Dr. Doug Moo visited Denver Seminary on June 7, 2023. He gave a presentation titled “Evangelicals and Creation Care” He also recorded answers to questions from guests and to questions submitted by The Gospel Initiative.
Moo, Douglas J, and Jonathan A Moo. Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2018.
This widely read work is a standard on many issues related to Christian environmentalism. Chapters one and two address the relationship of Christianity and Christian thinking to creation, setting the stage for the kinds of questions the authors address. Chapters three through nine develop a biblical theology for creation care across the Old and the New Testament. Chapters ten through fourteen make introductory remarks on modern creation care practice, touching on various environmental issues.
Video answers to Questions with Dr. Moo
Christians have framed their action on environmental issues in many ways: as benevolent rule of creation, public health, neighbor love, responsible consumerism, faithful stewardship, economic benefit, caring for vulnerable populations, or a means of evangelical witness. You chose to call it creation care. Why?
What elements of Biblical interpretation are most ignored today, and what are the consequences on creation care?
It is often observed that when Paul’s audience lacks understanding of his Jewish roots, he begins a presentation of the gospel with God’s testimony in creation. When we fail to care well for creation, ensuring that its resources are available and shared by all, do we prevent others from perceiving creation’s testimony to God? Is a failure of creation care a failure to proclaim the gospel?
You note that we ought to see ourselves as a part of creation. What does this imply about our limits in caring for it? What does it say about the relationship between caring for creation and caring for one another?
In your book, you talk about the curse on the land in Genesis 3:17 as being functional, not ontological. Can you explain this difference, and how it works out in a creation care ethic?
How do we understand God’s decision to judge human evil by destroying the earth? (cf. Gen. 6:5-7)
Ten pages of your book are dedicated to 2 Peter 3. Why don’t you think this passage teaches that the earth will be destroyed? If this passage does teach that the earth will be destroyed, does this undercut a creation care ethic?
If we are to rule over creation, we should rule as God rules. What are the best scriptural examples of how we might rule as God rules?
You mention that Christian talk of “going to heaven” tends to enforce the unbiblical dualism that being embodied is bad. Does Biblical creation care first depend on us finding a better hope than “going to heaven” might indicate? What is this better hope?
The drastic steps necessary to address climate change leave many Christians feeling unable to make any difference with their day-to-day choices. Does a Christian motivation for climate change involve adjusting our expectations regarding the difference we can make?
Just as a steward should know about the estate she manages, so we should know about our world. Yet nowadays, we face a lack of trust in virtually all knowledge sources, including scientific knowledge. The problem seems exacerbated on the local level, where action can be most effective and achievable, but where expertise might be harder to trust. What sources can Christians look to for the kind of knowledge of the earth we need to steward it well, and why can we trust those sources?
How might Biblical wisdom challenge economic “progress” that comes at the cost of creation’s care?
What are the one or two best ways to talk about creation care with those who are not believers?
What do Christians loose when they fail to remember that in scripture, creation begins with a garden?
As this topic becomes politicized, where would you recommend we look for accurate information on this issue?
If humans have been defiling the earth for thousands of years, do you believe that we as humans deserve the earth?
As a pastor what is the best way to inform my church members eschatology and understanding of creation care? How do I handle the SBTA (scheduled to burn anyway) attitude that is so prevalent?
In your opinion, why exactly is creation care an issue today? Is it exclusively an American issue? What about a western-world issue?
In recognition that certain minority communities are more adversely affected by environmental issues, is it fair to say that we are dealing with not merely an inconvenient truth, but as a terrifying truth?
