1 / 8

Environmental Stewardship

Tamaraw : Critically Endangered 2006: 300 animals (ICUN Red List) Photo Credit: Wikipedia. Environmental Stewardship. Biblical Perspective. Genesis 1:26,28 – rule over the animals, plants, earth.

rianne
Download Presentation

Environmental Stewardship

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Tamaraw: Critically Endangered 2006: 300 animals (ICUN Red List) Photo Credit: Wikipedia Environmental Stewardship

  2. Biblical Perspective • Genesis 1:26,28 – rule over the animals, plants, earth. • “Rule” has political connotations. Like a king or president, we are to look out for their best interests, care for them. • Matthew 6:26 – God feeds the birds. • God cares for the animals. Therefore, caring for them is good. • Proverbs 12:10 – A righteous man cares for the needs of his animal.

  3. Statistics from International Union for Conservation Center: http://www.iucn.org/what/tpas/biodiversity/about/biodiversity_crisis/

  4. We Can not Ignore This • Nearly a quarter of all mammals are extinct or are at high risk of becoming extinct. • Christians need to reflect God, and God cares for animals. • We cannot let animals, that God created in love, disappear. To do so shows we do not appreciate His work. Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) Extinct in 1936 (ICUN Red List) Photo Credit: Wikipedia

  5. Biblical Importance • We cannot allow animals (or plants) to take priority over God (Mat. 22:37-38). • We cannot allow animals to take priority over people (Mat. 12:12). • However, we do need to love God’s creation. This includes caring for it. Scimitar Oryx: Extinct In Wild 2006: about 440 animals (ICUN Red List). Photo Credit: Wikipedia

  6. The Response • Christians should care more about God’s creation than non-believers. • Christians should not let non-believers take over the responsibility God has given us. • Nothing on this Earth is ours. All is God’s. We should take care of creation better than “our own belongings.” Saiga Antelope: Critically Endangered 1970’s: 1,250,000. 2008: 50,000 (ICUN Red List). Photo Credit: Wikipedia

  7. The Response (cont.) • Not only do we care for the animals, we also care for all the Earth • Parable of the Ten Minas (Lk 19:12-27). • We will not be rewarded for doing what is expected of us (not harming the Earth). We will be rewarded for going above and beyond to care for God’s creation. Silky Sifaka: Critically Endangered 2008: 250 mature adults (ICUN Red List) Photo Credit: Wikipedia

  8. Conclusion • Christians need to rule over the earth, protecting its inhabitants as a king should protect his subjects. • Everyone can participate: • Recycle • Clean up after yourself and others • Cut the six-pack rings from pop packs. It’s quick and keeps the loops from strangling animals. • If you are called to work with animals, plants, the environment, do it! Hawaiian Monk Seal: Critically Endangered 2007: 935 (ICUN Red List) Photo Credit: Wikipedia

More Related