The Gulf of Mexico and the Care of Creation
— Saturday, May 1st, 2010 —
As I type this, I am looking out at the Gulf of Mexico. You could have seen a similar sight out the window of the hospital where I was born, just a few miles down the road here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Now, though, those waters I grew up with, gently lapping against the sand, are threatening to bring with them millions of gallons of oil, spewing up from an exploded rig out in the Gulf. Five years after Hurricane Katrina leveled this hometown of mine, it is bracing for the worst environmental disaster in the history of the United States.
Some conservatives, and some conservative evangelicals, act as though “environmentalism” is by definition “liberal” or even just downright silly. Witness a lot of the evangelical rhetoric across social media on Earth Day a while back: mostly Al Gore jokes and wisecracks about cutting down trees or eating endangered species as a means of celebration.
Do some environmentalists reject the dignity of humanity? Yes. Do some replace the reverence for creation with that due the Creator? Of course. This happens in the same way some do the same thing with reverence for economic profit or any other finite thing.
There’s nothing conservative though, and nothing “evangelical,” about dismissing the conservation of the natural environment. And the accelerating Gulf crisis reminds us something of what’s at stake.
The incoming tsunami of oil isn’t just about the beaches, although that will be environmentally and economically catastrophic. Just as problematic is the creeping of the oil into the inland estuaries and marshes and waterways. The crisis could potentially destroy the eco-systems of birds, shrimp, oysters, and other lifeforms.
Does God care about baby shrimp? I would argue, yes; God cares for the sparrow that falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29). But, even if you disagree with me on that, consider how God loves those who are “of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:30).
Shrimpers here in Biloxi are mourning the potential loss of more than just an industry but a way of life handed down, at least to some of them, from multiple generations before them. If shrimping collapses, so does tourism, apart from the in and out predation of the casinos dotting the shoreline.
Just as significant, though, are the ways the balance of ecology affects people in ways we never consider or notice, until it’s threatened. God gave his image-bearing humanity dominion over the natural creation (Gen. 1:28). But this isn’t a pharaoh-like dominion; it’s a Christ-like dominion. Humans aren’t made of ether; we’re made of Spirit-enlivened mud. We come from the earth, and we must receive from the earth what we need to survive, in the form of light from the sun, oxygen from plants, and food from the ground.
God knows that we need the natural creation (what we so reductionistically call an “environment”). He exults in it throughout the Psalms and in his speech to Job about his mysterious ways. Jesus continually retreats into the silent places of the mountains and the hills and the deserts, sometimes in the fellowship of only the wild beasts (Mark 1:13). We are built to recognize God in the creation (Rom. 1:18-21), and we need more than just what we can pave over and build in order to flourish.
This is why the Scriptures speak of eternal life in the metaphor of a river that causes the waters to teem with life, with many kind of fish, and vegetation thriving on the banks (Ezek. 47:9-12). This is why one aspect of Jesus’ kingship is to make the waters teem with fish, right in the presence of his commercial fishermen disciples (John 21:3-8), And this is why the Scriptures consider it an apocalypse when the waters are poisoned, and the sea-life is gone (Rev. 8:8-9).
We need the creation around us, including the waters and all they contain, because we are not gods. We are creatures who thrive when we live as we were made to live. We exercise dominion over the creation not only when we use it, but also when we conserve it for the generations who will come after.
So pray for the Gulf Coast, that the oil wouldn’t devastate a people and a land already devastated by so much. As you do, remember: real conservatives protect what God loves.
35 Responses to “The Gulf of Mexico and the Care of Creation”
Trackbacks
- Russell D. Moore on The Oil Spill And Christian’s Concern for Creation | Pastoral Musings
- Christ, Creation, Conservation, and the Crisis on the Gulf – Justin Taylor
- The Gulf Stream of Oil « Doc Cochran’s Weblog
- » Limbaugh vs. Moore | Denny Burk
- Anonymous
- Going to Jail for Preaching The Word, Oil in the Gulf, Fencing the Table and a Free Book « Humanitas Remedium
- Great Take: Dr. Moore’s Thoughts on The Pending Environmental Disaster in the Gulf of Mexico « Reformed and Reforming
- the oil spill and creation care « native pilgrim
- Why God Cares About the Gulf « Redeemer Blog
- Close to Home « Living Hope
- Some tasty links from the last month «
- Russell Moore’s refreshingly balanced views on Christianity and Environmentalism « Faithful Discipleship
- The Gulf of Mexico and the Care of Creation
- The Christian Response (Or Lack Thereof) to Gulf Oil Spill Crisis | the big daddy weave
Dr. Moore,
Thanks for reminding us that we are responsible for caring for the beauty of God’s creation and do all we can to preserve and protect it. I thank you also for the reminder that liberalism has made protecting the environment their battle cry, because I, along with others, have let them lead in this, instead of leading out ourselves, not as conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican, but as the children of an Almighty Creator who gives us all good things from His storehouse, out of Love for us.
I, for one, was convicted deeply by your comments, and guilty of having the attitude toward environmentalism. I am praying for God to enlighten me even more.
