That humans have dominion over the Earth, a claim of Abrahamic faiths, has been interpreted as the cause of the contemporary ecological crisis. Other interpretations emphasize that stewardship of the Earth is included in the idea of appropriate dominion. Humans may choose to be conquerors, gardeners, developers, trustees, or caretakers.
Science, with its theories of natural selection and equilibrium, and religion, with its biblical descriptions of land forever flowing with "milk and honey," have viewed nature as ever-renewing. Both have prioritized growth and its resulting abundance. As our twenty-first-century environmental crises challenge these concepts, scientists can teach us to sustain the environment while the motivations of biblical stewardship remind us to treasure Earth's biodiversity and celebrate creation.
