Climate Justice and Christian Responsibility: Beyond Stewardship
In recent years, the phrase climate change has moved from scientific journals to dinner tables, churches, and classrooms. Rising global temperatures, devastating wildfires, floods, and droughts have forced humanity to face the reality that creation is groaning (Romans 8:22). But as followers of Christ, our response to the environmental crisis cannot be reduced to simple “green living” or trendy activism. The call runs deeper; it’s about justice, love of neighbor, and obedience to the Creator.
From Stewardship to Responsibility
Christians often talk about stewardship as the belief that we are caretakers of God’s creation. It’s a beautiful and biblical truth, yet it can sometimes sound passive, as though we’re just maintaining a garden rather than repairing what’s been broken.
In Genesis 2:15, God placed Adam in the garden “to work it and take care of it.” This was a divine assignment, not just a casual suggestion. To care for creation means to actively protect, restore, and nurture it, not exploit it for short-term gain. The moment we neglect this role, creation suffers, and the people in it.
Climate Justice: Loving Our Neighbor in a Warming World
At its heart, climate change is not just an environmental issue, it’s a justice issue. The people most affected by floods, droughts, and rising sea levels are often those who contribute the least to the problem: the poor, the marginalized, and the global South.
In Micah 6:8, we are reminded of what the Lord requires: “To act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.” Acting justly today means recognizing that creation care is also people care. When we reduce pollution, conserve energy, and advocate for sustainable policies, we are protecting vulnerable communities—those Jesus calls “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40).
A Personal Reflection
I have had the opportunity to live around some farmers (from Ghana to California to Ohio) and I have learned a few things about the land they work on to produce food. I remember visiting with a farmer friend a few years ago when they struggled to grow crops on the regular. The rainy season had become unpredictable. The land, once fertile and green, was dry and cracked. This friend told me that they pray for rain now in the same way others pray for bread.
That moment struck me deeply. Climate change wasn’t a distant debate rather a lived reality for people made in the image of God. Creation care suddenly felt less like an environmental program and more like a gospel mandate.
Creation Groans, But Also Hopes
Romans 8:19–21 tells us that creation itself waits in eager expectation for redemption. That means the work we do, like planting trees, reducing waste, advocating for cleaner energy, educating our communities, participates in God’s redemptive plan. Our small acts of faithfulness echo the greater restoration Christ will bring.
Moving Forward: Practical Steps of Faithful Action
Reflect and Repent: Acknowledge where our lifestyles have contributed to waste or neglect of God’s world.
Reduce and Reuse: Practice simple things such as driving less, wasting less, and reusing more. Stewardship starts in the ordinary.
Advocate: Use your voice. Support policies and leaders who value sustainable, just environmental practices.
Educate and Empower: Teach others that creation care is discipleship, not distraction.
Pray: Pray for wisdom for leaders, healing for creation, and courage for the Church to lead by example.
Conclusion: The Gospel Is Big Enough for the Earth
God’s redemptive plan isn’t limited to human souls, it includes the whole of creation. The same Savior who reconciles us to the Father also promises to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). As Christians, we can’t stand by as the earth and our neighbors suffer. We are called to reflect Christ’s love in how we treat every part of His creation.
Caring for the planet isn’t political — it’s spiritual. It’s not about choosing sides — it’s about choosing obedience. When we move beyond stewardship into true responsibility, we embody the hope that the world so desperately needs.