Human Responsibility in Creation Care and Stewardship
Human responsibility for creation care and stewardship is rooted in the biblical account of creation, particularly in the book of Genesis. God created the heavens and the earth, ordering and populating the world [2]. The creation narrative emphasizes God's omnipotent power, with everything coming into being through His word [1, 3]. After each stage of creation, God declared His work "good," and after creating humanity, He declared it "very good" [4].
Humanity's unique role stems from being made in God's image (Genesis 1:26-27) [2, 6]. This divine image bestows upon humans a special dignity and purpose [9]. God blessed human life and granted humanity "sovereign dominion over the creatures of the earth" [2]. This dominion is not absolute ownership but a responsibility to "tend and watch over" creation [8]. The Garden of Eden, for instance, required maintenance and oversight, indicating that humanity's work in caring for creation was a dignifying task from the beginning [8].
John Calvin, in his commentary on Genesis, highlights that God appointed humans as stewards of the earth, giving them authority over other creatures [5]. This stewardship implies a duty to manage and preserve the created order, reflecting God's own care for His creation. The concept of stewardship is further reinforced by the idea that the roles given to humanity in the Garden were later applied to the care of God's Tabernacle, suggesting a sacred dimension to this responsibility [8].
The idea of human responsibility is not seen as incompatible with divine power or grace in theological discourse. Charles Hodge, for example, addresses objections that divine power might negate human responsibility, arguing that such objections are often raised against other doctrines as well [7]. Instead, the capacity for stewardship is understood as an integral part of humanity's created nature and purpose.
Sources
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 1 (introduction): Genesis 1:1 THE CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. (Gen 1:1-2) In the beginning--a period of remote and unknown antiquity, hid in the depths of eternal ages; and so the phrase is used in Pro 8:22-23. God--the name of the Supreme Being, signifying in Hebrew, "Strong," "Mighty." It is expressive of omnipotent power; and by its use here in the plural form, is obscurely taught at the opening of the Bible, a doctrine clearly revealed in other parts of it, namely, that though God is one, there is a plurality of persons in the Godhead--Father, So”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:1: 1:1–2:3 These verses introduce the Pentateuch (Genesis—Deuteronomy) and teach Israel that the world was created, ordered, and populated by the one true God and not by the gods of surrounding nations. • God blessed three specific things: animal life (1:22-25), human life (1:27), and the Sabbath day (2:3). This trilogy of blessings highlights the Creator’s plan: Humankind was made in God’s image to enjoy sovereign dominion over the creatures of the earth and to participate in God’s Sabbath rest. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth: This statem”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:3: 1:3-13 In the first three days, God formed the chaos into a habitable world. 1:3 Then God said: Nothing in ch 1 is created apart from God’s powerful word (cp. Ps 33:6, 9). • “Let there be . . .” and there was: God’s command enacted his will to create the world. God is not a part of creation or limited by it; he is the supreme ruler over everything (cp. Neh 9:6).”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:31: 1:31 The Creator declares his work good seven times in ch 1; following the creation of human beings, God declares it all very good.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 28.1: Index of Scripture References Genesis 1:1-6 1:1-31 1:2 1:28 1:29-30 2:1 2:1-25 2:15 2:19 3:1 3:1-24 3:7 3:16 4:1 4:1-26 4:7 5:1 5:1-32 6:1 6:1-22 6:11-16 7:1-24 7:11 8:1-22 9:1 9:1 9:1-29 9:2 9:24 10 10:1 10:1 10:1-32 10:21 11:1 11:1 11:1-32 11:28 12:1 12:1 12:1 12:1-20 12:4 12:4 12:6 13:1 13:1-20 14:1-24 15:1-21 15:7 16:1-16 16:2 16:8 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1 17:1-27 18:1 18:1 18:1-33 18:19 19:1-38 20:1 20:1 20:1-18 21:1-34 21:15 22:1-24 22:18 23:1-20 24:31 25:1 25:13-16 35:7 48:1 Exodus 6:3 12:40 Leviticus 7:18 17:4 18:25 Numbers 6:2”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:7: 11:7 man is made in God’s image: See Gen 1:26-27.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 141: § 6. Objections. There are no specific objections against the doctrine of efficacious grace which need to be considered. Those which are commonly urged are pressed with equal force against other allied doctrines, and have already come under review. Thus, — 1. It is urged that this doctrine destroys human responsibility. If we need a change which nothing but almighty power can effect before we can do anything spiritually good, we cease to be responsible. This is the old objection that inability and responsibility are incompatible. This di”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 2:15: 2:15 to tend and watch over: The garden required maintenance and oversight. Tending the Garden was humanity’s dignifying work. These roles in God’s garden-sanctuary were later applied to God’s Tabernacle (see Lev 8:35; Num 3:5-10; 4:46-49).”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XII.--ARGUMENT FOR THE RESURRECTION. FROM THE PURPOSE CONTEMPLATED IN MAN'S CREATION. (part 1): The argument from the cause will appear, if we consider whether man was made at random and in vain, or for some purpose; and if for some purpose, whether simply that he might live and continue in the natural condition in which he was created, or for the use of another; and if with a view to use, whether for that of the 155 Creator Himself, or of some one of the beings who belong to Him, and are by Him deemed worthy Of ”