A: Genesis 1:26-28 is a passage that just as many defenders of the environment quote with passion as do those who think all this green talk is just a fad and we should do whatever we want to do with the earth. The word on which everything hangs is “dominion”, taken from the Hebrew verb radah.
People who think the Bible gives them license to treat the earth however they want walk on some theologically tenuous ground in claiming that dominion means they can do whatever they want to it. While dominion implies a hierarchy that places humans in charge, it does not implicitly mean humans are to abuse the earth with no regard for the future.
Dominion can best be explained within the greater context of the Bible, looking at how God expected people to act when He entrusted them with great responsibility and leadership over others. How we "rule" the earth is important. Thinking that the earth is yours to do with as you will is out of character with what God calls His followers to do. Caring for the broken and the sick and the poor are all undeniably part of God’s heart for this world. He is a God who cares for everything, both great and small. Writers all throughout the Bible mention time and again how much God cares for His creation. If this is the case, why would God give us a license to abuse it into oblivion?
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Q: What does the Bible mean when it says we are to have dominion over the earth?
Posted on February 18, 2009
by Jason Chatraw
Does "dominion" imply dominate at all costs? Or does it mean we are to be the lead caretakers for the earth?
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Written by Jason Chatraw
Jason Chatraw is the Creation Care coordinator for the Western Region and serves at the Vineyard Boise Church as the Let's Tend the Garden ministry director. He co-authored Saving God's Green Earth with Tri Robinson and Mystics, Mavericks & Miracle Workers with Eric Sandras. More About Jason »
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Cliff B. says:
Very true...Responsibility is a good translation for dominion. Any ruler in God's economy is supposed to exercise wisdom. It is interesting that right after "dominion" in verse 29, we are instructed to be vegetarians:
Gen 1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.
And in chapter 2, responsibility really rears its head in the Amplified version:
Gen 2:15 And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and guard and keep it.
It is amazing that people thing "dominion" lacks accountability to the one who gave it. The parables say otherwise.
Okotete G. says:
To have dominion,is to manage.when God say 2 adam to have dominion in genesis, God is only teling adam 2 help him mamage what he had created.
Linda M. says:
We have a responsibility as God's children to care for the Creation...we are to "work" or "till" and "keep" the Garden/Nature. (Genesis 2:15) According to Strong's Concordance the Hebrew word for "work" means to use and the word "keep" means to guard, protect and preserve. So we are meant to use the products of nature for sustenance, but simultaneously be responsible in our usage and to preserve these life-giving ecosystems and creatures great and small. Peace!
Terry M. says:
Great post Jason. I agree with everything that you say, however, my previous research on this subject matter uncovered the following pertinent addition to your above quoted scripture:
Genesis 1:26-28 (King James Version)
28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
I have always embraced this specific call to stewardship - "and replenish the earth":
Earth Restoration - Bridge to a New Global Culture
http://www.sldi.org/images/newService/EarthRestoration.pdf
Understanding the Sacred Bond we have with Trees
http://www.sldtonline.com/content/view/119/
Nature Bats Last. We are Part of Nature Too...
http://www.sldtonline.com/content/view/509/
Sustainable Land Development
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/sldt/1108/index.php?startid=46
Deborah Leon says:
Use it, don't abuse it!!! Yes from the very beginning we are commissioned to be good stewards. Protecting this sanctuary called Earth is nothing new, we've just given it new labels. I do like the label "Creation Care". It gives honor to the ONE who designed it for us and reminds us that we have a hand in the responsibility of maintaining a good thing. Thank you Jason for bringing this back to the foreground.
Fair Winds and Calm Seas,
Deborah Leon
www.mermaidspurseseaglass.com
Paula P. says:
I believe that dominion over the earth and the creatures upon it means that we are stewards of what was created-stewards do not destroy, they protect, nourish, use the earth and its inhabitants lightly. The American Indians believed that you do not own anything-you use the earth and its animals and plants-only take what you need, leave the rest and if you kill an animal, be sure to thank it for giving its life for you. In the world we live in we have lost touch with the land and its plants and animals. We get our groceries from the store never thinking of where they came from. Most of us don't know how the animals we eat are treated, nor do we know what the plants we eat were sprayed with. We are disconnected from the reality of getting our own hands dirty tending to the earth and its plants and animals and that very disconnection makes us insensitive to the horrors corporations are committing on the land, in the water, with the plants, mines, wells, animals etc. Yes we need to have respect and caring for the planet and if we do it will serve us forever, if we don't it will kill all of us.
