By Chuck Colson
…Given the literally inhumane thinking that animates a lot of modern environmental thinking, a humane Christian response is sorely needed.
Fortunately, there is such a response -- one that does not force us to choose between man and the rest of creation.
According to this worldview, man was given the task of steward, not ravager, of earth and the creatures on it. And because man is made in God’s image, he is also a creator who can use his creativity to harness the earth’s resources in ways that benefit man without destroying or degrading the creation.
Second, the Christian worldview holds that man, as the crown of God’s creation, is to benefit from the fruits of the earth; that environmental efforts should promote human flourishing — clean water and air, healthy and sufficient food supplies for all.
Third, we recognize that man is fallen; our record for stewarding the earth is not good. That calls for man’s repentance, not his annihilation.
Fourth, the same God who placed man in the garden as steward also commanded him to be fruitful and to multiply. Not only should Christians reject population control on theological grounds, as I’ve said many times on BreakPoint, there are practical reasons to do so as well. The greatest threat to developing and especially developed nations isn’t over-population. It’s de-population and crashing fertility rates -- the results of which are aging populations, failing economies and a net loss of that human creativity I’ve been talking about.
So, any Christian should welcome efforts to steward the world’s resources effectively and for the benefit of all. Not because we’re afraid aliens will wipe us out if we don’t, but because we have a divine incentive to do so…
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