Respect for the Earth:
Caring for God’s Creation
Chapter 9
Mr. Garcia
Religion 10
1. Why is care for the earth a requirement of Christian
faith?
Human dignity calls us to reflect the caring relationship
that God has with creation. Also, in our world of
interdependent relationships, respecting our sisters
and brothers—including future generations—
requires respecting the earth.
2. Define stewardship.
The responsibility that people have to respect and care
for all creation.
3. Write a paragraph about how cleaner air, more open
spaces, greater fuel economy, and preservation of
forests might affect human life and dignity.
Answer will vary.
4. Define integrity of creation and explain why it is necessary.
The way in which creation’s many interdependent relationships fit
together as a harmonious whole. The integrity of creation is
necessary for it to thrive as God intends.
5. What unique role do humans have within the integrity of
creation, and why?
Humans have the unique role of stewards because we are made
in the image of God and because we alone among all creatures
have the freedom to choose how we will relate to the rest of
creation.
6. Name at least three consequences of rain forest destruction.
Any of the following are options.
 The mass extinction of species
 The loss of potentially valuable medicines
 Harm to the life of people in poverty
 Contribution to global warning
7. What do the U.S. Catholic bishops say is the single
greatest cause of environmental destruction?
Consumption in developed nations.
8. In a paragraph, explain how the poverty of indigenous
people and the consumption of developed nations
contribute to the destruction of rain forests.
9. Name three beliefs that characterize a power-over
relationship with the earth.
 The earth has value by itself.
 The earth is owned by whoever has the power to take
it.
 The earth is a limitless resource.
10. What does it mean to say that the natural world is
sacramental?
The natural world reveals the presence of God in a visible and
tangible way.
11. How are humans to exercise dominion over the earth?
Human dominion over the earth is meant to be driven by love, not
greed or abuse. Part of the responsibility of stewardship, then,
involves safeguarding natural resource in order to ensure that
they benefit all people, including poor people and future
generation—not just those powerful enough to control them.
12. What are sustainable economics practices?
Practices that reduce current stresses on natural systems and are
consistent with sounds environmental policy in the long term.
Such practices use natural resources in a way that preserves
the earth’s ability to nurture itself and the whole human
community well into the future.
13. Write a short paragraph comparing the ways
stewardship of the earth and celebrating the Eucharist
are similar and different.
14. How does economics respects the limits of creation?
By seeking to include the value of the environment in
economic decision making.
15. How does short-term thinking fail to reflect the real
value of the environment?
 By failing to consider the true or hidden value of
natural resources
 By failing to measure the value of natural resources
for human life
 By failing to see that natural resources are gifts from
God.
16. As stewards of creation, what must business leaders weigh when making
decisions?
The contribution their activities make to the common good against the harm
these activities cause the environment.
17. Describe sustainable development. List three polices adopted by the
Costa Rican government to encourage sustainable development.
 Sustainable development occurs when the government cooperates with
citizens, businesses, nongovernmental organization, and labor unions to
raise the country’s standard of living while sustaining its natural
resources for future generations.
 Setting aside land for conservation and restoring forests
 Taxing gasoline and oil, and using the income as an incentive for small
farmers to grow trees that soak up carbon emissions and stop erosion
 Working to use energy from renewable resources such as geothermal
power
 Taxing electricity and giving tax credits to people who buy energyefficient appliances.
 Supporting ecotourism, tourism driven by natural attractions
 Finding valuable new medicine and natural chemicals among the many
species in the conservation areas.
18. In your community, how might human creativity be used to build life-giving
relationships between human beings and the earth?
17. Describe sustainable development. List three polices adopted
by the Costa Rican government to encourage sustainable
development.
 Sustainable development occurs when the government
cooperates with citizens, businesses, nongovernmental
organization, and labor unions to raise the country’s standard of
living while sustaining its natural resources for future
generations.
 Setting aside land for conservation and restoring forests
 Taxing gasoline and oil, and using the income as an incentive
for small farmers to grow trees that soak up carbon emissions
and stop erosion
 Working to use energy from renewable resources such as
geothermal power
 Taxing electricity and giving tax credits to people who buy
energy-efficient appliances.
 Supporting ecotourism, tourism driven by natural attractions
 Finding valuable new medicine and natural chemicals among
the many species in the conservation areas.
18. In your community, how might human creativity be used to
It’s time for CHURCH HISTORY!!!
WARNING
The following section of the class
is being taught from a Catholic
point of view. If not Catholic,
you will NOT be graded on your
beliefs but rather on your
understanding of the material.
For more information see the
Parent/Student handbook.
As you watch the next film…
Write down the top
10points you need
to know about
Church History.
HOMEWORK
Brainstorm 5 ways that U.S. social
structures could be changed to
encourage greater environmental
stewardship.