Relating Faith, Careers in Creation Care and the Mission of God in the World

In a world increasingly marked by environmental degradation and climate crisis, Christians are rediscovering the profound spiritual calling embedded in creation care. This calling transcends mere environmental activism—it represents a holistic expression of faith that integrates gospel commitments with advocacy for both the created order and vulnerable communities. As we witness the disproportionate impact of ecological damage on marginalized populations, environmental justice emerges not as a peripheral concern but as central to authentic Christian discipleship.

What does it mean to be faithful to God’s mission in an age of ecological vulnerability? How might Christians in various professional fields—from public health to business, education to medicine—align their vocational paths with creation care? This exploration delves into the spiritual dimensions of environmental justice, revealing how caring for creation is inseparable from loving one’s neighbor and participating in God’s comprehensive mission of redemption, reconciliation, and restoration.

 

Biblical Foundations: The Sacred Trust of Creation Care

The biblical narrative begins not with sin but with creation—a divine ordering of the cosmos that God repeatedly declares “good.” Within this narrative, humanity receives a sacred trust. Genesis 2:15 states, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (NIV). The Hebrew words ‘abad (to work/serve) and shamar (to keep/protect) establish humanity’s fundamental vocation as creation’s stewards, not its exploiters.

This stewardship mandate precedes the fall, indicating that creation care represents not simply a response to environmental crisis but our original purpose. As Christopher Wright notes in his work “The Mission of God,” this calling places humans in a relationship of responsibility toward the created order, serving as God’s representatives within creation rather than as autonomous rulers over it.

The Psalms further illuminate this relationship. Psalm 24:1 declares, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it,” reminding us that we manage what ultimately belongs to God. Psalm 104 celebrates God’s intimate involvement with and care for the natural world—from providing water for wild animals to causing plants to grow for human use. This portrait of divine attention to ecological flourishing establishes a model for human involvement with creation.

In the New Testament, this creation theology expands to include the cosmic scope of Christ’s redemptive work. Colossians 1:15-20 describes Christ as the one through whom all things were created and through whom God will “reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven.” This passage reveals that God’s redemptive plan encompasses not just human souls but the whole created order—a perspective that elevates environmental concern from optional social action to participation in Christ’s reconciling work.

 

Justice and Integrity: Environmental Care as Neighbor Love

Environmental degradation is never merely an ecological issue—it’s profoundly human. When watersheds become contaminated, when air quality deteriorates, when natural resources are depleted, human communities suffer. Moreover, this suffering falls disproportionately on those with the fewest resources to mitigate its effects.

The biblical concept of justice (mishpat) consistently emphasizes care for the vulnerable. Throughout Scripture, God’s people are called to defend those who are defenseless—the orphan, the widow, the stranger, the poor. In today’s context, environmental justice extends this biblical ethic to communities facing environmental burdens they did not create and cannot escape.

Consider the reality of “sacrifice zones”—areas where environmental regulations are relaxed or poorly enforced, typically in low-income communities or communities of color. When industrial facilities discharge toxins near schools in underserved neighborhoods, when inadequate infrastructure leaves communities vulnerable to flooding, when clean water becomes inaccessible due to contamination, these represent not just environmental failures but justice failures.

Jesus summarized the law as loving God and loving neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). In a world where environmental degradation threatens human flourishing, creation care becomes a tangible expression of neighbor love. As theologian Richard Bauckham argues, “The ecological crisis makes it clear that neighbor love in our time must include love for future generations and for the non-human creation on which their well-being will depend.”

This perspective transforms environmental action from a political position to a spiritual practice. When Christians advocate for clean air standards, sustainable water management, or renewable energy, they’re not simply adopting secular environmental values—they’re living out biblical justice in contemporary contexts.

 

Faith, Career, and Mission: Professional Pathways to Environmental Stewardship

For many Christians, the most significant opportunity to impact environmental justice comes through vocational engagement. Rather than compartmentalizing faith from professional life, believers across various fields can recognize their work as a mission field for creation care.

Environmental Leadership and Natural Resource Management

Christians in environmental science, policy, or management positions have perhaps the most direct opportunity to influence creation care outcomes. Whether working in government agencies, non-profit organizations, or private sector roles, these professionals can bring distinctively Christian perspectives to decision-making processes.

This might involve advocating for management approaches that balance human needs with ecological health, ensuring that vulnerable communities have a voice in resource allocation decisions, or developing innovative conservation strategies that honor both creator and creation. As Andy Crouch suggests, Christians are called not just to critique culture but to create culture—developing new models of environmental management that reflect God’s character and priorities.

Aquatic Resource Management and Clean Water Advocacy

Access to clean water represents one of the most pressing environmental justice issues globally. Christians working in water resource management, hydraulic engineering, or public health can recognize their work as spiritual service.

The Bible frequently uses water as a symbol of life and blessing. Jesus himself offered “living water” to the Samaritan woman (John 4) and declared that rivers of living water would flow from believers (John 7:38). When Christians work to protect watersheds, develop water purification systems, or advocate for equitable water distribution, they embody this biblical value of water as life-giving gift.

