Environment and the Church
Environment and the Church
Church and Environment issue
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Economic (industry)
and Environment issue
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◦ Gen 1:26-28 “subdue
the earth and rule over the rest of creation”
▪ God intended
us to exercise dominion within creation. Men and women exercise the authority
to rule over God's creation which is the gift of God, characterized by : wisdom, power, goodness,
grace, compassion, faithfulness, provision, protection, justice and love.
◦ Gen 2:15 “to
serve it and to take care of it”
▪ to serve =
doing hard work in order to serve so that it would persist and flourish.
▪ to take care
of it = (hebrew “samar”) to keep something safe with protection, care and
watchfulness. It indicates a loving, caring, sustaining kind of keeping for
the earth's benefit-- to care and protect for its best interest
◦ Psalm 24:1 “the
earth is the LORD's and everything in it, the world and all who live in it”
◦ Psalm 19,
Psalm 148 : all the creation praises God.
◦ The meaning
of Hebrew name for Adam :”ground or soil”.
▪
The earth provide for us, for our survival and food. The
earth suffers with us.
·
Human wickedness and greediness produces ecological stress
◦ Whatever we
do in this earth, for good or for ill, will have ecological impact because of
the integration between human life and all other life on earth.
◦ Roma 8:22 The
creation is groaning, waiting for God's full of salvation
◦ Colossians
1:15-23
▪ it
sketched about God's grand plan for
the redemption of the whole universe emphasized and centralized on the cross.
We are redeemed as part of the redeemed creation
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Church Position
(evangelical)
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·
“It is
hard for the evangelicals to take the environment seriously. Evangelicals are
'gospel people', and the gospel is focused on the salvation of people from
sin”[i].
·
“most
American Evangelicals simply do not believe that the Bible teaches
creation care as an essential part of the Good News of Jesus Christ,
or that it must be an indispensable part of faithful Christian witness”[2]
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The Root of Problem[3]
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·
The
inheritance from Greek philosophy
·
The
ideal Christian life in medieval Christendom
·
Enlightenment
rationalism
·
Neglect
of the biblical doctrine of creation
·
Premillennial
Dispensationalism
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·
Capitalism
·
Individualism
·
Uncritical
patriotism
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Decision of the case by Deontological & Teleological
approach
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· T: Creation belongs to God and part of God's plan of
redemption in Jesus Christ.
· Creation Care is part of our mission task in this fallen
world. Christian ought to be in the forefront of caring for creation
· D: The condition of environment destruction is urgent to
resolve and it needs Christians involvement as salt and light
· Start from the church. The involvement of Christians( as individual
and as church) to resolve this sector (as prophetic witness)
--produce steward disciple not the careerist
--involvement in political and environmental
ethics
--prepare young generation to understand about
environmental issue and how to deal with
--prevention is better than cure
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·
promote sustainable
development “green” Industry
·
promote economic
justice for local people
·
promote the
awareness of the society, educate community (local-regional-national) to
understand their
problem
·
Increase the ability
of the government to manage
the forest
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Other Reference
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The Lausanne Global Consultation on
Creation Care and the Gospel, St. Ann, Jamaica, 9 November, 2012.
1. A new commitment to a
simple lifestyle
2. New and robust
theological work
3. Leadership from the
church in the Global South
4. Mobilization of the
whole church and engagement of all of society
5. Environmental missions
among unreached people groups
6. Radical action to
confront climate change
7. Sustainable principles
in food production
8. An economy that works in
harmony wi th Godʼs creation
9. Local expressions of
creation care, which preserve and enhance
biodiversity.
10. Prophetic advocacy and
healing reconciliation
Climate Forum 2002's statement (summary)
1. Human-induced climate change is a moral, ethical, and
religious issue
2. The earth climate is changing, with adverse effects on
people, communities, and ecosystems
3. Christian denominations, churches, and organizations
need to action to:
·
aware of global climate
change and its moral implications
·
set an example of
reducing greenhouse gas emissions
·
increase demand for
technologies and products that produce fewer emissions CO2
·
urge immediate and
responsible action by national government under framework convention on
climate change.
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[1] Christopher
Wright, The Mission of God's People, Grand Raphid: Zondervan, 2010
[2] Howard
A. Snyder, Salvation means creation healed: creation, cross, kingdom, mission.
Paper on Kingdom Conference, Asbury Theological Seminary, 2005
[3] Adapted
from : Howard A. Snyder, Salvation means creation healed: creation, cross,
kingdom, mission.
[i] Chris
Sugden, Guest Editorial: Evangelicals and
Environment in Process, Evangelical Review of Theology Vol 17. Number 2.
April 1993. p. 119
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