RELIGION AND THE ENVIRONMENT.
The threat of Pollution
The Earth is an ecosystem where everything depends on everything else.
Pollution can cause changes to an ecosystem which in turn can cause major
problems. The main problems caused by pollution are:
*Global Warming/The Greenhouse Effect-burning fuels like oil, gas and coal
makes carbon dioxide. This produces a barrier in the atmosphere which acts like
glass of a greenhouse: it lets sun in, but stops it getting out.
This makes the Earth heat up (global warming). Some scientists think the
average temperature in England will rise by 2 degrees Celsius by 2050.This will
cause the ice at the north and south poles to melt and massive flooding will
result.
*Acid Rain –As well as producing carbon dioxide, burning oil, gas and coal puts
more acid into the atmosphere so that rainfall becomes more acidic and can burn
things: e.g. forests in Sweden are being destroyed by the UK’s use of fuel.
*Eutrophication-Using fertilisers on farms and sewage pollution are resulting in
too much nitrogen entering streams and rivers making plants grow so fast, that
fish can’t get enough oxygen; the nitrogen pollutes the water supplies.
*Deforestation-Trees being cut down and not replaced, this leads to soil
disappearing so land becomes like a desert (desertification). It also leads to an
increase of nitrogen and a decrease of oxygen in the atmosphere.
*Radioactive pollution –Nuclear power stations have been built because they do
not produce carbon dioxide or acid rain. However, they do produce nuclear waste
which is buried in containers, and this will take hundreds of thousands of years
to become safe for humans.
Key Word: Pollution-the contamination of the environment.
Environment- the surroundings in which plants and animals live and on which
they depend to continue living
Conservation-protecting and preserving natural resources and the
environment
Natural resources-naturally occurring materials such as oil and fertile land,
which can be used by humans.
Learn the keywords and the above definitions
-Outline different types of pollution
-Explain why natural resources raise problems for humanity
-------------------------------------The problem of scarce natural resources
There are 2 types of natural resources:
*Renewable resources-are those that replace themselves after they have been
used, they won’t die out so they can be used freely. Egs. are wind power, solar
power, water power.
*Finite or non-renewable resources- are those that will run out after they have
been used. Egs. are oil, gas, coal, iron and tin.
These finite resources are used for cars and heating, everything made out of
metal and plastic. Continued use of these resources means they will disappear
and there will be nothing to make cars, televisions, washing machines, causing
major problems in our lifestyle.
---------------------------------------Non-religious arguments about the environment
1) Government Action 2
Many people think the problem is so big that the only action by world governments
can help. In 1997, 55 industrial nations, including the UK, agreed to cut their
greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2% a year (Kyoto Protocol). Many more
countries have since joined, including all member states of the EU. India, the USA
and China refused to sign.
The United Nations, and many scientists, feel that without international
government action, global warming will end in disaster, their actions will solve
the problems if policies include recycling, looking for new fuels and reducing
pollution.
2) Science and Technology
Many scientists believe that science and technology will find the solution.
*There are different ways of making electricity which do not produce carbon
dioxide or nuclear waste-such as wind power, sea power, solar power, hydroelectric power.
*Car makers are looking at water, sugar cane and electric batteries as ways of
powering cars. Using recycling can also help finite resources to last longer. Some
cars are now made of 75% recycled materials.
*Efficiency in some products has improved. Eg. It took 50 cars made in 2005 to
produce the same amount of pollution that 1 small car made in 1976.
*Scientists are working on using chemicals from plants rather than oil to
produce such things as plastics.
3)Alternative lifestyles
Some people think a change of lifestyle is the only solution. They think everyone
should ride bikes instead of owning a car and stop using plastics, fertilisers,
pesticides and using non-renewable resources.
-Outline non-religious arguments about the environment
-------------------------Christian teachings on creation and the environment
Christianity teaches that God created the universe and everything in it in such a
way that it is perfectly suited for human life.
Some Christians believe the Genesis accounts of creation in 6 days are scientific
fact (Creationists). However, many Christians see them as showing that the Earth
and everything in it was made by God in the way He intended it to be. As Genesis
says ‘God saw what He had made and it was very good’ Christianity teaches that
because God made the Earth, the earth belongs to God.
How Christian beliefs about the creation affect attitudes to the environment
*The environment must be respected by humans because it has been made by
God and it is a gift from God.
*God created the environment as something which is good and sacred therefore
Christians have a duty to preserve the environment.
Keyword: Creation-the act of creating the universe, or the universe which
has been created.
