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Creation Care: Doing it God’s way
June 17, 2025 / By Dr. Andrew Hartley, Creation Care Chair / .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Editor’s Note: The following commentary was written by Dr. Andrew Hartley, Chair of the UNY Creation Care Team. The views expressed in this article are of the author and team, and not of Bishop Burgos Núñez or any Upper New York staff member.
If you are familiar with the Bible’s book of Genesis, you know that God gave the plants and, after the Great Flood, the animals to the man and woman for food (Genesis 1:29; 9:3). To me, it seems natural to extend that gifting to all of creation, meaning that God put minerals underground, oxygen in the air, water in the riverbeds, and so on, for the use of humans. After all, Psalm 8 says God made humans “rulers over the works of [God’s] hands,” and placed “everything under their feet.”
Does that mean we can do whatever we want with Earth and its contents? Someone in my previous United Methodist congregation once confronted me, who seemed to have that attitude. I had just spoken about the need to stop burning coal (the dirtiest of the dirty fossil fuels), because the resulting smoke was causing millions of human deaths, and tens of millions of respiratory disease cases. This gentleman asked why God would have placed that coal in the ground if God didn’t want us to burn it.
How would you respond to such a question? Frankly, I was unprepared to answer satisfactorily, although hopefully now I am better prepared, because I realize that human freedom of every kind comes with limitations: We can speak firmly to other people but must always do so in love. Salespersons can make a profit from their sales but must charge fair prices. Picknickers may make a mess at the town park but have to clean it up before departing.
Most of us appreciate the necessity of limitations on most types of freedoms. Yet, one might wonder whether humanity generally recognizes the need for limits when it comes to our use of the natural world. Then, too, even if we acknowledge that limits are needed, few of us wonder about or investigate what those limits might be, let alone try to stay within those limits.
To me, the Bible is clear that God places constraints on how we take from Earth’s bounty. Consider the following:
- Earth is the Lord’s, not ours (Ps 24:1).
- Our “rule” over creation must image, or mirror, how God rules over creation: In loving kindness (Genesis 1:26; Ezek 34).
- We must give the land and domestic animals a sabbath rest (Leviticus 25:1-7; Exodus 20:8-11).
- If we harm Earth, we harm our neighbor, who depends on Earth being healthy and productive.
Let us all pray that God would grant us the humility, boldness, and wisdom to learn and follow how God wants us to live on this incredible planet.
Creation Care Tip: Back to School, plastic-free edition
Plastic waste is everywhere: In the rain, on the highest mountain peaks, in the (once pristine) Arctic, and even in human blood and brains. When plastic ages, it breaks down into tiny pieces, which the wind, waves and so on distributed far and wide.
So, if you or others in your family are preparing to head to the classroom, click here to view tips for how to start the school year without an avalanche of plastic.