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IntroductionI knew a book about creation care from the father-son team of Doug and Jonathan Moo

would be good. Jonathan has advanced degrees in both New Testament and wildlife ecology, giving him a particularly helpful perspective that comes from his unique expertise on this topic. His love for being in the outdoors is obvious throughout this book. Doug, whom I am blessed to have as my doctoral supervisor, is a world-renowned New Testament scholar who does not, as far as I know, have any formal advanced training in the hard sciences. However, I was recently looking through some early notes from a class I took from him and was reminded that on the first day of a class on Pauline theology he made it a point to tell us that on a certain week in May we should go to a certain forest preserve to see a glorious display of wildflowers. Given where I wrote that down in my notes, it was likely the first thing he told us—before mentioning anything about Paul (or about class assignments for that matter). He knows a thing or two about natural beauty: his home, his office, and even some of the classrooms at Wheaton College are adorned with some spectacular photographs he has taken in some very beautiful places. So what he might lack in scientific expertise he more than makes up for in a deep love and appreciation for the beauty of the world God created. In short, it is hard to think of two better people to write a book on creation care.

Even these high expectations though have been consistently exceeded as I have read through this book. It is an excellent example of how to bring the teachings of the whole Bible to bear on a contemporary issue. It argues a clear case for how to read difficult passages without overstating its case. Most importantly, it is measured but clear, sober but hopeful, about the environmental challenges we face. What it has to say is critical for us to hear today—for the sake of the creation that God loves and for the sake of the witness of the gospel. I hope it receives the wide audience it deserves.

It is to this end that I have written this instructor’s manual. I hope that, by doing some of the “busy work” for professors, teachers, or Bible study leaders who are considering using this book, I can free them up to focus on teaching, discussing, and learning what this book has to say. I begin by suggesting some additional online resources. Then I give summaries and highlights of each chapter, including key terms, key points, a summary of the chapter, some pedagogical suggestions, essay and reflection questions, and finally (where appropriate) other media sources. Following that are student learning objectives, and then sample chapter quizzes, a sample midterm, and a sample final. Finally, I offer a sample syllabus designed for sixteen class sessions.

While I hope instructors will modify this material to suit the specific needs of their classes, I also hope that having material to modify will make that work go much smoother. In this way, I hope that what Douglas and Jonathan Moo say in Creation Care can be heard loud and clear, so we can all learn better to care for creation out of love for the Creator.

Matt MonkemeierJune 2018

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Table of Contents

Suggested Websites..........................................................................................................................3

Chapter Summaries..........................................................................................................................5

Student Learning Objectives..........................................................................................................35

Chapter Quizzes.............................................................................................................................39

Mid-Term Exam.............................................................................................................................75

Final Exam.....................................................................................................................................81

Sample Syllabus.............................................................................................................................87

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Suggested Websites

Additional and more detailed links are provided to some of these sites at the end of the chapter summaries. But these links provide good starting points for general investigations of the topics addressed in this book.

Christian statements or organizations dedicated to creation care:

• The Lausanne Movement’s Cape Town Commitment on creation care: www.lausanne.org/content/ctc/ctcommitment#p1-7

• A Rocha: www.arocha.org

• Evangelical Environmental Network: www.creationcare.org

Resources to help with teaching the Bible and biblical theology:

• A collection of videos introducing each book of the Bible and some major themes: www.bibledex.com

• A well-maintained website devoted to biblical theology: beginningwithmoses.org

Resources to learn more about ecology, environmental science, and environmental challenges:

• A “crash course” on ecology found on youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjE-Pkjp3u4

• The Agricultural Sustainability Institute at UC Davis: asi.ucdavis.edu

• The National Climate Assessment summary of the effects of climate change: nca2014.globalchange.gov

• The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: ipcc.ch

• Sustainably-sourced seafood from Monterey Bay Aquarium: www.seafoodwatch.org

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Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 – What Do Christians Have to Do with Creation?

Key TermsCreation; creation care; environment; environmental crisis; instrumentalist view of nature; vocation; dominion mandate.

Key Points• Caring for God’s creation begins with celebrating creation and its role in God’s plan.• Understanding the natural world as “creation” rightly understands it in relation to the God who

created it and himself cares for it.• Thinking about creation and how to care for it will help us (1) respond to present

environmental challenges, (2) witness more effectively to the gospel, and (3) align our own perspective on creation with the biblical perspective.

Chapter SummaryChapter 1 introduces the topic of this book and argues for why this topic is important.

The topic is how and why we as Christians should care for non-human creation. The choice of the term “creation” is intentional: unlike other terms like “nature” or “environment,” “creation” refers to the natural world in terms of its relationship to the God who created it and who himself cares for it. This, then, is the central motivation for us to care for creation: love for the God who created it.

But there are additional reasons to be particularly concerned with caring for creation today. The first is to address the current challenges facing creation. These challenges have only been recognized in the last seventy years, as we have been able to collect better data on the effects of technological development and human activity on the planet as a whole. This data has resulted in an awareness of an environmental crisis brought about by this human activity. The second reason is to serve as more effective witnesses to Christ. This witness is undermined by the view that Christianity is responsible for an instrumentalist view of nature that has led to this crisis. Instead, the authors aim to show that the biblical worldview itself provides resources to rightly think about and respond to this crisis. The final reason is to fulfill our biblical vocation as keepers of God’s creation. Ultimately, this brings us back to the central motivation for “Creation Care”: this issue is important to God and therefore should be important to us.

