Federal and state environmental laws and regulations are not the only authority for protecting and preserving the environment. Long before our country became concerned about environmental issues, the Bible and sacred texts of other religions have addressed environmental protections, including prohibition against exploitation of natural resources, sustainable development, protection of endangered species and environmental justice.
However, as western cultures have recognized individual rights and adopted economic models based on free market capitalization, the sacred teachings have been misinterpreted and come to view Creation (the Earth, living things, etc) as being here for the pleasure and profit of humans, They relied on the language in Genesis, which gave humans dominion over the earth and have tended to ignore other teachings that set forth humanity’s obligations towards the Creation.. When one examines Scriptural passages more closely, what we see is that God thought his Creation was good, had its own value independent of humans and that humans were supposed to act as stewards towards the earth.
We have offered a course on the what the Bible tell us about what mankind’s relationship should be with the environment This course explores the biblical role and responsibility that God has given humans regarding the earth and the environment. We also explore how the Bible uses nature to show us how we should live our lives and how a biblical approach to nature can enhance our relationship with God.
Click here for Class Materials
The Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) is a ministry grounded in the Bible’s teaching on the responsibility of humanity towards the care of God’s creation. The EEN Website contains materials for churches, ministries, families, and individuals to follow God’s call to care for His creation in home, family, church life, and vocation,
Following are Environmental Stewardship links for a number of faiths:
- Click HERE for a Biblical Perspective on Environmental Stewardship.
- Click HERE for materials from the Catholic Church on Stewardship of Creation.
- Click HERE for other links to official statements issued by various Christian denominations on environment stewardship.
- Click HERE for Buddhist Statements on the Environment,
- Click HERE for Hindu Statements on the Environment.
- Click HERE for Islamic Statements on the Environment,
- Click HERE for Jewish Environmental Organizational Statements on the Environment.
- For a Comprehensive Torah-Based Approach to the Environment, click HERE
- Click HERE for the writings of Rabbi Lawrence Troster on environmental stewardship: