My Thesis at Albion College

I got the opportunity to talk about my thesis with a small group of people the other day in preparation for my presentation next Thursday. It was interesting what kinds of conversations were spurred out of my idea that evangelicals, who are interested in environmental activism all of a sudden, are getting louder and louder. The conversation centered around this group that we are trying to start at Albion College called "Religious Study This!" Where the religious studies dept. at Albion hosts an evening discussion about some religiously relevant issue. This coming Thursday, I'm going to be presenting my thesis.

Anyway, in talking about my thesis, one student raised the point that it is arrogant for humans to assume that they have enough power to be able to alter the planet enough to cause global warming. After all, the planets temperature has only changed a degree or two in the last 150 years anyway, and it still seems to be within the median temperature of the last 10,000 years. It's been colder, but it has also been hotter he claimed.

Not really knowing enough about the geological and meteorological history, the point had to be conceded. But though Climate Change seems to be the buzz phrase of the decade, I don't feel like the evangelical agenda is limited to just this idea. Climate Change is part of a broader understanding of the relationship that man has with nature, and I want to make that clear in my thesis. The notion of stewardship must extend beyond just talking about climate change and reducing carbon emmissions. I think that God's expectation for Christians is that they would do their best to curb species extinction, do a better job of preserving wildlife in general, and make a concerted effort to sustain the worlds resources. The criticism was well lifted, and I'm afraid I have given only a superficial defense of my thesis, at a deeper level, the critisism again brings up the eschatology of the world. Why does it matter if humans are messing up the Earth if Jesus is coming anyway. Isn't it pretentious to assume that we can even mess up something that God created I heard him ask as a subtext to his line of questioning.

No, I don't think it is. While it is a mighty assumption to believe that humans could mess up the relationship that they have with creation, one need read no further then Genesis to find a story in the Bible where man messed up their relationship with creation through sin. Psalms echos the idea that it is human sinfulness that perpetuates the bad relationship that humans have with the Earth that God created.

So, I hope that I have answered the question at least a little bit. Yes, the church needs to expand it's defintion of stewardship, or at least make sure that they are taking part of conservation efforts as well as the effort to reduce Carbon Emissions, but I think that humans have a great ability to do harm, which sets up the opportunity for us to work to restore our relationship with creation.

Cheers!
Jon