Christians and Environmental Stewardship
Last updated: 2026-04-13
The Bible teaches that caring for creation is an essential part of the mandate given to humanity, who are created in God's image to reflect His stewardship and rule over the earth. Rather than viewing the world as an end in itself, we manage it as a trust under God's sovereignty, acknowledging that all things belong to Him and are sustained by His providence.
🌱 Stewardship as an Image-Bearers
In the account of creation, God established humanity in His own image and gave us the charge to 'subdue' and 'have dominion' over the earth. This is not a license for exploitation, but a calling to act as God's representatives. Because the earth belongs to the Lord, our stewardship is a form of service to Him. As stated in Genesis 1:28, 'And God blessed them: and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.'
Sources: Genesis 1:28
🌎 A Trust from the Sovereign Creator
The earth and all its creatures are the result of God's handiwork, and He maintains a minute, constant, and loving care over them. When we cultivate the earth and provide for its needs, we are acting as stewards of His property. John Calvin explains that earthly blessings are assigned to our use under the condition that we regard them as trusts, acknowledging that we must one day give an account to God for our stewardship. As seen in Genesis 1:29, God provided for both human needs and the sustenance of all living creatures, reflecting His fatherly provision.
Sources: Genesis 1:29
Christians view environmental stewardship as an extension of the creation mandate, where humanity exercises dominion over the earth as a trust from God, not as owners, but as stewards accountable to Him. While Reformed perspectives emphasize our role as responsible image-bearers under His providence, all believers are called to honor the Creator by wisely managing the resources He has entrusted to our care for the good of His world.
🌱 Stewardship as an Image-Bearers
The foundation for our relationship with creation is found in our identity as those made in God's image. In Genesis 1:26-28, God explicitly grants humanity dominion over the earth, commanding us to 'subdue it' and 'have dominion over' every living thing. This is not a license for exploitation, but a mandate for careful, loving governance that reflects God's own paternal care for His world. As noted in Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.10, God created man with 'dominion over the creatures,' a duty we perform to the glory of God (Soli Deo Gloria). We are called to be vice-regents of the King, acting in ways that display His wisdom and benevolence toward all He has made.
Sources: Genesis 1:26-28 · Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.10
🌏 A Trust from the Sovereign Creator
Because God is the Creator and Sustainer of all things, we never hold absolute ownership of the earth. We are merely stewards or 'stewards of his providence,' as articulated in Institutes of the Christian Religion 1.14.22, recognizing that we must one day give an account to Him for how we have administered His goods. Our duty is not to worship the creation, but to use it in ways that honor the One who gave it to us. As explained in Plain Theology for Plain People 161, God exercises 'minute, constant, and loving care' over the world. Our stewardship is our response to this truth—we preserve, protect, and use these resources because they are a reflection of His provision, and we trust in Him rather than in the material world itself.
Sources: Institutes of the Christian Religion 1.14.22 · Plain Theology for Plain People 161
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