According to the Bible, man has a responsibility to protect the earth and maintain biodiversity, says theologian Eva van Urk.
In her dissertation The Imago Dei in a Time of Mass Extinction: Rediscovering the Spiritual Value of Biodiversity, Van Urk investigates how the Judeo-Christian religious tradition can contribute to the discussion about a biodiverse future.
"Never before have human activities, such as CO₂ emissions and deforestation, had such a huge impact on the earth and the climate. With the enormous extinction wave in the animal and plant world as a sad low point. I researched how we can develop a more engaged attitude towards non-human life forms, and the influence of our worldview plays a major role in this. It determines how we view the world and our own place in it.
In my dissertation, I focus specifically on the Biblical perspective that man – unlike other creatures – is created 'in the image of God'. Throughout the centuries, believers have appealed to this notion of man as God's image (in Latin: imago Dei) to defend the special and privileged position of man in or in relation to nature.
Unique calling
Man would reflect something of God in a unique way. Some have interpreted this to mean that humanity has been placed above nature, so that it can do whatever it wants with it. Others argue that man has been given a special responsibility to take care of fellow creatures. So from an ecological perspective, there are different views on what it means to be created in God's image.
"My exploration shows that it is wise to hold on to the traditional principle that only humans are created in God's image, and not to view other creatures in that way. It is precisely this fact that determines our unique vocation to preserve and preserve creation, and thus also to preserve the current biodiversity as much as possible.
A particular historical-theological facet of the imago Dei that I have highlighted is that it is not only about our ecological responsibility towards creation, but also about a form of spirituality. In that spirituality we get an eye for the way in which all creation (so not just man) reflects something of God. If we make animal and plant species extinct, apart from the normal evolutionary and biological cycles, we also erase the traces of God's goodness, wisdom and omnipotence."
More information on the thesis
