Relating Gardening and Creation Care to the Mission of God in the World

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, filling them with extraordinary beauty and complexity. After establishing this vibrant world, God entrusted it to humanity—but what exactly did this entail? For centuries, many Christians have interpreted the biblical concept of “dominion” as license for unrestricted exploitation of natural resources. This interpretation has contributed to environmental degradation that now threatens the very systems that sustain life on our planet. However, a closer examination of Scripture reveals a profoundly different understanding—one that positions humans not as conquerors but as caretakers, charged with the sacred responsibility of nurturing God’s creation.

This profound responsibility connects directly to our participation in God’s ongoing mission in the world. Creation care isn’t an optional add-on to Christian faith or a political position—it’s fundamental to our identity as image-bearers tasked with reflecting God’s character in how we interact with the created order. By reexamining our understanding of biblical dominion through the metaphor of gardening rather than conquering, we can rediscover a vocation that unites faith, daily work, and mission in service to both Creator and creation.

 

Dominion Reexamined: From Exploitation to Cultivation

The misinterpretation of biblical dominion has deep historical roots. In Genesis 1:26-28, God grants humanity “dominion” over other living things and instructs them to “subdue” the earth. These verses, when stripped from their broader context and filtered through Western post-Enlightenment perspectives, have been used to justify environmental exploitation and resource depletion without consideration for ecological consequences.

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’… God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.‘” (Genesis 1:26-28, NIV)

The Hebrew words used here—radah (have dominion) and kabash (subdue)—have been interpreted throughout history to suggest divine permission for unlimited exploitation. However, biblical scholars now highlight that these terms must be understood within their ancient Near Eastern context, where kings were expected to exercise power for the welfare of their subjects. The “dominion” granted to humans in Genesis was never intended as a license for exploitation but rather a commissioning of responsible stewardship.

This understanding becomes even clearer in Genesis 2:15, where God places the human in the garden “to work it and take care of it.” The Hebrew terms abad (work/serve) and shamar (keep/protect) paint a picture not of dominion through destruction but through cultivation and care. The first human was essentially a gardener, called to serve and protect the creation entrusted to him.

Dr. Sandra Richter, biblical scholar and author of “Stewards of Eden,” notes: “When we begin at the beginning of the biblical story, we find that one of the first responsibilities given to humankind was to care for God’s creation. Adam is commissioned to serve the ground from which he was made and to protect the garden in which he lives.”

 

The Gardener’s Paradigm: A Biblical Model for Creation Care

The image of humanity as gardeners provides a compelling framework for understanding our relationship with creation. Gardening involves intimate knowledge of natural systems, careful cultivation, protection from harm, and patience for growth. Unlike extractive relationships with nature, gardening recognizes interdependence and works within the rhythms and capacities of creation.

The gardener’s paradigm invites us to approach creation with:

1. Knowledge and Respect

A gardener must understand soil conditions, climate patterns, and the specific needs of each plant. Similarly, creation care requires us to develop ecological knowledge and respect the complex systems God has designed. This parallels the wisdom literature’s celebration of those who understand creation:

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:7-10, NIV)

2. Patience and Humility

Gardens develop over time and often in ways beyond the gardener’s control. Creation care requires similar patience and humility—recognizing that we participate in processes that unfold across generations and that ultimately belong to God:

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1, NIV)

3. Preservation and Protection

Gardeners work to prevent disease, remove invasive species, and create conditions for healthy growth. Creation care similarly involves protecting vulnerable ecosystems, preventing pollution, and reversing damage where possible:

“The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.” (Proverbs 12:10, NIV)

4. Productive but Sustainable Use

Good gardeners harvest from their gardens while ensuring continued productivity. Creation care likewise involves using natural resources in ways that preserve their capacity for renewal:

“For six years you are to sow your fields and harvest the crops, but during the seventh year let the land lie unplowed and unused. Then the poor among your people may get food from it, and the wild animals may eat what is left. Do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.” (Exodus 23:10-11, NIV)

This Sabbath principle demonstrates God’s concern not just for human needs but for the land itself and for wild creatures.

 

Global Ecological Vulnerabilities: The Urgency of Creation Care

Our failure to embrace the gardener’s paradigm has contributed to unprecedented ecological crises that demand immediate attention. As Christians, we must confront these realities not with denial but with faithful response that acknowledges both scientific evidence and biblical responsibility.

