Called to care for God’s earth
By Michael Beasley, Bishop of Bath and Wells
Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’ (Genesis 1:26).
These words come from the account of creation found in Genesis Chapter 1. I’m often asked about this text. Is it true? How do I square its words with my understanding of science? Do I believe this is how the world was made?
I don’t think Genesis 1 is a literal account, a description offered in the style of a David Attenborough documentary. Rather I suggest that this account is so stuffed with truth that it’s hard for us to deal with. Truth that’s not about factual deception but that’s about meaning, purpose and value. Genesis 1 asks ‘How do we understand the world?’ and ‘How should we live in it?’
Take for example the words ‘have dominion’ to be found in Genesis 1:26 given above. These words, an interpretation of the Hebrew word radah, have been understood very differently.
Some would say that ‘have dominion’, radah, has been understood as harsh domination, treading down, and using raw force; a justification for treating the non-human world as an expendable resource for human consumption that has led to our destruction of so much of the natural world around us.
Others suggest that the true meaning of radah is service and care. This sees ‘have dominion’ as a call not to crush, but to protect, nurture, and provide justice. This view sees humankind invited to act as deputies for God, called to cultivate the earth responsibly while preserving its health and flourishing.
Arguments about the interpretation of a Hebrew word may seem specialist. But how we read one of the most important passages of the Bible can shape our whole world view. Service and care or domination and destruction? These differing ideas lie at the very heart of the arguments we have about how humankind should treat our earthly home that God has gifted us. What steps will we take, however small, to protect it?