Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana
(Research Journal of Indian Cultural, Social & Philosophical Stream) vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
Environmental Ethics
from the Biblical Perspective
By Dr. Grace Darling,
Asst. Professor,
Department of Philosophy & Religion,
B.H.U., Varanasi
Some People may think that the Bible doesn’t speak much about environmental
ethics. But the truth is that there are several teachings that had been addressed by the Bible. It
will be a great mistake if one thinks the Bible has nothing to do with environmental ethics.
There are certain ethical issues the Bible clearly and strongly speaks about environment;
creation, caring for the nature, caring even for the animals, meddling of different species and
the list can go on and the coming punishment upon those who are ruining the earth.
Revelation 11:18 says that God "will bring to ruin those ruining the earth".1
Man’s unnatural treatment of nature and its sad results is a great concern for our
planet earth. M.K. Gandhi had rightly pointed out that there is enough on earth for
everybody's need, but not for everyone's greed. Selfishness along with thoughtless application
of science and technology in large scale in modern era is the main problem. Our Ecological
crisis is going from bad to worst. To name a few sad consequences of man’s cruel dominion
are like environmental problems: global warming, climate change and its dreadful
consequences, extinction of species both flora and fauna, ecological imbalance, critical
pollution of air, water and earth, environmental degradation in an alarming rate, man-made or
induced natural disaster like earthquake, deforestation, disappearance and dwindling down of
plants and birds, animals and living creatures’ population, erosion, land slide, rapid
disappearances of glacier in the Arctic, Antarctic and Himalayan Mountains, low lying
countries being flooded, depletion of ozone layer, more diseases and so on are inevitable fact
that invite our urgent attention. Even beautiful natural landscapes and fresh rivers are being
disturbed by mining, industrial and by so-called developmental works. The real creation is
being degraded through human abuse, indifference, and negligence. Right attitudes towards
the nature and corrective measures are the need of the hour today. What people do about their
ecology depends on what they think about themselves in relation to things around them.
Human ecology is deeply conditioned by beliefs about our nature and destiny, that is, by
religious belief.
1
The Bible, Revelation 11:18
Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
Ever since 1967 when Professor Lynn White Jr. of UCLA published an article entitled
2
‘The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis’ in Science magazine , it's been common to
blame Christianity for environmental problems since Christianity promote "dominion" over
Nature, according to Genesis 1 and 2. The great Christian theologian of the 1970s and 80s,
Francis Schaeffer devoted a whole book to refuting White. The book is called ‘Pollution and
the Death of Man’. But here, this paper’s greater emphasis will be from Biblical perspectives
through philosophical understanding.
According to the Bible, the world and everything in it, the heavens and the whole
universe is created by the wise, loving and all powerful good God. Genesis 1:1 says “In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth”.3 All the biotic as well as the abiotic
entities are all God’s creation. Human is also one of the creations. The Bible also says that
man created in the image of God is ordained to rule the earth. Here many people are greatly
mistaken by the shallow understanding of the meaning of the word “rule”. The deeper
philosophical meaning of the word “rule” needs a right understanding. Genesis 1:28 and 2:15
talk about human actions toward God's creation. The used Hebrew verbs which mean rule,
subdue, till, and care are all more properly to be understood under the category of
"stewardship" rather than under "dominion," as our industrial age has defined it. Humans do
not own the Earth. God the creator does. “The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof”
(Psalms 24:1)4. The nature deserves respect. It belongs to the maker and not us.
We are mere stewards who are meant to help the earth flourish. God of the Bible is
believed to be the God who rules the world with love, peace and justice. For the kingdom of
God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the
Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). His standard of ruling is that the world needs to be ruled or
looked after carefully by man as a kind, good steward and not as a tyrant cruel ruler who
destroys whichever is given to him to his care. As for instance, there is the importance of
forests as a major source of life on earth by providing oxygen, food, fibres, fuels etc. Our
concerns are also there on the rapid deforestation and rampant destruction of forests and land
causing many negative impacts such as climate change, pollution and global warming. Such
massive environmental degradation is brought about by human activities such as construction
of dams, roads, railways, industrial activities, logging, wildfire and extraction of mineral
resources or thoughtless exploitation of our environment for human comfort.
