True North: Christ, the Gospel, and Creation Care

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Because the Bible describes the second person of the Trinity as the key agent in creation, redemption, and the restoration of all things, it is imperative that Christians seeking conformity to the image of Christ root their understand- ing of, and motivation for, creation care in a theology and ethic that seeks to maximize the worship of Christ throughout all creation.

Discussions related to creation care and environmental ethics have become both politically charged and highly controversial. Unfortunately, while a growing number of Christian books address various aspects of creation care that either support or deny the reality of global warming or perhaps advocate various policies and practices, there is very little work available seeking to focus on, clarify, and establish the biblical and theological foundations upon which Christians ought to care for God’s world. Even more specifically, there seems to be almost a complete dearth of accessible works in theology or ethics that offers a Christology of creation care.

Thus, the purpose of True North is to explore the person and work of Christ in creation, redemption, and the restoration of all things so as to establish the idea that caring for God’s creation depends not upon prognostications for or against a global warming crisis. Rather, the motivation for Christians to care for creation flows from the created purposes established in the very fabric of the universe, faithful discipleship in Christ, and the inherent goal to return to God all the glory he is due from every corner and aspect of creation.

Mark Liederbach is associate professor of Christian Ethics at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He holds a PhD from the University of Virginia.

Seth Bible is director of Student Life at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary where he also received his MDiv and PhD.