- Explain why beliefs about creation are important for Christian attitudes
to the environment.
Stewardship-looking after the something so that it can be passed on to the
next generation.
Sacred- something that is set apart for a special purpose, very special.
Christian teachings on stewardship and the environment
In the Genesis accounts of creation, God gave humans the right to rule over the
Earth, therefore they are stewards of the Earth. The Old Testament also
teaches that humans have a responsibility to treat animals well.
Many Christians think the teaching of Jesus in the Parable of the Talents
(Gospel of Luke ch19v11-26) means Christians have a responsibility to leave the
Earth a better place than they found it. Jesus taught that Christians have a
responsibility to make sure the Earth’s resources are shared fairly. Most
Christians believe that they will be judged by God on how well they have fulfilled
their duty as stewards of God’s earth.
How Christian beliefs about stewardship affect attitudes to the
environment
*The responsibility to be God’s stewards and to leave the earth a better place
than they found it means that Christians should try to reduce pollution and
preserve resources.
*Christians should show stewardship by working to share the Earth’s resources
more fairly and improve the standard of living in LEDCs (Less Economically
Developed Countries).
*The belief that they will be judged on their behaviour as stewards means
Christians should help the work of groups which try to reduce pollution and
conserve resources.
However, Christians believe human interests come first, for example, shutting
down a factory which causes pollution but employs 3,000 people would not be a
Christian solution.
Although the Bible teaches that humans have authority over animals and plants,
it doesn’t mean to control/exploit the environment; it means to care for the
environment as stewards.
- Outline Christian teachings about stewardship
The work of a religious organisation in support of conservation
All religions have groups helping to conserve the environment:
*Christian Aid makes sure that its development work protects the environment
*Target Earth is a Christian group which buys up land to re-forest and protect
endangered species.
*Muslim Aid makes sure that its development work in places like Afghanistan
conserves the environment.
*The Chipko Movement is a Hindu tree-hugging group founded to prevent trees
being cut down.
The reasons why religious organisations work to conserve the environment are the teachings
on creation, stewardship and the environment.
How to answer exam questions
1 What is stewardship? (2marks)
This is looking after the environment and its animals for God so that it can be
passed on to the next generation.
This would gain high marks because a correct definition is given.
-----------------------2 Explain why Christians should work to conserve the environment.
(8marks)
Christians should work to conserve the environment because this is what they
are taught by their faith, especially in the Bible. In the Bible story of creation,
Adam was given the responsibility by God to look after the Earth and its animals.
Another reason is that the Earth and life on it is a gift from God, and by
conserving it Christians show their thanks to God for His gift. Jesus taught in
many places that His followers should look after the Earth. In the Parable of
the Talents, Jesus taught that they must pass the Earth on to their children in
a better condition than they found it, requiring Christians to work to keep it in a
good condition. Finally, all the churches have made statements that it is a
Christian duty to be stewards of the Earth and to work to conserve the
environment.
This would gain high marks because four reasons for Christians working
to conserve the environment are given (Bible& teachings are referred
to).There is also good use of specialist vocabulary-creation, Adam,
stewards, Jesus, Parable of the Talents)
--------------------------3) ’Animals should have the same rights as people’. Do you agree? Give
reasons for your opinion, showing you have considered another point of
view. In your answer, you should refer to at least one religion. (4marks)
Some Christians would agree with this statement because they believe that God
created both animals and humans, and they should respect all God’s creatures,
not harm them. If Christians have a duty to care for animals as part of their
duty as stewards of God’s creation this means that animals have the same rights
as humans. The fact that Jesus said He was the good shepherd who would lay
down His life for His sheep rather than let them be harmed is taken to mean
that Jesus thought animals should have the same rights as humans.
However, I disagree with such Christians. There can only be rights for those who
are capable of protecting their rights and no animal is capable of that-they have to
rely on humans to protect their rights. Also, having rights requires respecting the
rights of others, and living according to laws, but animals don’t respect the rights of
other animals because they live only according to ‘the law of the jungle’
It seems to me that animals cannot have the same rights as humans, because
they can only have the rights humans choose to give them. I think that people
should never be cruel to animals, but I don’t think animals can have the same
rights to free speech, or religion, etc., that humans have and so I disagree with
the statement.
This would gain high marks because it begins with the view the writer
disagrees with and gives reasons for Christians having this view; it then
explains why the writer disagrees with such people and ends with a
personal conclusion clearly stating the writer’s view of the statement
with a further reason and is continuously explaining Christian teachings.
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