Climatic change is a reality. Ice-capped mountains around the world have shrunk due
to the global warming resulting in the melting of ice. Natural calamities such as droughts,
floods, cyclones, hurricanes, tsunamis have become more frequent and uncertain. Another
impact of climate change is the growing ecological imbalance and disruptions in ecosystem
services affecting various species of flora and fauna. There are also various studies now that
shows the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity and vegetation.
2
Jr, Lynn Townsend White, ‘The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis’,(March 1967). Science 155
(3767): 1203–1207
3
The Bible, Genesis 1:1
4
The Bible, Psalms 24:1
2
Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
1. Caring for the Nature (Environment)
Genesis 1 and 2 speaks of the account of creation of heavens and earth by God.
1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and
empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over
the waters.
3
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good,
and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he
called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
6
And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So
God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it
was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the
second day.
9
And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground
appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he
called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.
11
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the
land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12 The
land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit
with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was
evening, and there was morning—the third day.
14
And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the
night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, 15 and let them be
lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16 God made two great
lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also
made the stars. 17 God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, 18 to govern
the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19
And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day.
20
And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth
across the vault of the sky.” 21 So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living
thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and
every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 God blessed them
and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds
increase on the earth.” 23 And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day.
24
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the
livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to
its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock
according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their
kinds. And God saw that it was good.
3
Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our (plural form in the belief of the triune
God: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over
the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,
and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
27
So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful
and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and
the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
29
Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and
every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of
the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—
everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was
morning—the sixth day. 5
Nehemiah 9:6 also says “You made the heavens, even the highest heavens and all
their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You gave life to
everything and the multitudes of heaven worship you.”
Psalm 8:3-8. Also speaks as when I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the
moon and the stars which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the
son of man.
Everything was created by God including mankind in his own image, in the image of
God both male and female. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in
number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky
and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Man is the crown of creation,
more special than any other creature and God gave the responsibility to rule the earth. It is
from this that many critics blame Christianity for abusing the nature basing on
anthropocentricism. But the main philosophy of ruling the earth by man is that man is
ordained by God to be a good steward, a good ruler. Man is only a caretaker. To rule
means to be responsible for whatever one does. Man is responsible to take care of the earth as
a good ruler and not as a tyrant ruler. The ideal of God’s kingdom is that the world be ruled
with truth, justice and kindness that peace, harmony, orderliness and love. It’s not about
using up all the natural resources thoughtlessly for selfish human gain. God loves truth, good
and beauty that He made the world beautifully without any pollution and he made all lovely
creatures in it.
The Creation account says that God made the heavens and the earth and everything in
it both biotic and abiotic or non-sentient entities. He made the celestial objects and also the
seasons. The beautiful, unpolluted globe was his creation. The sun, the moon, the stars with
all its lights is also God’s creation. It shows the power and wisdom of the creator God. Man
is not the creator and has no right to destroy the earth for man’s greed. The Creator God
says in Psalms 50:10 that every creature in the forest, [even] the cattle on a thousand hills, is
5
The Bible, Genesis 1:1-31
4
Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
mine.6 The earth and everything in it belongs to the maker God. Man is made a ruler only to
take good care of it and not to destroy it.
Lilies of the fields are beautifully dressed by God, the Heavens declare the glory of
God and the firmament sheweth his handiworks…. Indeed the universe is created beautifully
by the Almighty, wise and all loving good God who cares.
7
Arne Naess in his "deep ecology" expounds that there is intrinsic value or inherent
worth of each and every creature in the environment. God’s creation is to be honoured and
revered when God himself had said the creation is “good” five times when he created the
heavens and the earth, and “very good!” when he created man (human beings).
There is a verse in the book of Revelation about those who destroy the earth being
judged by God. The issue of climate change, global warming and the associated
environmental degradation is a matter of concern. Global warming has led to considerable
melting of polar ice-caps affecting the regulation of the earth’s temperature. At the present
rate of global warming, scientists have painted dark scenarios for the low lying countries and
cities that we could lose many of the world’s habitable places to the seas such as Maldives,
Netherland, Bangladesh, Tokyo, Kolkata, Mumbai, Washington, New York and Boston.
