Dominion and Stewardship: Imaging God in Creation

16 Pages Posted: 19 Feb 2015 Last revised: 2 Dec 2023

See all articles by Matthew Cavedon

Matthew Cavedon

Emory University - Center for the Study of Law and Religion

Date Written: December 14, 2013

Abstract

Does the Book of Genesis authorize human beings to ruthlessly exploit nature? Many environmentalist critics of Christianity, and some Christians who are overly skeptical of environmentalism, think so. However, a careful reading of the key passage where God gives human beings dominion over creation—Genesis 1:28—reveals this to be a misunderstanding. Human dominion is meant to mirror God’s, and God creates life and delights in what he has created. Genesis depicts God as creating human beings to exercise good stewardship for creation. Human nature, too, shows that human beings flourish from doing so. Dominion should not be understood as tyranny over creation, but as love for it.

Keywords: theological anthropology, Genesis, image of God, imago Dei, Josef Pieper, stewardship, dominion, creation, flourishing, relation, environment, environmentalism, ecology, eco-theology

Suggested Citation

Cavedon, Matthew, Dominion and Stewardship: Imaging God in Creation (December 14, 2013). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2566374 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2566374

Matthew Cavedon (Contact Author)

Emory University - Center for the Study of Law and Religion ( email )

201 Dowman Drive
Atlanta, GA 30322
United States

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