JORAS - Nigerian Journal of Religion and Society

The issues pertaining to ecology, that is, the world of our natural environment, have become matters of serious concern in the contemporary world. The future of the earth is in question and our planet runs the risk of total extinction due to the inordinate ambition and greed of humans who violate all ethical norms to the detriment of common good. At creation, God gave the created world to the human person as gift for self-sustenance and preservation (cf. Gen 1:28). However, in the contemporary age, the human person continues to use and misuse this gift without maintaining and developing it. This has resulted in ecological crisis which is a global challenge in this age. The abuse of this sacred gift could be attributed to lack of proper understanding of the authority given over the created earth. This paper, therefore, stresses that inasmuch as human beings have the right to use the goods of the earth for their own sustenance and development, they equally have the duty to maintain and preserve it. Hence, the human person becomes a steward who is responsible for the good of the earth. It thus argues that both personal and collective environmental stewardship by human beings will lead to sustainable development which will aim at achieving the purpose of creation, that is, the good of all.

Open Full Text (PDF)