Huge amount of glaciers are being melted every day and extreme weather could make parts
of the world virtually uninhabitable –this is already happening –floods and droughts are
becoming more frequent as are violent storms. The threat for loss of life and property is
enormous. The ozone layer is being depleted at an alarming rate due to man’s activity
resulting in the excess emission of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Many biotic lives
will also be extinct if this present rate of global warming due to man’s greed and man’s love
for comfort continues. Man’s introduction to monoculture of plants and trees are responsible
for the extinction of many living species that had been created by God. Man-made high dams
do bring enormous destruction to land and aquatic lives.
Revelation 11:18 says that God "will bring to ruin those ruining the earth". This
does have everything to do with man-made disasters. Those who are destroying the earth,
land and territory are men. They are doing this largely through carbon emissions, green house
gases etc. The earth is being destroyed for financial or economic gain. There is nothing more
despicable than that.8
Genesis 1:28 shows us that mankind was supposed to care for the earth (then partly a
paradise garden) and to spread that garden all across the globe.
2. Caring for the animals
The Bible says in proverbs that a good man is kind even to his animals…..Proverbs 12:10 A
righteous man cares for the needs of his animal, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
1 Corinthians 9:9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is
treading out the grain."9 Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Deuteronomy 25:4 “You
6
The Bible, Psalms 50:10
Arne Næss, ‘The Shallow and the Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movement.’ (1973) Inquiry 16: 95-100
8
The Bible, Revelation 11:18
9
The Bible, 1 Corinthians 9:9
7
5
Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing”.10 1 Timothy 5:18 For the Scripture says, "Do
not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages".11
While the oxen were at work some muzzled their mouths to hinder them from eating the corn,
which Moses here forbids. It is a sad sight to see even now that many make animals as beast
of burden beyond their capacity and sometimes forbidding them to eat anytime they want by
covering their mouths.
It is also of great interest that the command given to humans in Genesis 1:28 to "be
fruitful and multiply," is given after the same command to animals in 1:22. In other words, if
humans are meant to be stewards, then we are also stewards over the flourishing of the
animal kingdom. It's hard to believe we are doing a good job when species are going extinct.
As for example there are only 1300-1500 wild tigers left in India and India has half the
population of tigers in the world. People who know about the creation should be the first to
join Project Tiger and get behind these conservation projects. Those who believe that God
created the world and the responsibility to rule is given to men should be the first to take care
of it.
3. Meddling between different species:
The Bible says in Genesis 1
11
Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees
on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. 12
The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing
fruit with seed in it according to their kinds.
24
And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the
livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to
its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock
according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their
kinds.
God commanded the earth to produce all kind of plants and fill the earth according to
its own kind. Man may justify hybridization for the benefit of mankind to feed the vast
population of the earth by saying that it is a service to God by serving men. As for instance,
men were trying to hybridize carrot and cabbage to get cabbage leaves and carrot tuber from
the same plant (though it was not successful). But a serious issue that cannot be ignored here
is that the same question remains ‘Will the Lord God delight in such offerings?’ “Behold! to
obey is better than sacrifice” (I Samuel 15:22).12 It is better for man to live a righteous life
than offer lots of things to God earned through unrighteous means. God’s command is that let
the trees produce fruits of its own kind and multiply and fill the earth. We are not supposed to
meddle with God’s wonderful creation. Will God be happy with unnatural means meddling
with His creation for human selfish gain in the name of development? No, that is not the code
of conduct that has been prescribed.
God is concerned of His creation. The Scripture says not a sparrow falls to the ground
without the Father’s concern (God) “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of
10
The Bible, Deuteronomy 25:4
The Bible, 1 Timothy 5:18
12
The Bible, I Samuel 15:22
11
6
Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
them shall not fall on the ground without your Father’s knowledge”13 (Matthew 10:29). In
olden days, sparrows were the meat for the poor and were sold two for a penny. Yet, Jesus
said, “Not one of these small creatures falls to the ground without your Father knowing it.”
