for each variant. • You will need in your answer, to describe the issue, explain it, apply the teachings and analyse or evaluate the significance of doing this for the tradition. • For a three part question, you will need at least two issues, for an essay question, you will need three issues. • You must include a sacred Scripture back up with each issue and you must also use correct terminology. • You must not forget to include the three variants and their approaches to environmental ethics for each issue. Include Church Documents and or teaching, correctly naming them as well as Scripture to back up your answer for each variant.

3. Sources of Environmental ethics • The Bible- Old and New testaments – principally, the 10 commandments Ex 20: 2 -17, the Beatitudes Matt 5:3-12 and the Golden Rule also known as Jesus’ commandment to love, Matt 22: 36. • As well as the Bible: -- • Catholics – also use the Magisterium of the Church, Church teaching, Natural Law and conscience. • Orthodox – also use Church teaching, Patristic and liturgical evidence, as well as guidance by the Holy Spirit • Protestants – also use the Synod of Bishops and situation ethics.

4. The Bible and Environmental ethics • From the book of Genesis, the theme of Stewardship i.e. the relationship between God who entrusts humans with his creation, is a major theme within Christian environmental ethics. Christians believe that God has formed Mankind for a purpose and has given him dominion over the earth (Gen1: 28). Literally the religious truth leads us to understand that God has created humans for a purpose- to care for each other and His creation. Since God is good, His creation is also good and as He has provided us with a free will and a means to understand, we must strive to commit ourselves to work towards caring for the earth and the human community. This then, leads us to ensure that the earth and its environment are sustained for humankind. Thus, we have a responsibility to God and to each other to maintain it.

5. The Bible and Environmental ethics • Throughout history, humans have had an interdependence with the environment. This can be seen in the fact that in reverencing our Creator, Christians, must in turn, reverence His Creation if we are to live out our Christian commitment. • Psalm 115 tells us that “the highest heavens belong to the Lord but the earth, He has given to man”. We note here that the Lord has gifted us with His creation and thus the implication is to commit ourselves as his servants to acknowledge Him as the creator. It is our duty to impart to our children the stewardship of God’s creation

6. The Bible and Environmental ethics • Throughout the Bible, we encounter the Lord and are given to understand that God’s creation is good and if we are to glorify God, it is also our covenental duty to protect it. In this way, we demonstrate our love of God and love of His creation. We also sustain the ecology and assist in meeting the needs of people for food and shelter and the continuance of the human population. Genesis 9:3 “Every moving thing that lives, shall be food for you, and just as I give you the green plants, I give you everything.” The Lord provides for us • Leviticus 25: 5-6 recommends responsible agricultural practices whereby the lands lie fallow every seven years so they can rejuvenate. • Deut 20: 19 -20 Advocates preservation of trees.

7. The Bible and Environmental ethics • Proverbs 12:10 says, “ a righteous man considers the life of his beast, but the tender mercies of the Lord are wicked.” From this, we are given to understand that in order to be a worthwhile steward, we must use our knowledge and wisdom and care for the Lord’s creation dutifully and not exploit it or use it unwisely.

8. The Bible and Environmental ethics • It is significant to note that environmental Christian ethics encompass a Messianic theme. Corinthians 2:5:17 tell us “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come. The implication being, that in embracing Christ fully, we understand ourselves and our part in the Lord’s plan as custodians of His creation. Then we also have the Messianic promise in 2 Peter 3:13, “in accordance with His promise, we wait for the new heaven and a new earth where righteousness is at home.” Thus those who have pleased the Lord on earth, will enjoy nature in the new heaven and earth in the fullness of God’s glory.

9. The Bible and Environmental ethics • Psalm 19: 1-4 (The heavens are telling the glory of God and all of creation proclaims his work….. ) and Romans 1:20 ( Ever since the creation of the world, his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made ), both highlight the fact that the purpose of nature is to glorify God and reveal Him to people everywhere. Therefore, in helping to preserve the magnificence of our world, we are embracing Christ and living in the fullness of Christian life.

10. Catholic Church Teaching • Pope John Paul II in The Ecological Crisis: a Common Responsibility, wrote “Today, the ecological crisis has assumed such proportions as to be the responsibility of everyone, its various aspects demonstrate the need for concerted efforts aimed at establishing the duties and obligations that belong to individuals, peoples, states and the international community.” (no,15) • Benedict 16th in his message for the World Day of Peace in January 2008 said “we need to care for the environment, it has been entrusted to men and women to be protected and cultivated with responsible freedom with the good of all as a constant guiding criterion.”

