Notes for remarks by R. Boaz Johnson,
Department of Biblical and Theological Studies,
North Park University, delivered at the panel discussion on
integrative environmental stewardship,
held at North Park University, Chicago, IL on Sep 30, 2005.
The themes in these notes are being expanded into an article for
future publication.
- The Imago Dei Principle:
Human beings are created in the image of God. They are placed
on the earth to take care of God's "good" creation,
and to make sure that no harm or evil comes
upon God's good creation.
We are to graciously take care of God's good earth and
not pillage it. (Genesis 1:28)
- The Worship Principle:
There is a fundamental problem in the English translation of
the phrase in Genesis 2:15: "The LORD God took the man and
put him in the Garden of Eden to till it and keep it."
- The Holiness Principle:
When human beings do not pay heed to the holiness of God's
creation, the earth promises human beings that they will
suffer the consequences of their actions: they will be
vomited out by the earth. As Leviticus 18:25 says,
"and the land (earth) became defiled, so that I
punished its iniquity, and the land or earth vomited
out its inhabitants."
- The Sabbath Principle:
The Creation must be allowed to recover from human use of
its resources.
- Leviticus 25:2: "Say to the people of
Israel, When you come into the land which I give you,
the land shall keep a Sabbath to the LORD.
- 2 Chronicles 36:21: "until the land had enjoyed its
Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it
kept Sabbath."
- The Eschatological Principle:
- Romans 8:22: "We know that the whole creation has been
groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the
present time."
- Revelation 21:1: "Then I saw a new heaven and a new
earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had
passed away."
