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“Evangelical” comes from the Greek word, evangelion, for “good news ” — that is, the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. A personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior is central to evangelicals’ faith. Discipleship is living out that relationship in every aspect of life, including how we treat the natural environment.
The power and passion of evangelicals’ environmental engagement comes from the clear teaching of the Bible:
- The whole creation — including the natural environment is the handiwork of God. (Genesis 1:1-2:2)
- Humans, made in the divine image, are to care for the earth. (Genesis 2:15)
- Christ is the one by whom all things were created, in whom all things hold together, and through whom all things are reconciled to God. (Colossians 1:16-20)
- All creation awaits God’s promised redemption (Romans 8:19-22).
For evangelicals, creation care is Christian discipleship. It is honoring the Creator by respecting — not worshipping – the creation. It is caring for the poor, who suffer the most from environmental degradation. It is caring for one’s family, especially for children, whose developing bodies are most vulnerable to pollutants. The discipleship of creation care has taken many forms among evangelicals:
- Statements calling Christians to environmental responsibility;
- Scholarship that explores and develops a biblically-based understanding of creation care;
- Educational programs and materials that teach the principles of Christian environmental stewardship to children, youth, college students, and adults;
- Service to God and the neighbor through ecological restoration projects and support for sustainable development;
- Worship that honors the Creator and celebrates creation;
- Management of buildings, grounds, and operations according to principles of environmental stewardship;
- Speaking up for the protection of creation and people from environmental threats; and
- Organizations that work to spread the message of creation care and to help people live sustainably on the earth.
Environmentally concerned evangelicals often feel themselves to be “voices in the wilderness” in a culture that places consumption, materialism, and selfishness above the good of the neighbor and the rest of God’s creation. The Evangelical Environmental Network connects individuals and organizations for witness and service on behalf of an earth that glorifies God and sustains human life.
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