11. Catholic Church Teaching • Catechism 299 Because God creates through wisdom, his creation is ordered: "You have arranged all things by measure and number and weight."151 The universe, created in and by the eternal Word, the "image of the invisible God", is destined for and addressed to man, himself created in the "image of God" and called to a personal relationship with God.152 Our human understanding, which shares in the light of the divine intellect, can understand what God tells us by means of his creation, though not without great effort and only in a spirit of humility and respect before the Creator and his work.153 Because creation comes forth from God's goodness, it shares in that goodness - "And God saw that it was good. . . very good"154- for God willed creation as a gift addressed to man, an inheritance destined for and entrusted to him. On many occasions the Church has had to defend the goodness of creation, including that of the physical world.155 • Literally, God, in his goodness has created a good earth for us and His intention is that we respect, love and praise him through our lives and by caring for His creation.

12. Catholic Church Teaching • Sollicitudo Rei Socialis:The Social Concerns of the Church (John Paul II, 1987) states that nature must be considered in development. Peace with God the Creator, Peace with Creation:Pastoral Letter (John Paul II, 1990) • Ecological crisis - moral crisis facing humanity • Respect for nature and ecological responsibility - key tenet of faith • Integrity of creation to be upheld • Ecological education - nurture new global solidarity including nature

13. Protestant Teaching • In 2002, the Global Anglican Congress on the Stewardship of Creation called on governments of all nation to support sustainable communities to work together for peace justice and economic prosperity within a context of ecological stability and emphasised stewardship of creation. • In 2008, the Baptist World Alliance called upon its members to practice stewardship and promote education with the purpose of honouring God and enhancing the Common Good. • In May 2007 an article put forward in the Lutheran Church, “Is God Green?” linked Lutheran thinking to the “Golden Rule” Love of God involves love of neighbour and love of his creation”. They further stressed that stewardship of God’s creation is for the benefit of our neighbour and to the glory of God.

14. Orthodox Teaching • Several Fathers, including Methodios of Olympus and St. Maximus the Confessor, affirmed the value of creation and the cosmological dimension of the Kingdom of God. This role includes praise of the Creator and joy at His work: "Let heaven and earth praise Him, the seas and all that move in them" (Ps. 69:34); Orthodox theologians are recovering the fullness of their theology, recognising the presence of God in the whole of creation, and outlining the responsibilities we have towards that creation. i.e. a Stewardship approach.

15. Degradation • Degradation is the process whereby land is rendered infertile due to over farming, overuse of fertilisers and deforestation. • A Christian approach to this issue would be to do whatever to prevent this from happening or to repair damage already done e.g. replanting, or reclaiming and using scientific methods to assist in this effort such as sourcing plants suited to dry, arid conditions. • A Catholic approach would use JP II’ s letter, Peace with God the Creator, peace with His Creation – respect for nature, respect for Creation as the cornerstone of their environmental ethic. Gen 1:28 also calls Catholics to remember that as people made in God’s image, they have a duty as stewards of God’s creation to care for it in the best way they can. A Protestant approach might be to focus on the Anglican Congress’ concept of Stewardship and call on the government to aid those affected by this problem and restore the ecology and the environment. Furthermore, Gen. 2:15 states that we have a duty to protect the environment and ensure it remains fruitful. Therefore, in acting towards reclaiming, the Anglicans would be demonstrating stewardship. An Orthodox approach might consider the teaching of St. Maximus the confessor and provide sustainable ecological visions to ensure that the land can be made viable again, thereby affirming the value of creation.

16. Deforestation • This process occurs when trees and vegetation are removed from the earth leaving land open to the elements. • A Christian approach to this issue is that God’s Creation is good and humans should not unnecessarily destroy it such as in deforestation as it further damages the ecology and is not what God intended. Catholic teaching in Solicitudo Rei Solicialis tells us that nature must be considered in development therefore, Catholics would be against this and seek to preserve some of the natural environment when developing land. • Baptists would invoke the principal of stewardship and also condemn deforestation and seek to replant or restore the environment. Orthodox Christians teach that Eph 1:10 teaches that when Christ became man, one of the Trinity became incarnate, became man and showed humanity a Lordship in stewardship and service. As such, because humans are united to Christ by his incarnation and death, we are thus to serve God in stewardship and service and care for His creation and be active in replanting.

