God is green, God is good

OK, maybe its obvious, but I believe that Christians have a special obligation to act as stewards, not only of the resources that God has placed in their hands, but of the resources He’s placed outside their doors. I think our charge in Genesis 1: 26-28 is clear and find it troubling and counterproductive that those who argue for environmental sensitivity and energy efficiency, when they worry with the Bible at all, work so hard to dismiss it.

“Dominion” means what we think it means, and has scary antecedents in “subdue,” “rule,” “trample under” and the like. No wonder it is so quickly rejected. The good news, though, is that human beings that are extensions of God’s authority and judgment also bear His mercy and care. however sin-crippled our versions of it may be. Dominium terrae is inseparable from imago Dei.

Too many champions for the environment unnecessarily provoke those who take the Bible seriously. We’re asked to pretend that critters and cacti are brothers and sisters. Abuse by some political conservatives has seemed mean-spirited to their enemies. Look up “dominion theology” if you want to see a festive debate.

As usual, love without truth is fat and truth without love is boneheaded; neither is meat.