A War-torn Creation

by Greg Boyd

Seeing the world as caught in warfare even at the level of creation, reframes the world in ways that have a practical impact on how we live our lives in kingdom mission. Anything we do to reflect God’s ideal for creation is a form of spiritual warfare. In fact, every positive thing we do for the earth (including recycling!) is a form of spiritual warfare. Many evangelical Christians may see this as a “liberal” agenda, but care for creation was our first command: “Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Gen. 1:28).

EditorJune 6, 2019creation, creation care, disease, natural disastersComment

God’s Model for Great Commission Companies: Restoring Honor, Rule, Relationships, and Rest

by Tom Steffen

This article presents a biblical meta-narrative that underpins the business principles advocated by the author. The principles include attention to caring for creation and the environment.

EditorAugust 6, 2018Bible, environment, creation, business, economics, conflict, shalom Comment

Creation Care in Biblical Perspective

by Beth Snodderly

Evangelical Christian presence in U.S. society is giving God a bad reputation. American evangelicals, who ignore or even mock the warning signs of global warming and environmental pollution, are doing exactly the opposite of what God’s people should be doing to demonstrate the character and glory of God to a secular world. If we represent God as being uncaring and unconcerned about his creation, many people will not want to know that kind of God.

EditorJuly 9, 2018environment, creation, evil, disease Comment

Reflection: Creation Waits for Liberation by the Children of God

by Beth Snodderly

After the Messiah came, and dealt with the heaped up sin of the world, thus “destroying,” or “undoing” the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), creation was still left groaning under the burden of what Satan had done to it. Just as God subjected the people of Israel to the frustration of knowing what is right (through the Law) and not being able to fulfill it, so creation has been subjected to the frustration of “knowing” what it is meant to be and not being able to be that. God’s children need to to do what they were originally created to do: to act as stewards of the earth by undoing the effects of the curse and frustration of creation and liberating it from Satan’s dominion (Genesis 1:26).

EditorJuly 2, 2018evil, creation, devil, SatanComment

Image, Creation, and Family in Genesis

by Joel Hamme

This article concentrates on the narrative of Genesis, especially chapters 1-2, and to a certain extent, the early portions of the Abraham narrative (12-19). It takes a canonical approach, in which the passages are in dialogue with each other and help to paint a picture of what the image of God is, and what it means to live effectively as God’s image.

EditorMarch 23, 2018environment, Bible, image of God, creationComment

Reflection: Genesis 1: Overcoming Physical Chaos

by Beth Snodderly

As a description of the consequences of opposition to God’s ways, the figure of speech, tohu wabohu, also contains within itself the solution to addressing the root problem behind the chaos and desolation. Believers have the privilege of allowing God’s Spirit to work through them to demonstrate God’s glory, by bringing order out of chaos, and by overcoming evil with good.

EditorJanuary 4, 2016chaos, creationComment

Reflection: Genesis 1, The Land, and International Development

by Beth Snodderly

he account in Genesis 1 of God’s making the land helped the people of Israel see themselves as a community of the people of God, about to inherit a land made for them by God. The author of the creation passage certainly knew how to get his readers’ and listeners’ attention. The grammar of Genesis 1:2 places a strong emphasis on “the land” by placing the noun before the verb, which is not usual in Hebrew: we’ha’eretz hayeta, “now the earth was ...”. Allen Ross asks, “Why did the new nation of Israel need to have this material and to have it written as it is?”

EditorDecember 27, 2015development, Genesis, creation, slavery, chaosComment

Reflection: Eco-theology as International Development

by Andrew Ray Williams

As the Apostle Paul asserted in Romans 8:19-25, creation was not subjected to decay by its own choice, but by humanity’s decision to engage in sin.

Andrew Ray Williams is a graduate student at Regent University’s School of Divinity. He regularly blogs at http://www.andrewrwilliams.com and is a contributor to ThinkTheology.org.

EditorMarch 16, 2015environment, ecology, creationComment

Reflection: Psalm 8 and International Development

As the title of one of the books in WCIU’s International Development series says, the goal of international development is God’s will on earth as it is in heaven. Psalm 8 gives a visual picture of the role of humankind in humbly working toward that goal.

EditorJanuary 19, 2015creation, stewardshipComment

Reflection: Biblical Ethics for Environment Care

by James Mason

The very act of creation implies ownership. Not only did God create everything but he gave everything its own proper place, order, and designation - and he called it good.

EditorSeptember 29, 2013Bible, environment, creation Comment

Book Review: The Bible and Ecology: Rediscovering the Community of Creation

Reviewed by Bill Bjoraker

Dr. Bjoraker gives a synopsis of the book and lists six environmental themes he deems to be inadequately addressed by the author, vis-a vis contemporary contra–biblical philosophies regarding nature and the environment.

EditorJuly 19, 2012Bible, environment, creation, image of God, cultural identity

Environmental Studies

The WCIU InternationalDevelopment Journal

The WCIU International
Development Journal