17. Pollution • Pollution occurs when a natural environment is altered by chemicals, or human exploitation, or wanton disregard of living things. • A Catholic perspective on this would be that it is wrong because destroying species and harming environment is harmful to humans according to Deut. 22: 6-7. Also Peace with God, Peace with Creation1990, speaks about the moral implications of the ecological crisis so we need to demonstrate care. • Lutherans too, would consider it against humanity and against love of God in the Golden Rule Matt 7:12. Hence, they would promote Stewardship and seek to rectify the situations which cause the pollution thereby demonstrating love of God and neighbour. Orthodox would acknowledge pollution to be wrong as this environmental crisis is seen as a sin and judgement on humanity. They would use psalm 103 and advocate praising God by helping his creation and stop or prevent pollution.

18. Significant Christians and the Environment • Throughout history, various people have appeared to promote eco theology. In the Catholic tradition, Francis of Assisi is noted for his love of God and nature. Hildegard of Bingen an 11th century Mystic said, “All creation is a song of praise to God’. More recently, Leonardo Boff, a former Catholic Priest has written extensively on eco theology in South America. Thomas Berry is a famous priest and catholic eco theologian. • In the Protestant Tradition, Annie Dillard, a Presbyterian is a famous female eco theologian. Dr. Catherine Keller, an American professor of theology is another Protestant who has written extensively on eco theology. • Professor Barry Leal, a co-ordinator of the Sydney based Uniting Church ministry is noted for his contribution to eco theology in Australia and overseas. Thomas Berry and Annie Dillard.

19. Significant Christians and the Environment • In the Russian Orthodox Church, Sergei Bulgakov is another famous eco theologian who has promoted Orthodox thought and environmental ethics. • His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew wrote, “We are as human beings, responsible for creation; but we have behaved as if we own creation. The problem of the environment is primarily neither an ethical nor a moral issue. It is an ontological issue, demanding a new way of being as well as a new way of behaving.”

20. National Council of Christian Churches and Environment. • Is a member group of 16 Christian Churches who seek to work co-operatively to promote issues relative to the community. They issue statements on the environment and call upon the government and people to affirm the work of Creation, to use resources wisely and to work for ecological sustainability. • This environmental philosophy has been termed, “ Eco Justice”.

21. Analysis of Environmental Ethics. • In the Christian tradition, the relevance to Creation has always been the underlying feature of Christian environmental thinking but it has become more significant in recent years with the growing concerns surrounding climate change and environmental threats to humanity. As a result, each member church has begun to develop an eco theology to aid and assist the adherents of the faith to realise and actualise their Christian commitment and their role in the eschatological imperative. • The Bible, as the source of Christian thinking is then substantiated by the writings of significant people and Church teaching to highlight the relevance of Christian Environmental impacts. It has been remarkable that both men and women have contributed to this Christian ethic and it is still an ongoing process.

22. Analysis of Environmental Ethics. • Perhaps then, we can recognise that our very being, (our ontology) then is integral to creation thinking and our Christian Missiology, i.e. a stewardship of Creation which acknowledges God as our Creator and developing a servanthood of Christian mission with an eschatological promise, a covenantal relationship in Christ towards our fellow humans and creation. For it is through Eschatology that Christians are called to contribute as companions to God in a continuing process of stewardship and co- creation to fulfil their destiny to bring to fruition “ Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” Matt. 5:

23. Bibliography • Bulmer, Paul and Doret, Katherine, (2008) Excel HSC Studies of Religion, Pascal Press, Glebe, N.S.W. • Hayward, Patricia et.al. (2003) Macquarie Studies of Religion, Macmillan Education, South Yarra. • http://www.anglican.ca/about/cogs/ • http://www.bwanet.org/default.aspx?pid=863 • http://www.chcpublications.net/environ.htm • http://www.goarch.org/ourfaith/ourfaith8050 • http://www.lcms.org/pages/wPage.asp?ContentID=73&IssueID=11 • http://www.leaderu.com/science/bergstrom-enviroethics.html • http://orthodoxwiki.org/Environmental_ethics • http://www.parembasis.gr/0000/00_88_04.htm • http://www.stpaulsirvine.org/html/Tibbs_global_warming_orthodox.pdf • http://studiesofreligion.org.au/members/resource/08_christianity_depth/ethics01.html • http://www.webofcreation.org/DenominationalStatements/catholic.htm