Torch, Spring/Summer 2007

the social challenges from which Christ came to free us. May God’s Spirit renew our reverence toward the One who demonstrates His power, wisdom, and provision through what He has made. Out of this renewal, may we dedicate ourselves to living Christian lives that are winsome and willing to humbly reach out. After all, we are armed with the gospel of God’s reconciliation to a culture filled with people alienated from God, from each other, and from the creation. Dr. John Silvius serves as senior professor of biology at Cedarville University, as well as associate for environmental ethics in the University’s Center for Bioethics. In addition, he is an adjunct professor and Cedarville representative at the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies. Before coming to Cedarville in 1979, Silvius was a plant physiologist for the USDA Agricultural Research Service. He earned degrees from Malone College and West Virginia University and is currently a member of several professional organizations, including the American Institute of Biological Sciences, Botanical Society of America, Creation Research Society, and Nature Conservancy. 22 TORCH T On the other hand, evangelism without a correct theology toward the creation may lead to Christians who receive “personal salvation” but are never fully mature in their social and material responsibilities. Lack of spiritual maturity may explain the church’s lack of compassion toward the powerless, the unwanted, and the persecuted church worldwide, all of which are victims of selfishness and greed. Sadly, a theology of redemption that omits God’s full scope of reconciliation has created a Christian culture mired in materialism and its social consequences. The result: Christians whose testimonies are blunted and ineffective in a world hungry for meaning and purpose. Where do we go from here? Christians need a truly biblical bioethic that places proper value not only upon human life but also upon the whole creation. We must avoid an unbiblical dichotomy that acknowledges God’s revelation about creation but fails to act upon it. In truth, stewardship of God’s creation, or creation care, demonstrates a mature understanding of our Creator and the full scope of His redemptive plan. The “environmental crisis” is in fact a spiritual crisis, intertwined with many of “Each day I find myself surrounded by good people trying to do their part to conserve the creation, with the belief that it is all here by chance and that we must allow nature to have the maximum amount of working parts in order to continue … How much greater I find my calling, knowing that it is God’s creation that I am working to conserve and that He has called each of us to be stewards.” Benjamin Rosner, 2002 CU Graduate Environmental Scientist