Genesis 1:26-28: a License for Christians’ Exploitation of The Environment?

Abstract

ABSTRACT The global ecological crisis is posited to be, perhaps, the number one problem facing the world-wide community in recent times (Breuilly & Palmer, 1992). The effect of this global crisis is known and felt everywhere. Scholars, by way of studying the causes of this contemporary global ecological crisis, have blamed the Judaeo-Christian tradition for being responsible. They claim that certain narrative features in the book of Genesis, particularly Genesis 1: 26-28, warrant human beings to exploit nature for their benefit. This research, therefore, explores Genesis 1:26-28 in order to establish what the text in its historical context means other than its license to Christians for exploitation of the environment as claimed by some scholars. The study is a description-based research which seeks to employ secondary sources of data. The researcher arrives at the conclusion through a textual interpretation and analysis guided by a historical-critical method of research. The analysis of the text is guided by Narrative Criticism proposed by Mark Allan Powell (1990). On the whole, the findings of the study show that the idea that human beings were created “in the image” and “likeness of Elohim” and hence perceive themselves as creatures above and beyond nature; and the view that the words “dominion” and “subdue” used in the text connote ‘domination’ and ‘exploitation’, are untenable. The historical interpretation of the text suggests ‘stewardship’ rather than ‘exploitation’ of nature. The study recommends that researchers should use a different approach or methodology for a comparison study to increase our understanding of the relationship between Christian Scripture and the environment