Christ is telling us, “Your Father’s eye is on the sparrow not just when it dies but even when
alights on the ground. As a sparrow learns to fly, it falls from the nest and begins to hop
along the ground. And God sees every little struggle it has. He is concerned over every detail
of its life.” He knows each and everyone. He knows when we were formed and were growing
secretly in our mother’s womb (Psalms 139:15).14 He calls us by name. Even the very hairs
of our head are numbered (Matthew 10:30).
We are not to take everything for ourselves from the nature’s bounty. Deuteronomy
24:19 says; “When you are harvesting your crops and forget to bring in a bundle of grain
from your field, don't go back to get it. Leave it for the foreigners, orphans, and widows.”15
Verse 21 says also says “When you gather the grapes in your vineyard, don't glean the vines
after they are picked. Leave the remaining grapes for the foreigners, orphans, and
widows......” verse 22 also says 'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the
very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and
the alien.
4. God has a Relationship with All of His Creation
Psalm 96:10-13. The Lord reigns... Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the seas
resound and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the
trees of the forest will sing for joy, they will sing before the Lord for He comes, He comes to
judge the earth.
Isaiah 43:20-21. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide
water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
Deut. 32:1-2. Listen, Oh heavens, and I will speak, hear, Oh earth, the words of my mouth.
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass,
like abundant rain on tender plants.
Job 37:14-18. Listen to this, Job. Stop and consider God's wonders. Do you know how God
controls the clouds and makes his lightning flash? Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
those wonders of Him who is perfect in knowledge?
Psalms 104:25, 27. Animals, both small and great.. they all wait for Thee to give them their
food in due season.
Matthew 6:26. Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor
gather into barns and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. And are you not worth much more
than they?
13
The Bible, Matthew 10:29
The Bible, Psalms 139:15
15
The Bible, Deuteronomy 24:19
14
7
Grace Darling, “Environmental Ethics from the Biblical Perspective”, Anuśīlana vol. XLII, July 2012, pp 1-10
published on www.filosofia-ambientale.it with the permission of the Author, May 2014
5. God Blessed the Different Species of Plants and Animals.
God blessed the birds and sea animals, and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number."
(Genesis 1:22)
6. God is Concerned of the Different Species
Genesis tells of a time that man had become so wicked on the face of the earth that he
regretted making man. He decided to destroy the wicked people from the face of the earth by
causing a great deluge. At that time there was a righteous man called Noah. He decided to
save him and his family from the Great Flood. He was told to make a great ark for him, his
family and for the animals. Genesis 6:19-21. God said, "You are to bring into the ark two of
every kind of living creature, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of every
kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the
ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be
eaten and store it away as food for you and them." 16Noah did everything just as God
commanded him. Here we see that God is concerned of all the species of every living
creature to continue living on this earth. God is concerned even for their food. It is God who
created the different species of plants and animals. Humans do not have the right to let it
go extinct through human behaviour.
From Biblical perspective, we find that, we, the humans have the responsibility to
take good care of the planet earth and to let it flourish. We are to be accountable. It is also
man’s duty to find out ways and means to rectify our degraded environment and help
replenish our beautiful environment again. We do not own the earth but God does.
Exploitative attitude of man needs to be changed. The universe would be incomplete without
man; but it would also be incomplete without the smallest trans-microscopic creature that
dwells beyond our eyes and knowledge. The Bible affirms the goodness and intrinsic value of
all living things; it points out commonalities between human beings and other living things;
and it contains the mandate that we treat the natural world with care and respect. We are
made as an overseer till God comes again. The Biblical standard of a king or ruler is a
“SERVANT KING”. One who rules is to serve his subjects. Rulers are even responsible for
the welfare of the subjects. Ezekiel 34:2-4 says: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only
take care of themselves! Should not the shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds,
clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you did not take care of
the flock! You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You
have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and
17
brutally”. Ezekiel 34:10. 0 shepherds, hear the word of the Lord. This is what the sovereign
Lord says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. God is
coming to judge everyone and reward the doers of good and bring to ruin all those who are
ruining the earth.
16
17
The Bible, Genesis 6:19-21
The Bible, Ezekiel 34:2-4
8