Biblical Teachings on Climate Change: A Christian’s Guide to Environmental Stewardship
As a Christian, I have studied climate change for years. I want to share something important with you. In October 2021, the World Health Organization conference made a big announcement. They said climate change is now the biggest threat to human health around the world.
This news hit me hard. As I heard this, I thought about what this means for us as Christians. I wondered what the Bible tells us about taking care of our Earth. And I asked myself: “How should we respond to climate change as followers of Jesus?”
I’ve spent the last decade teaching churches about caring for God’s creation, per the Bible. In this guide, I’ll share with you, in simple terms, what I’ve learned. We’ll look at:
- What the Bible really says about taking care of the Earth.
- How climate change affects people today.
- What we as Christians can do to help.
- Why we can have hope for the future.
I promise to explain everything in a way that’s easy to understand. I’ll use clear examples from science and Scripture. They will show how to be better caretakers of God’s creation.
Understanding Climate Change from a Biblical Lens
The Bible doesn’t explicitly mention “climate change” – a term that only entered common usage in the early 2000s. However, Scripture provides rich insights into our relationship with creation and our role as stewards of God’s earth.
Recent scientific data shows that global temperatures have risen between one and two degrees Fahrenheit since the 19th century, reaching their highest levels in over 100,000 years. While some attribute this entirely to natural processes, others see it as a direct result of human activity.
The Biblical Foundation of Creation Care
In the beginning, God established a clear mandate for humanity’s relationship with creation. Genesis 1:28 (NIV) states:
“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.'”
This verse, often misinterpreted as a license for exploitation, actually emphasizes our role as stewards rather than owners. The Hebrew words used here suggest responsibility and care, not dominance and destruction.
Environmental Justice in Scripture
The Bible repeatedly emphasizes care for the vulnerable, and climate change disproportionately affects the poor. This connection between environmental justice in the Bible and care for the marginalized reveals how climate action aligns with biblical principles for sustainable living.
The Impact of Sin on Creation
The Bible teaches that human choices have profound effects on the natural world. After the Fall, God said to Adam in Genesis 3:17-18 (NIV):
“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.”
This passage illustrates the interconnectedness between human actions and the environment. The Apostle Paul further emphasizes this in Romans 8:22-23 (NIV):
“22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.”
Biblical Environmentalism: Our Call to Stewardship
The Mandate to Care for Creation (The garden mandate)
Genesis 2:15 (NIV) provides a clear directive for environmental stewardship:
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
This verse establishes our role as caretakers of God’s creation. The Hebrew words used here – “abad” (to serve) and “shamar” (to keep) – indicate a duty to protect and nurture the environment.
Environmental Justice and Care for the Poor
The Bible consistently links environmental stewardship with care for the vulnerable. Climate change disproportionately affects poor communities. This becomes an issue of both environmental and social justice. Proverbs 31:9 (NIV) reminds us to:
“Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Practical Applications for Christians
Individual Actions
- Practice sustainable consumption.
- Reduce waste and recycle.
- Use energy efficiently.
- Support environmental initiatives.
- Make eco-friendly transportation choices.
Community Engagement
- Participate in local environmental programs.
- Educate others about creation care.
- Support policies that protect the environment.
- Engage in church-led sustainability efforts.
Practical Applications for Christians Today.
- Support climate-conscious policies.
- Education and awareness in faith communities
Advocacy and Prayer
- Pray for environmental healing
- Advocate for creation care
- Support organizations combining faith and environmental stewardship
Hope for Restoration
The Bible offers hope for environmental restoration through Christ Romans 8:21 (NIV):
“The creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.”
While climate change presents serious challenges, the biblical response to climate change includes hope. Christ’s redemptive work extends to all creation, inspiring Christians to participate in environmental restoration while awaiting complete renewal.
Key Takeaways
- Biblical stewardship calls for responsible care of creation
- Human actions significantly impact the environment
- Environmental care is linked to social justice
- Christians have a moral obligation to address climate change
- Hope for restoration should motivate action
Conclusion
Biblical teachings on climate change provide a compelling framework for environmental engagement. As Christians, we’re called to be faithful stewards of God’s creation. This reflects His character through responsible care for the environment. This calling invites us to transform our understanding of dominion into active stewardship. Its also a call to work toward environmental healing while anticipating Christ’s ultimate restoration of all things.
The church’s role in addressing climate change is crucial. By embracing biblical environmentalism and creation stewardship, Christians can lead by example in environmental conservation and sustainable living. This not only honors God but also protects the vulnerable and witnesses to God’s love for all creation.
Remember from our opening story? We found our answer in Scripture’s clear call to environmental stewardship. Like in that story, we can all play a part in caring for God’s creation, guided by biblical principles and motivated by love for our Creator and His world.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Bible directly address climate change?
While the Bible doesn’t use the term “climate change,” it provides clear principles about environmental stewardship and human responsibility for creation. Genesis 2:15 – The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
How does climate change relate to the end times prophecy?
While some connect climate change and the end times, the Bible emphasizes our ongoing responsibility to care for creation regardless of prophetic interpretations.
What does “dominion” over creation mean?
Biblical dominion implies responsible stewardship and care, not exploitation or destruction.
How can Christians respond to climate change?
Christians can respond through personal lifestyle changes, community engagement, advocacy for environmental protection, and prayer.
Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, that you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture. Or to drink clear water, that you must muddy the rest of the water with your feet?
Is climate change a religious issue?
Climate change intersects with biblical mandates for creation care and social justice, making it relevant to Christian faith and practice. Numbers 35:33-34 ESV
You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. You shall not defile the land in which you live, in the midst of which I dwell, for I the Lord dwell in the midst of my people ”
What does the Bible say about environmental protection?
Scripture consistently emphasizes humanity’s role as stewards of God’s creation. It calls us to protect and nurture the environment. Genesis 2:15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Leviticus 25:1-7 (NIV). The Lord said to Moses at Mount Sinai, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. 5 Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. 6 Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you. It will be for yourself, your male and female servants, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you. 7 It is as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.
By understanding and applying biblical teachings on creation care, Christians can play a vital role in addressing climate change while fulfilling their God-given mandate as stewards of His creation. Through faithful action and hopeful anticipation of restoration, we can work toward healing our planet and caring for all of God’s creation.