Preach it, brother.
THANK YOU! I desperately hope that followers of Christ can reclaim and redeem the term “environmentalist.” I really appreciate that you have drawn attention to the fact that “real conservatives protect what God loves.” This is so very true and something that I strive to share with others as well. It breaks my heart when all the people I know that are “caring for creation” are non-Christians. It will be an amazing witness for Christ if we can join hands with the environmentalists and, in doing so, show why exactly it is we love and respect this world and all living creatures - because of the One who created it all.
I personally prefer the term “creation stewardship” over the term “creation mandate”. Stewardship specifies the kind of mandate the creation mandate is. The devestation of any ecology is a manifestation of the impact of the fall and of sin on the created order. That thought should cause us to weep over the impending disater in the Gulf area.
I really appreciate your writing this.
Spot on, Dr. Moore. Sharing this out now. : )
Thank you Dr. Moore,
Thank you for addressing the issue not as a one side position, but as a unifying goal. We, all conservatives, liberals, and everyone in-between, share this divinely designed planet. Issue and actions impacting our habitat concern all. Other ideologies and argument positions may divide me from my brothers and sisters, but God did not create separate spaces for all this difference. Instead He entrusts us with a common domain. I believe, in using and protecting this gift from God we can find a responsibility with the capacity to bring all sides together.
Just thought I’d let you know that I linked to this in a post of my own. My post really didn’t interact with yours at all (not that there’s not anything here worthy of interaction!). I just used the example to explore the questions of moral vs. natural evil.
I would argue that Environmentalism is liberal. No one agues that we should not take care of the earth. The question that “conservatives” have is, do we worry more about the earth, according to criteria about what is happening by scientists who do not even bow their knee to the Maker or do we do the best we can while not depriving mankind of progress? Until viable solutions arise do we undercut our current ways of generating power because someone says we are harming the earth? The oil disaster is also assuming that it was neglect. Was it? Is it not possible that environmentalism fanatics caused this? Why no word on what caused the explosion? Do we believe the media story point blank?
Yes, I admit that we assume it to be liberalism and sarcastic fun is being made (as if someone would really eat an endangered animal). I think we as Christian may need to be a little more gentle as doves, but we certainly need to be alot more wise as serpents. The latter is what I see we lack on at times. We live in a age of mass deceptions, media deceptions, intellectual deceptions, scientific deceptions and educational deceptions.
@Fred,
I am a scientist. I study the effects of chemicals in the environment & where those chemicals end up. I am Christian and bow my knees before God & His Creation. You can not blanketly judge all ’scientists’ as athesist or agnostic, just as one can not judge one Christian as ignorant of scientific facts.
Did Christ wait to let the vendors find a better location to sell their wares or did he flip over tables and demand they leave the Temple? This Creation has been given to use to hold until Christ’s return; it is God’s work and if we, as a society, are trespassing and desicrating the sacred ground which God Himself formed, should we as Christians not throw over the tables, demand change? If we don’t and we wait for ‘viable change,’ that change will not come. If no one says this is not good enough, the status quo will remain.
Do we, ‘mankind’ as you say, deserve progress if it is at the expense of the one thing God left to us to steward over until His return? I dare say that as Christians it is our obligation to be stewards of Creation, just as we are stewards of the bodies God gave us or the children God allowed us to have. It was our sin that tainted Creation, we have done enough damage with that alone, shouldn’t we be looking at what right we can do while we have this amazing Creation entrusted to us?
Dr. Moore,
Yes, this oil spill is a tragedy but I still grimace at the “creation care” push happening in churches. The greater tragedy is that there is so much confusion right now in our churches over what the Gospel is. Many are defining the Gospel as simply Christians trying to bring God’s kingdom here on earth through environmentalism and social action. But only God can establish His kingdom (see Psalm 2) and redeem creation with a new heaven and new earth (Rev 21).
Here is a telling quote from the newspaper of my Baptist state convention.
“The story of evangelical theology is not so much getting someone saved and getting them to heaven, but it is Christ redeeming not only the individual person but all creation as well. You’re seeing a transformation of, or a maturity of, interpreting Scripture to do with God’s broader agenda of redemption to things, beyond just the personal, individual salvation.” –Joel Hunter, Pastor of Northland Church in Orlando, FL, on why increasing numbers of Christians are concerned about the environment (From the “Baptist Standard,” April 26, 2010)
“Let him who possesses a field, so partake of its yearly fruits, that he may not suffer the ground to be injured by his negligence; but let him endeavor to hand it down to posterity as he received it, or even better cultivated. Then he will neither conduct himself dissolutely, nor corrupt by abuse those things which God requires to be preserved. Let him so feed on its fruits that he neither dissipates it by luxury, nor permits to be marred or ruined by neglect. Moreover, that this economy, and this diligence, with respect to those good things which God has given us to enjoy, may flourish among us; let every one regard himself as the steward of God in all things which he possesses.”
