The Reconciliation of All Things

COVID-19 has changed so much already, hasn't it? Nothing seemingly is back to normal (ok, well, maybe politics). One thing that I've noticed the world over has been something people wouldn't think of normally. However, over the last few months, I began seeing reports of wildlife walking through towns in Europe, of other animals expanding their ranges in North America and Asia. I saw before and after pictures of massive cities in Asia that used to be choked with pollution in which no single person had ever seen the blue sky. Rivers and waterways in Europe, such as in Venice, were so clear, people could see the algae growing, or fish returned to the rivers once desolate of fish. One thing COVID has done, for those who "have eyes to see, and ears to hear", is that "creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself...

In Chapter One of Bauckham's book, he delves into what "stewardship" means. From a Christian perspective, the main usage of the term is regarding the steward's responsibility to God. The secular use of the term stewardship lacks any theological content. Bauckham then goes on the describe the various criticisms of "stewardship" as we see or hear about them today. First, some say this concept of Stewardship is Hubris , unnecessary. The earth will take care of itself, it is self-regulating, with or without us. Much of the modern environmental movement speaks of this. Think back to Julia Roberts narrating for "Mother Nature" in Conservation International's video a few years back. Here is the video Julia Roberts: Nature is Speaking . However, much of the criticism coming from this perspective is a reaction to the faulty Christian idea that humans are in charge of the whole Earth and its destiny. The problem with this faulty Christian perspective ...