Holly Y. says:
I have been a "green" christian for a few years now. Dominion, to me at least, means to honor and cherish this earth the great lord has given us. We are stewards of the earth, GODs earth and should treat her well and be plentiful upon it. We are to work these lands, and preserve its fertility and beauty as this was a gift from God to us so that we may thrive and spread the word of his holiness. To abuse this earth to basically slap God in the face and be ungrateful for the land we were given.
Terry M. says:
Jason,
I don't mean to be conspiratorial but, pursuant to my above comment, why is the phrase "replenish the earth" missing from your Genesis 1:26-28 scripture quote?
Terry
Liz A. says:
I am a steward of the planet while I am here. It is my responsibility to "care for creation".
Thank you Jason for your comments.
Don Bosch says:
JC - great discussion, bro.
Ok, here's a heresy: The whole stewardship idea is overdone. Too many of God's green children think God's treating us as hired hands. We are His children. Christ is our brother and friend. The earth is our inheritance and birthright as Christians until we are called Home. Sure, treatment of the inheritance shows love and thoughtfulness of our Father, but few of us would routinely check in on each other to see how we were treating those birthday gifts we handed out last year. Our problem is not understanding stewardship, but that we don't take ownership seriously enough.
By the way, there are gobs more people who think Christians are dominionists than Christians who actually are. So weary of hearing/defending that point. Christ's call is not convincing people we're not dominionists, but that we know the Creator and that they should know Him too. A green, recycled, alternative energy driven world is still going to hell if people don't know Christ.
Terry, the exact verb "replenish" occurs three places in the OT. In addition to Genesis 1:28, there's Genesis 9:1 (God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.) and Jeremiah 31:25 (For I have satiated the weary soul, and every sorrowful soul have I replenished.). V28 is translated from 'peru u - rbu u - mil’u eth ha’arets' which means ‘fill’ in the Hebrew. King James’ English, ‘replenish’ usually meant ‘fill’, not ‘refill'. It is not translated as "replenish the earth" in more contemporary, scholarly translations (NASB, NIV, NTL, etc),
It also doesn't mean "restore" in the sense that creation care-ists today think of it, meaning our job is to continually save the earth. Rather, God's encouragement was to "fill it up" or "top it off." The verb is directly connected to the idea of repopulation in Adam/Eve's case and in Noah's, or with "satiated" in the case of God speaking through Jeremiah.
Colby L. says:
I think that when God said let man have dominion over the fish of the sea, and beast of the field, and the fowl of the air he ment that that yes we are to care for his creation we should not put that above a good relationship with him. He created animals for our enjoyment, and yes we need to care for them don't put that above a good sound relationship with the Lord.
Kassi P. says:
You are turly blessed bratha god bless you
btw; im 12 years old and im searching for some answers tro help me tell my friends about not in a curlful way can yu help me ?
Charles C. says:
Can you take dominion over the things in your life and over the flesh? Br. Cole
Patience M. says:
And what happens when the earth is 'full'? Haven't humans repopulated it enough? It is time to stop before there is nothing left for future generations or do you all believe the end will come before that? Humans have a lot to answer for, pollution, greed, waste and cruelty.
Beverly G. says:
Genesis tells us that God created us in His image. God loves us, cares for us, provides for us, has dominion over us. Since we are created in His image, should we not also love, care for, provide for and protect His creation as we also have dominion over the birds of the air and the beasts of the land? This very beginning of His Word instructs us in how we should strive to be loving, caring and protective of all things, just as He is.
Innocent E. says:
innocent saying dominion is all about,man (us) controling all the things God created before us, in love.innocent saying dominion is all about,man (us) controling all the things God created before us, in love.
PW M. says:
Dominion means stewardship, responsibilty for; NOT domination, reaping short term rewards without focused thought on the generations to come and what they will have.
It is not about power and control. It is about longevity
Jeff H. says:
The word dominion implies "power over or authority over" and this "authority" was granted to us by God. He gave man (human race) the authority to rule over these things. But, just because we have the authority given to us by God does not mean that we should abuse this authority. Everything God gives us is good, so the fact that we have this authority is meant to be a good thing. Abusing this authority would therefore NOT be a good thing and is therefore obviously not the type of dominion God granted us.
Jeff H.
Queen J. says:
Yes god gives us dominion over everything on earth. ie power, authority etc. with thiswe can create & recreate everything thing in our life, we can recreate any situation to suit us b/c if we fall to recreate them they will package us well to suit them. so now that have recognise this authority we have to make good use of them.
Nancy P. says:
Nice. You have a gentle Heart.