Organizations like Living Water International demonstrate how expertise in hydrology and engineering can merge with Christian mission, addressing both physical and spiritual thirst in vulnerable communities worldwide.

Conservation, Ecology, and Biodiversity Protection

The biblical concept of sabbath extends beyond human rest to include land rest (Leviticus 25:1-7), recognizing that creation requires recovery from exploitation. Christians working in conservation biology, wildlife management, or forestry can see their efforts to protect biodiversity and ecosystem health as honoring this sabbath principle.

The loss of species diversity represents not just biological impoverishment but a diminishing of God’s creative expression. Psalm 104:24 celebrates how “the earth is full of your creatures.” When Christians in scientific fields work to preserve biodiversity, they protect this divine portfolio of creativity and maintain the ecological relationships that sustain human communities.

Public Health and Environmental Medicine

The health impacts of environmental degradation fall hardest on vulnerable populations—children, the elderly, those with chronic conditions, and communities living near pollution sources. Christians working in medicine, public health, or epidemiology have unique opportunities to address these justice concerns.

Jesus’s healing ministry demonstrated concern for physical well-being as an expression of God’s kingdom. When medical professionals document the health effects of air pollution in disadvantaged communities, when public health experts develop interventions to address environmental health disparities, or when healthcare systems reduce their ecological footprint, they continue this healing mission in ecological contexts.

Business and Sustainable Development

Perhaps no sector has greater potential to impact environmental outcomes than business. Christians in corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, or finance can champion business models that honor creation while providing meaningful livelihoods.

The biblical concept of shalom—comprehensive well-being and flourishing—provides a framework for economic development that integrates environmental, social, and financial sustainability. Business leaders can implement circular economy principles that minimize waste, develop supply chains that protect rather than exploit natural resources, and create governance structures that consider impacts on creation alongside profits.

Companies like Patagonia demonstrate how business can be conducted with environmental values at the forefront, while faith-based business networks like Business as Mission provide resources for Christians seeking to align commercial activities with creation care principles.

 

Addressing Global Ecological Vulnerabilities Through Christian Witness

The challenges facing God’s creation are substantial and interrelated. Christians are called to engage these vulnerabilities not from a place of despair but from confident participation in God’s redemptive work. Organizations like the International Evangelical Environmental Network (WEC), Young Evangelicals for Climate Action (YECA), the Evangelical Environmental Network, the Evangelical Climate Initiative (NAE), the Creation Care Task Force of the World Evangelical Alliance, and the Creation Care Issue Network (Lausanne Movement) demonstrate how faithful witness on global ecological issues can transcend political divisions while maintaining gospel centrality.

Ecosystem Degradation and Depletion

The destruction of natural habitats, loss of topsoil, and depletion of resources threaten both human communities and non-human creation. Scripture speaks clearly against resource exploitation that disregards future generations or ecological health. Proverbs 13:22 notes that “A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children,” a principle that applies to natural as well as financial inheritance.

Christians can respond through supporting regenerative agricultural practices that rebuild soil health, advocating for protected areas that preserve ecosystem function, and developing consumption patterns that minimize resource depletion. Organizations like A Rocha demonstrate how Christians can lead in habitat restoration and species conservation from explicitly faith-based motivations.

Pollution and Climate Change

Air and water pollution along with climate disruption represent perhaps the most pervasive environmental justice issues today. Their impacts—from respiratory disease to extreme weather events—fall disproportionately on communities with the least responsibility for creating these problems.

While climate discussions often become politically polarized, Christians can approach these issues through the lens of biblical principles: stewardship of God’s creation, care for the vulnerable, and intergenerational justice. Micah 6:8’s call to “act justly and to love mercy” provides a framework for addressing pollution that considers both systemic solutions and compassionate response to those affected.

Overpopulation and Waste Management

The biblical mandate to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28) has sometimes been misinterpreted as license for unlimited population growth without ecological consideration. However, this command occurs alongside the stewardship mandate—suggesting that human flourishing must be balanced with creation’s capacity.

Christians can approach population and consumption challenges not through coercive policies but by promoting education, women’s empowerment, and consumption patterns that reflect biblical values of sufficiency and sharing. The early church’s practice of holding possessions in common (Acts 4:32-35) offers a counterpoint to consumer culture that treats resources as unlimited.

In waste management specifically, Christians can champion both technological solutions and lifestyle changes that minimize waste generation. The biblical principle that nothing in God’s economy is wasted—from manna in the wilderness to fragments after feeding the five thousand—can inspire innovative approaches to circular systems.

Natural and Man-made Disasters

When disasters strike—whether “natural” events like hurricanes or human-caused catastrophes like oil spills—their impacts magnify existing social inequalities. The biblical narrative contains numerous examples of God’s concern for disaster victims and calls for compassionate response.

