Curious Christian

Reflections on culture, nature, and spirituality from a Christian perspective

How “green” should the Christian be?

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Matt Stone

2009-02-17

Many people still fail to see the environmental implications of the resurrection of Jesus. Take this comment for instance.

Nowhere in the New Testament is sin, salvation, or the gospel ever defined in terms of corporate ecological responsibility. Rather than being consumed with the things of this earth, believers are commanded to focus on the life to come.

You can read the full comment here, but I just want to draw attention to the blind spots embedded in just these sentances alone.

Firstly, why is the questioning of mindless consumption, the content of much environmental debate, so incompatable with moving on from “being consumed with the things of this earth” as this person advocates? Is the connection between environmental exploitation, greed and sin so difficult to see?

Secondly, are we not called to live out the life to come in the now? Does not the live to come involve a restoration of relationship between God, creation and creatures?

Tags Nature

4 responses to “How “green” should the Christian be?”

Carlo

2009-02-18

Good point.
That citation on his post of 2 Pet. 3:10–13 is a classic misinterpretation of what is actually apocalyptic genre.
The fire talked about here as I understand it, is more like the ‘refiners fire’ of the old testament which brings out gold, rather than a big raging global bush fire.

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Isaiah

2009-02-18

The author of the article seems to misinterpret what the WCC is saying and because of this writes what he did.
Although he does mention that Christians should “live this life in holy conduct and godliness”. Does not environmentalism fall under that?

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Maria

2009-02-19

I like NT Wright’s take on “the life after life after death” — in other words, heaven as it is popularly imagined is not our final state, there is a new heaven and new earth coming that will redeem the current creation. As citizens of the kingdom, we’re to be working towards that redemption for which creation groans — not trashing the planet, not to mention the other billions who share the planet with us. When you consider the human impact of our overly consumptive lifestyle (increasing hunger, pollution impacting the poorest communities most, etc) it seems obvious that even for the sake of our fellow humans we should take care of the environment. If people don’t get that, it’s hard to imagine they’ll see the worth of God’s creation in itself.

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Matt Stone

2009-02-20

Not only for the sake of our neghbours but also for the sake of our God. When we disrespect the art we disrespect the artist, when we disrespect the creation we disrespect the Creator.

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