I don’t think environmentalism, at least how the discussion is framed and applied today, is in any way consistent with Christianity. Environmentalism is all about preserving nature in its natural form. It is all about wild forests and with as few people living in nature as possible, so nature can be left to its own devices.
But the Bible teaches us that we are to steward and subject nature, that is why humans were made. The ideal environment for man and animal was not in a jungle, not in a forest, not in a wilderness, but in a garden. What is a garden? It is a natural space that has been tamed, manicured, or in other words subjected and stewarded well. This means that our world was created to be managed, not left to its own devices, and this is important to recognize.
I don’t think it is a coincidence that the animals that man has most subjected and stewarded are not only not going extinct, but are plentiful on the earth. Whereas every species that man has left to roam wild faces declining numbers…unless drastic action has been taken to preserve their habitats.
I love nature and want to see it last, and man’s strategy of letting it go about its own devices tends to cause it to atrophy and die. Unless man makes a monumental effort, deserts will continue to grow. When man takes his flocks and manages them right, then environments can be revitalized.
Man needs nature to survive, but we have forgotten that God created a world where nature needs man to survive. Unless environmentalism is changed from the inside out with this biblical perspective, then many preservation efforts will continue to fail. What is interesting is in some parts of Africa where they are doing paid game hunting, lions and other animals are thriving, and so are the communities that are funded by such activities.[1]
We all know what can happen in Australia if bush fuel loads are not maintained at low numbers; badly conceived environmental policies have been claimed by experts to contribute to massive flora and fauna destruction in some of the most devastating fires in recent history.[2]
I think the base desire of environmentalists to see species preserved and green spaces flourish is noble and good. I also think that their whole philosophy of how to achieve it is pagan, wrong, and nature-centric, rather than theo-centric, and therefore doomed to continued failure.
For a more detailed discussion of the problems with the environmentalist movement, read here.
[1] Nuwer, Rachel 2017, “Hunt Elephants to Save Them? Some Countries See No Other Choice” New York Times, accessed on 8.06.2021
[2] SBS News 2013, updated 2019, “Fires not due to climate change: expert” SBS News