Christians working in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery can integrate creation care principles that address immediate human needs while building long-term ecological resilience. Faith-based disaster relief organizations increasingly recognize that truly helping disaster victims requires addressing the environmental conditions that amplify disaster impacts.

 

Practical Steps: Individual Participation in Creation Care

While systemic change requires collective action, individual choices matter both for their cumulative impact and their witness value. Believers seeking to integrate faith and environmental responsibility can begin with these practical steps:

1. Develop ecological literacy: Learn about environmental challenges in your local community, particularly those affecting vulnerable populations. Understanding specific issues makes action more effective than generic environmentalism.
2. Practice creation-conscious consumption: Evaluate purchasing decisions through stewardship and justice lenses. Questions like “How was this produced?”, “Who was affected in its production?”, and “What happens after I’m finished with it?” can guide more responsible choices.
3. Cultivate sabbath practices: Incorporate regular rhythms of restraint from consumption and technology use. Sabbath observance serves as a counter-witness to the myth of endless growth and constant productivity that drives much environmental degradation.
4. Connect with creation: Spend time attentively experiencing natural environments. Research increasingly shows that direct experience with creation builds both ecological awareness and spiritual connection.
5. Join collective efforts: Partner with others—both Christians and those of different faiths or no faith—in environmental justice initiatives. As the biblical model of Nehemiah demonstrates, rebuilding requires community effort. But also affords opportunity for a gospel-centered witness.
6. Integrate creation care into spiritual disciplines: Include prayers for affected communities and damaged ecosystems in prayer life, study Scripture with attention to its ecological dimensions, and practice confession for environmental complicity.
7. Use professional influence: Identify specific ways your vocational position allows you to advocate for creation care practices within your organization or field.

 

Toward a Holistic Witness: Environmental Justice as Gospel Expression

Environmental justice represents not a distraction from the gospel but an application of its transformative power to one of our era’s most pressing challenges. When Christians engage environmental issues from a place of biblical fidelity, several distinctive contributions emerge:

First, Christian environmentalism offers hope rather than despair. While secular environmental discourse sometimes tends toward apocalypticism, the Christian narrative places environmental challenges within the larger story of God’s redemptive work. Christians can acknowledge the severity of ecological crises without losing hope in God’s restorative purposes.

Second, Christian creation care emphasizes relationship rather than merely regulations. While policy solutions matter, lasting change requires transformed relationships—with God, with other humans, and with the non-human creation. The biblical vision of reconciliation encompasses all these dimensions.

Third, Christian environmental engagement maintains human uniqueness while rejecting human supremacy. Unlike approaches that either elevate humans above creation or submerge human uniqueness within it, biblical theology maintains that humans bear God’s image while remaining creatures embedded within creation’s web.

Finally, Christian environmental justice keeps the gospel central. Creation care emerges not from cultural trends but from the heart of God’s redeeming work in Christ. As missiologist Christopher Wright observes, “The reconciliation of all things to God through Christ and the healing of broken relationships is what the Christian gospel is all about.”

 

Conclusion: Faithful Presence in a Wounded World

The environmental challenges facing our world are daunting. From climate disruption to biodiversity loss, from water scarcity to toxic contamination of vulnerable communities, creation groans under the weight of human mismanagement and exploitation. Yet Christians approach these challenges not merely as problems to solve but as opportunities to demonstrate the comprehensive scope of God’s redemptive love.

Through vocational engagement across diverse fields, believers can become agents of transformation—advocating for policies that protect both human dignity and environmental integrity, developing business models that foster ecological health alongside economic opportunity, creating scientific and technological solutions that reflect creation’s inherent value, building communities that embody sustainable relationships with the natural world, and proclaiming a gospel-centered witness.

Environmental justice emerges in this light not as an optional add-on to Christian faith but as a necessary expression of what it means to love God and neighbor in a wounded world. By reconnecting theology with ecology, believers participate in God’s mission of healing the relationships fractured by sin—including our relationship with the created order itself.

As creation continues to groan, awaiting “the revelation of the children of God” (Romans 8:19), may Christians respond with faithful presence—bearing witness through word and deed to the God who loves and redeems not just human souls but the entire created order.

 

Sources

1. Bauckham, R. (2010). Bible and Ecology: Rediscovering the Community of Creation. Baylor University Press.
2. Berry, Wendell (2002). The Art of the Commonplace: The Agrarian Essays. Counterpoint.
3. Bouma-Prediger, Steven. (2010). For the Beauty of the Earth: A Christian Vision for Creation Care. Baker Academic.
4. Bullard, R. (2000). Dumping in Dixie: Race, Class, and Environmental Quality. Westview Press.
5. Crouch, Andy. (2008). Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. InterVarsity Press.
6. Missional University. Creation Care resources.
7. Moo, D.; Moo, J. (2018). Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World. Zondervan Academic.
8. Sleeth, M. (2007). Serve God, Save the Planet: A Christian Call to Action. Zondervan.
9. Wright, C.J.H. (2006). The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative. InterVarsity Press.
10. Wright, N.T. (2008). Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church. HarperOne.