Harmony with Creation Harmony with God’s Will

Here, the ethical and practical imperative of “creation care” — the responsible stewardship of the natural world — is rooted firmly in the foundational doctrines of Christian theology. Creation care is not simply a reaction to today’s ecological challenges; it is a return to the original, God-given relationship between the Creator, humanity, and the created order as revealed in Scripture.

• The Doctrine of Creation: "And God Saw That It Was Good"

The opening chapter of Genesis establishes the fundamental premise for creation care. The universe is not a cosmic accident nor a divine afterthought; it is the deliberate, spoken word of God brought into being. The repeated refrain, "And God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:10, 12, 18, 21, 25), culminating in the declaration that it was "very good" (1:31), confers sacred value upon all of creation. It is good in itself, possessing intrinsic worth because it belongs to God and reflects His character (Psalm 19:1). To degrade creation is to deface a masterpiece bearing the Artist's signature.

• The Imago Dei and Stewardship: A Priestly Vocation

Humanity's unique role is defined by being created Imago Dei—in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-28). This has often been misinterpreted as a licence for unbridled domination. A more faithful reading understands it as a call to representative stewardship. As God's image-bearers, we are placed in the garden "to work it and take care of it" (Genesis 2:15). The Hebrew words used here, abad (to serve) and shamar (to keep, preserve, guard), imply a posture of reverent service and protection, akin to that of a priest mediating God's blessing to the world and offering the world's praise back to God. Our dominion is to be a reflection of God's own kingship—characterized by justice, wisdom, and benevolence, not exploitation.

• The Cosmic Scope of Redemption: For God So Loved the Kosmos

The scope of God's redemptive work in Jesus Christ is not limited to individual human souls. The Gospel of John declares that "God so loved the world" (Greek: kosmos) that He gave His Son (John 3:16). The Apostle Paul elaborates this cosmic vision, stating that in Christ, God was pleased "to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross" (Colossians 1:20). Creation itself, which "groans" under the weight of human sin, awaits its own liberation from decay (Romans 8:19-22).

Therefore, creation care is an active participation in the redemptive work of Christ, aligning our efforts with God's ultimate purpose to restore and renew all things.

• Incarnation and Sacrament: The Material as a Means of Grace

The doctrine of the Incarnation, in which God became flesh and dwelt among us in a material world (John 1:14), forever sanctifies the physical realm. God did not despise His creation but entered into it. This affirms that matter is a fitting vehicle for divine grace.

A sacramental worldview recognizes that the natural world can mediate God's presence and glory.

When we pollute the rivers, strip the forests, or contaminate the air, we are desecrating a potential sacrament—a means through which God's goodness is communicated to His creatures.

• Eschatology and Hope: A New Heaven and a New Earth

The Christian hope is not an escape from creation, but the redemption of creation. The biblical vision of the future is not the annihilation of the world, but its transformation—"a new heaven and a new earth" (Revelation 21:1; Isaiah 65:17). We look forward to the resurrection of the body and the renewal of all things. This future hope empowers present action. We care for creation now because it matters to God eternally. Our efforts, though incomplete, are a sign and a foretaste of the coming Kingdom, where righteousness will dwell.

Creation care is therefore not an optional "add-on" to the Christian faith, nor is it a political position co-opted from secular movements. It is a non-negotiable aspect of discipleship. It flows directly from our core beliefs about God as Creator, humanity as His image-bearing stewards, Christ as the Redeemer of all things, and the Spirit as the Sustainer of life.

To neglect this responsibility is a failure of worship, a distortion of our vocation, and a denial of the cosmic breadth of the Gospel.

Let us therefore live as faithful stewards, tending the garden entrusted to us, in hopeful anticipation of the day when all of creation will sing in harmonious praise to its Maker.