What does it mean for us to steward the earth and the wonders of creation? Stewardship means humans have dominion over creation, a mantle of responsibility, to tend to the earth and the maintenance of it. Obviously, I am a big advocate for stewarding the planet, including the awesome animal kingdom, flora and fauna. Along with many of you, I find great pleasure enjoying God's playground and stepping into His creative work. Clearly, when God designed creation, He did so with brilliant and majestic creativity. In fact, all of creation declares the glory of God and speaks of His wonder and power. I marvel how intricate the world is, how God crafted all the ecosystems and life to work so beautifully together, in rhythm and balance. Yet, with its amazing glory, we also see the results of human degradation.

Calvin DeWitt, Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, describes seven magnificent mechanisms God created to manage and maintain the world. DeWitt likewise contrasts these with seven damaging contributors to the environment. Let's take a look at DeWitt's analysis of the earth and its degradation.

Seven Provisions of Creation

• Regulation of earth’s energy exchange with the sun: Keeps earth's temperature at a level to support life and protects life from sun's lethal ultraviolet radiation by filtering sunlight through the stratospheric ozone layer. We'd all be burned to bits without this protection.
• Biogeochemical cycles and soil-building processes: Oxygen, carbon, water and other vital materials are cycled through living organisms and habitats, building life supporting soils and soil structure. Indeed, even our living waste is important to the eco-system.
• Ecosystem energy transfer and materials recycling: This continually operates to energize life and allocate materials. Why did it take humans so long to understand the value and importance of recycling?!
• Water purification systems of the biosphere: The earth has its own method of cleaning water. If we could only harness the earth's natural filtering system, clean water would always be available.
• Biological and ecological fruitfulness: Supports and maintains the rich biodiversity on earth by means of responsive and adaptive physiologies and behaviors. The ability to reproduce is astounding!
• Global circulations of water and air: Distributes oxygen, water, carbon dioxide and other vital materials between living organisms. We are literally dependent upon trees and plant life to breathe!
• Human ability to learn from creation and live in accord with its laws: Making it possible for people to live on earth.

• Alterations of earth’s energy exchange with the sun: Global warming is contributing to the destruction of the earth's protective ozone shield. This is very controversial, yet I do think that man has contributed to the depletion of the ozone layer, but in conjunction with the natural cycle of the earth.
• Land Degradation: Erosion, salinization, and desertification reduces the land available for crops and livestock.
• Deforestation: The removal of forests degrades the earth and living organisms.
• Water-quality pollution: Defilement lakes, rivers, oceans and groundwater.
• Species extinction: The elimination of plant and animal species.
• Waste generation and global toxification: Resulting from atmospheric and oceanic circulation of the materials that people inject into the air and water.
• Human and cultural degradation: Threatens and eliminates communities, plants and food.

The Earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof;
the fullness and everything it contains. (Psalm 24:1)

Tags:: creation | earth | planet | Climate Change | Global Warming | stewardship | Environment

Former Vice President Al Gore won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to "build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change." There is growing rhetoric that climate change could have a devastating impact on living conditions for animals and mankind, including a mass exodus from areas deficient in natural resources to areas rich in natural resources. This type of migration has the potential of inciting wars and conflict within states and between countries.

During Gore's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, he said "It is time to make peace with the planet". On Friday, Gore attended a news conference stating, "We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity."

Sounds to me like Gore thinks climate change is a religious issue. Thoughts?

Tags:: Climate Change | Global Warming | Environment | Nobel Peace Prize | Religion | Environment