Ecosystem Degradation and Biodiversity Loss

The planet is experiencing what scientists call the sixth mass extinction, with species disappearing at 100 to 1,000 times the natural rate, according to Dr. Stuart Pimm, Professor of Conservation Ecology at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (USA). Habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change have reduced wildlife populations by more than 60% since 1970. This loss contradicts God’s delight in the diversity of creation, which He repeatedly pronounced “good” (Genesis 1).

Scripture reminds us that creation’s diversity exists not merely for human use but for God’s glory and pleasure: “How many are your works, LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” (Psalm 104:24, NIV)

Climate Change and Environmental Justice

Rising global temperatures have already begun disrupting weather patterns, agricultural systems, and water supplies worldwide. These changes disproportionately affect vulnerable communities that have contributed least to the problem—creating profound issues of justice that Christians cannot ignore.

The biblical mandate for justice extends beyond human relationships to include our relationship with creation itself. In Romans 8:19-22, Paul describes creation as “groaning” under the weight of human sin, awaiting liberation that will come with the full redemption of humanity:

“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed… in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” (Romans 8:19-21, NIV)

Resource Depletion and Waste Management

Unsustainable extraction of resources combined with excessive consumption and waste has pushed many ecosystems beyond their capacity for renewal. The biblical wisdom of sabbath rest and jubilee provision offered ancient Israel a model of sustainable resource management that honored both human need and ecological limits.

“The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you reside in my land as foreigners and strangers.” (Leviticus 25:23, NIV)

This perspective challenges modern assumptions about unlimited private property rights and encourages limitations on resource extraction that preserve long-term fertility.

Pollution and Human Health

Contamination of air, water, and soil directly impacts human health, causing millions of preventable deaths annually. Such pollution reveals a failure to love our neighbors as ourselves, especially when corporate profit is prioritized over community wellbeing.

Jesus summarized the law as loving God and loving neighbors (Matthew 22:37-40). In our interconnected world, truly loving our neighbors requires consideration of how our environmental choices affect vulnerable communities locally and globally.

 

Integrating Faith, Career, and Mission Through Creation Care

The gardener’s paradigm offers Christians in various professions opportunities to participate in God’s mission through creation care. Rather than compartmentalizing faith from work, believers can see their vocations as avenues for Kingdom witness and ecological restoration.

Environmental Leadership

Christians in leadership positions—whether in government, business, education, or non-profit sectors—have unique opportunities to advocate for policies and practices that promote creation care. This might involve:

• Corporate executives implementing sustainable business models
• Government officials developing conservation policies
• School administrators integrating environmental education
• Church leaders modeling creation care in facility management and congregational practices

Such leadership demonstrates what scholar Christopher Wright calls “mission as transformation”—the holistic expression of God’s redemptive purposes that encompass social, economic, and ecological dimensions.

Natural Resource Management

Professionals in forestry, agriculture, mining, and energy production make decisions that directly impact creation’s health. Christians in these fields can champion approaches that balance necessary resource use with conservation, such as:

• Foresters implementing selective harvesting rather than clear-cutting
• Farmers adopting regenerative agriculture practices
• Energy professionals transitioning toward renewable sources
• Miners implementing restoration plans for extraction sites

Scripture provides wisdom for such work: “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (Genesis 2:15, NIV) The dual mandate to both “work” and “take care of” suggests productive use balanced with protective stewardship.

Aquatic Resource Management

With oceans covering 70% of Earth’s surface and freshwater systems facing severe threats, Christians in marine biology, fisheries management, and water quality professions have crucial roles in creation care:

• Marine biologists monitoring and protecting coral reef ecosystems
• Fishery managers implementing sustainable catch limits
• Water quality engineers designing pollution prevention systems
• Coastal zone managers developing resilience to climate impacts

These efforts honor the God who created the “great creatures of the sea” and pronounced them good (Genesis 1:21).