John Calvin (Comm. on Genesis)
Thanks Mitch. This is the way the Christian ought to look at these things. This is our duty as far as it concerns us. Where again I find the hypocrisy is that we do not use Scripture to fight against things like Marxism, false worship even earth worship. We do not actively rebuke Christians that are not standing up against Marxism. There we seem to want to lie low. That is what is my critique of this article. If Dr. Moore would have said “Christian, care about the earth, please. But do not allow yourself to get drawn into a false ideology of an ‘ism’ that stems from Marxist thinking ” Be careful how and on what cause you join and make sure that the other side understands where you stand with them and most certainly where you stand against them.
Very well put Fred. We certainly have a responsibility towards God’s creation, but the issue with “environmentalism” is that it is used to advance political agendas rather than for the purpose of protecting God’s creation or being good stewards of the environment. This can be easily evidenced by looking at the life styles of the so-called “leaders” of the environmentalist movement…how many private jets do they own that pollute? How many thousands of square feet are their homes that require substantial amounts of electricity? I guess what I am saying is that as Christians I do not think we want to be seen as walking hand-in-hand with this movement, but I do wish as Christians we could find a way to make it known that we do care about being good stewards of the environment AND that we practice what we preach.
Wise words Dr. Moore. Thank you for speaking on this issue.
IF my people, which are called by my name, shall HUMBLE THEMSELVES, and PRAY, and SEEK MY FACE, and TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS; ‘THEN” will I hear from Heaven, and will FORGIVE THEIR SIN, and HEAL THEIR LAND!!! There just might be some humbling, some praying, some seeking HIS face, and some turning from wicked ways needed. Just maybe. . . .
@DebB, yeah, and maybe those wicked ways are over-consuming, gas-guzzling existences that so often ignore the fact that the comfort we enjoy in the West - the comfort that numbs us to the Gospel soooooo much, that fattens our camels before the needle’s eye - isn’t shared with the vast majority of the globe. Maybe we need to turn from the wicked ways of negligence, going blithely by in our “Disney Land” (to use Piper’s description) country’s way of exploiting such a massive percentage of resources for such a relatively small percentage of the population. Maybe our riches and comfort and accommodation are the curse.
Thank you Dr.Moore’s for your thoughts. My father, uncle, family, and friends in Gulfport, MS, are worried and heartbroken about the concrete life changing effects that this oil spill will have on a place, in the Wendell Berry sense, where they have lived for 50 to 60 years. The people on the Coast, as you know, are not worried about blaming this side or that side, or about who owns the title ‘liberal’ or ‘conservative.’ They are heartbroken by the effects this will have on them, the people and place they have lived their entire lives. My dad and family on the Gulf Coast and in New Orleans are not that concerned about all of the abstractions of “marxism, liberalism, conservatism, and enviromentalism.’ Practically, we as followers of Christ and believers of the gospel should pray that God would allow BP to find a way to cap the well quickly or that the containment dome that they will try later this week will work. Those seem like the most practical solutions to it as it stands now. God Bless.
I believe that conservative evangelicals need to take care of God’s good creation. I also believe that conservative evangelicals shouldn’t be so reactionary against more mainline Christians when they bring up the topic of ecological care. However, I also believe that conservative evangelicals should also be keenly discerning when they listen to the more mainline Christians about this issue - because it is often a means to promote liberal social agendas.
Praise God for finally being able to read that a Christian
“conservative” need not focus on the narrow and deceptive
(Mark 4:19, Matt. 6:24) realm of money and financial gain.
We are indeed the stewards of the earth (Gen. 1:28), and I
believe that the great penalty of eating of the forbidden tree
has provided us with the ability to do such damage to ourselves
and to the world God provided that those living in this
century might well witness self-destruction on a scale that can only be surpassed by the Lord’s return. Born in Jackson, Mississippi, the precious memory of my mother’s pot of
shrimp creole cooking on the beach at Gulfport keeps repeating itself. (I now live in the Pacific northwest, where the trees are big, but the shrimp are tiny). May God bless, shield, and make His presence known to His children there, and may He shield the
land and the sea that He so abundantly blessed.
“BP CEO Tony Hayward said he would just like to get his life back. He wants to get his life back. You know, I say give him life plus 20.” —Jay Leno
This is a breath of fresh air in a society where those who claim to be conservative Christian leaders cry out, “Drill, baby, drill!” and scoff at those of us who are desperate to take part in the story of our loving Creator and His concern for His Creation. I applaud Dr. Moore and his willingness to rise above current political clichés and recognize his Christian responsibility to the Earth.
Dr. Moore,
I read this some time ago, but forgot to comment. I am not a religious person, but I was still very impressed by this post.
The protection of the Earth and its creatures being made into a partisan issue (Whether down religious or political lines.) is despicable.
I was raised somewhat Catholic, but have a very limited understanding of the Bible. Even still, I’ve always been completely baffled by most Christian conservatives’ views towards the environment. It’s always seemed (to me) that Christians who follow the word of the Bible should care more than anyone!
This article was well written and interesting, but even more importantly, I wish to congratulate you on practicing your belief system in a rational, conscientious, level-headed manner—rising above the petty partisanship that plagues our society.
I hope that we can all work together to help our world and one-another. Regardless of belief system.
Kudos,
Chad.