ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo wrote:
He recognizes the impact man makes on the environment and says those who say the Bible gives them permission to exploit the earth at will are misunderstanding the Bible. I think what they misunderstand is what God is and what you do has an effect. It's the Law of Cause and Effect.
He has this to say:
Quote:
We are not God. The Earth was here before us and it has been given to us. This allows us to respond to the charge that Judaeo-Christian thinking, on the basis of the Genesis account which grants man “dominion” over the Earth (cf. Gen 1:28), has encouraged the unbridled exploitation of nature by painting him as domineering and destructive by nature.
This is not a correct interpretation of the Bible as understood by the Church.
http://mashable.com/2015/06/18/pope-fra ... -passages/Does God want for mankind to be a Good Shepherd?
Taken too far out of context? It seems that he speaks out against the idea of absolute dominion, but goes on to emphasize stewardship.
So yes.
here's the rest:
"Although it is true that we Christians
have at times incorrectly interpreted the Scriptures,
nowadays we must forcefully reject the notion
that our being created in God’s image and
given dominion over the earth justifies absolute
domination over other creatures. The biblical
texts are to be read in their context, with an appropriate
hermeneutic, recognizing that they tell
us to “till and keep” the garden of the world (cf.
Gen 2:15). “Tilling” refers to cultivating, ploughing
or working, while “keeping” means caring,
protecting, overseeing and preserving. This implies
a relationship of mutual responsibility
between human beings and nature. Each community
can take from the bounty of the earth
whatever it needs for subsistence, but it also has
the duty to protect the earth and to ensure its
fruitfulness for coming generations. “The earth
is the Lord’s” (Ps 24:1); to him belongs “the earth
with all that is within it” (Dt 10:14). Thus God
rejects every claim to absolute ownership: “The
land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land
is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with
me” (Lev 25:23)."
19 Jun 2015, 11:31 pm