Conservation, Ecology and Biodiversity Protection

Christians working in wildlife management, conservation biology, and protected area administration serve God’s purposes by preserving the rich diversity of life:

• Wildlife biologists monitoring endangered species
• Park rangers protecting habitat from poaching and degradation
• Conservation planners identifying priority areas for protection
• Restoration ecologists healing damaged ecosystems

Such work reflects God’s covenant with all living creatures after the flood: “I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you…never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood.” (Genesis 9:9-11, NIV)

Faith-Integrated Environmental Solutions

Beyond specific environmental professions, Christians in all vocations can integrate creation care principles into their work:

• Architects designing energy-efficient buildings
• Engineers developing cleaner transportation
• Artists inspiring ecological awareness through creative work
• Healthcare professionals addressing environmental health impacts
• Educators teaching ecological responsibility
• Business professionals implementing circular economy models

This integration embodies what theologian N.T. Wright describes as “building for God’s kingdom”—creating structures and systems that reflect God’s intentions for creation even as we await its full restoration.

 

From Lifestyle to Legacy: Personal Creation Care in Daily Life

While professional engagement is vital, creation care begins with personal choices that align daily life with ecological responsibility. These choices form not just a lifestyle but a legacy that influences others and contributes to broader cultural transformation.

Sustainable Consumption

Christians can practice creation care through thoughtful consumption that asks not just “Can I afford this?” but “What impact does this purchase have on creation and communities?”

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20, NIV)

Jesus’ warning against materialism speaks directly to our consumer culture, inviting simplicity and sustainability rather than excess.

Energy and Resource Conservation

Simple practices like reducing energy use, conserving water, minimizing waste, and choosing renewable energy options allow individuals to practice creation care daily.

“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (Psalm 24:1, NIV)

This psalm reminds us that we manage resources that ultimately belong to God, calling for careful stewardship rather than wasteful use.

Advocacy and Community Engagement

Individual actions matter, but systemic change requires collective effort. Christians can advocate for creation care in their churches, communities, and political systems:

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” (Proverbs 31:8-9, NIV)

In our ecological context, this includes speaking for future generations, vulnerable communities, and non-human creatures affected by environmental degradation.

Creation Connection and Spiritual Formation

Regular engagement with nature nurtures spiritual formation and ecological awareness. Christians can cultivate a recognition of God’s presence in creation:

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:20, NIV)

Time spent in natural settings becomes not just recreation but re-creation—a renewing encounter with the Creator revealed through creation.

 

Conclusion: Cultivating Hope in an Age of Ecological Crisis

As we face unprecedented ecological challenges, Christians have the opportunity to offer authentic witness through creation care that reflects God’s character and purposes. By reframing biblical dominion through the gardener’s paradigm, we discover that environmental responsibility isn’t peripheral to faith but central to our vocation as image-bearers.

The path forward requires both personal transformation and collective action. It demands humility to acknowledge past misinterpretations, courage to change entrenched practices, and wisdom to develop solutions that honor both creation and Creator. It calls us to integrate faith, career, and mission into a coherent witness that addresses global vulnerabilities with the practical hope of the gospel – reconciling all things to Christ. 

This hope isn’t grounded in naive optimism but in confidence that the God who created the world is actively working to redeem it—and invites our participation in this redemptive mission. As we tend the garden, we don’t work alone but alongside the Master Gardener, whose purposes extend to “the renewal of all things” (Matthew 19:28).

The prophet Micah summarizes what God requires: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8, NIV). In our ecological context, this means just relationships with creation and vulnerable communities, mercy toward endangered ecosystems and future generations, and humble recognition of our dependence on and responsibility to the Creator.

As we embrace the gardener’s calling, may we become people who cultivate hope in an age of crisis—bearing witness to the God who promises that one day “the desert will rejoice and blossom” (Isaiah 35:1) and who invites us to participate in making that promise a present reality.

 

Sources

• Aldhous, P. (2014). “We are Killing Species at 1000 Times the Natural Rate.” in NewScientist. 
• Bauckham, R. (2010). Bible and Ecology: Rediscovering the Community of Creation. Darton, Longman & Todd.
• Berry, W. (2002). The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays. Counterpoint.
• Bouma-Prediger, Steven (2010). For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care. Baker Academic.
• DeWitt, C. (2007). Earth-Wise: A Biblical Response to Environmental Issues. Faith Alive Christian Resources.
• Missional University (2020-2025). Creation Care resources. Missional University.
• Richter, S. (2020). Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters. IVP Academic.
• Sleeth, M. (2007). Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action. Zondervan.
• Wright, C.J.H. (2006). The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. IVP Academic.
• Wright, N.T.  (2008). Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. HarperOne.