The abuse and misuse of the worlds natural resources by the industrialized nations is a growing problem, and the moral dilemma it is causing will have to be confronted soon if continued environmental damage is to be averted.  The root of this environmental crisis is the consumerist mentality of the western nations; where the majority of people see the consumption of goods as the sole purpose of life.  This erroneous view of life is caused by a failure on the part of western culture to see the true nature of the human person and of his dominion over the earth [cf. Genesis 1:28].  It is thus a moral crisis, a crisis which can only be resolved by going back to the biblical texts upon which western culture is founded, in order to reinterpret the biblical tradition in a way which will give an answer to the problems that are threatening humanity at the present moment.  This is important not just for the western world, but for all of mankind because what the developed nations do economically has an impact on the environment of the entire planet.

          In Genesis God tells Adam and Eve that they must, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” [Genesis 1:28].  In subduing the earth, human beings are to bring order out of chaos, in having dominion over creation mankind is given authority to use it for his benefit, but these terms (i.e. subduing and dominion) also imply that human beings are to use this authority responsibly.  If one generation were to destroy the resources of the earth, they would then deprive succeeding generations of their rights in this area.  The Lord has given humanity this power in order to benefit the entire human species, and not simply one society, or one era of human history.  Human beings are thus stewards of creation, and they have a duty to preserve the natural order for the generations yet unborn.  In Hebrew the first two letters in the root of the word subdue are the same as the first two letters in the root for the word wash, thus one could say that human beings are meant to wash the earth (i.e. not pollute it, but keep it clean).

          The story of the Tower of Babel shows us what happens when technology is used simply to aggrandize mankind.  Technology itself is morally neutral, it is neither good nor evil, but the way in which it is used gives it its moral meaning.  In the biblical text the people of Babel use their technology (i.e. the ability to make bricks and use bitumen) in order to, as the text puts it, “. . . make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth” [Genesis, 11:4].  This statement indicates a self-centered motive in the creation of the Tower of Babel, an idolatrous use of technology meant only to glorify mankind, it is thus devoid of a moral purpose and this is why God comes down and confuses their language.  In this way he prevents them from using their technology for purposes which are devoid of any moral meaning, and he also forces human beings to disperse and thus makes them fulfill the commandment he gave them at beginning of creation, to go out “. . .and fill the earth” [Genesis 1:28].

          The stories related in the first chapters of the Book of Genesis are useful in helping human beings to discern moral truths, truths which are necessary if humanity is to protect the environment and at the same time use the natural resources that are available in order to alleviate human suffering.  The moral principle which can be discerned in the biblical texts indicates that human beings may make proper use of the earth, but that they may not abuse the earth.  The environmental crisis will be solved only when humanity realizes that its dominion over creation is a dominion of stewardship, a stewardship in which one generation must pass on to the next a planet which is both productive, thus satisfying human needs; while at the same time passing on a planet that is livable.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Bible:  Revised Standard Version.  (New York:  American Bible Society, 1971).  

Francis Brown, Edward Robinson, Charles A. Briggs, S. R. Driver (Editors).  The New Brown-Driver-Briggs-Gesenius Hebrew English Lexicon.  (Peabody:  Hendrickson Publishers, 1979).

Stewards of the Environment

by Steven Todd Kaster

San Francisco State University

Philosophy 551:  Biblical Ethics (JS 516)

Professor Laurie Zoloth

28 October 1999

Copyright © 1999-2024 Steven Todd Kaster