Pedagogical Suggestions1. Begin class by celebrating creation! If possible, lead the class outside to a green space or

garden, pointing out the intricacy and beauty around us; alternatively, open with a short video clip (one is recommended below) showcasing the splendor of creation. Then read and discuss Psalm 104.

2. Introduce the major theme of the course by leading the class in a discussion of the significance of understanding the world around us as “creation” instead of “nature” or the “environment.”

3. Define and discuss the modern western “instrumentalist” view of nature. Ask students to reflect on the role Christians may have had in contributing to such a view and the role Christians may have in pushing back against such a view.

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Essay Questions1. Why do the authors prefer to speak of “creation” instead of “nature” or the “environment”?

How is this connected to a distinctively Christian worldview?2. What has caused the present rise in concern about the environment? How have Christians

responded to this concern?3. What is an “instrumentalist” view of nature, and how has Christianity been accused of

contributing to such a view of nature? How do the authors respond to that accusation?4. What is the most significant reason to talk about creation, according to the authors? How

does that relate to how and why we do theology in general?

Reflection Questions1. How do you celebrate God’s creation? How does your church community celebrate creation?

Are there ways that you and/or your community could celebrate creation more fully?2. Jesus tells us that the two greatest commands are to love God and to love our neighbors.

How does caring for creation relate to each of these commands?3. To what degree are you aware of the health of the environment in your immediate vicinity?

What would cause you to be more aware of this?4. Should we still be concerned about caring for creation even apart from an “environmental

crisis”? Why or why not?5. What challenges and/or opportunities do you think Christians might find when cooperating

with non-Christian environmentalists in order to care for creation together?6. What are some factors that might prevent us as Christians from caring for creation? How do

you think reflecting on Scripture and on the gospel could affect these factors?

Other Media Sources / Websites• There are a variety of great videos online that showcase the splendor of creation, but it is hard

to beat the three-minute trailer for the BBC’s Planet Earth II: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8aFcHFu8QM

• The Lausanne Movement’s Cape Town Commitment contains a section committing to love the world of God’s creation: http://www.lausanne.org/content/ctc/ctcommitment#p1-7

• Christian organizations dedicated to creation care include the following:1. A Rocha—“an interdenominational Christian organization which, inspired by God's love,

engages in scientific research, community-based conservation projects, environmental education and theological training”: www.arocha.org

2. Evangelical Environmental Network—“a ministry that educates, inspires, and mobilizes Christians in their effort to care for God's creation, to be faithful stewards of God's provision, to get involved in regions of the United States and the World impacted by pollution, and to advocate for actions and policies that honor God and protect the environment”: www.creationcare.org

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Chapter 2 – How Do We Think Biblically and Theologically about Creation?

Key TermsStrategy of resistance; strategy of recovery; revisionist strategy; biblical theology; canon; historical theology; systematic theology; culture; science.

Key Points• The best strategy for hearing what Scripture has to say about creation care is one that seeks to

recover the biblical teaching that may be creatively applied to this issue.• This approach is an example of biblical theology, a discipline that seeks to bridge the gap

between the text and our world today.• Biblical theology, however, may be more helpfully compared to a “roundabout” than a bridge:

while seeking to be faithful to Scripture, it also incorporates insights from historical and systematic theology, culture, and science.

Chapter SummaryWhile the first chapter explored what we are thinking about and why we are thinking

about it, chapter 2 explores how we should think biblically and theologically about creation. Since the biblical texts have often been read as exclusively concerned with human beings, some have responded by jettisoning traditional Christianity in favor of a more eco-friendly ideology or by radically revising Christian theology in order to create a more eco-friendly ethic. By contrast, this chapter explores various ways that Scripture may inform our understanding of creation and then clarifies the approach to biblical theology that will inform the rest of this study.

The authors begin by sketching and evaluating different ways that Scripture might be used to address ecological concerns (these are found in Horrell, Hunt, and Southgate’s 2010 book Greening Paul: Reading the Apostle in a Time of Ecological Crisis). The first approach is the “strategy of resistance.” This approach seeks to push back against the Bible’s perceived focus on human beings to the detriment of non-human creation. While it is certainly important to resist our own prejudice and cultural blind-spots that might cause us to neglect or misinterpret some of what the Bible teaches, resisting the Bible itself subordinates the voice of Scripture to other cultural voices. The second approach is the “strategy of recovery.” This approach seeks to recover eco-friendly biblical teaching that has been previously neglected. One possible problem with this approach is that it may assume that there is more support for an ecological agenda in the Bible than there actually is. The third approach is the “revisionist strategy.” This approach seeks to construct new meaning to support the ecological agenda that nevertheless stands in continuity with the meaning of the text. The problem with this approach is that it concedes too much authority to the readers and understates the concern for creation that a “broad, integrative, and creative” approach can find in the biblical text. With this in mind, “recovery” becomes the best strategy for applying biblical teaching to the issue of creation care.

The remainder of this chapter describes in greater detail what this approach looks like. As a type of biblical theology, this approach can be usefully compared to a bridge between the world of the biblical text and our world today. As such, there are four features this approach must have. It must be descriptive, beginning by summarizing and synthesizing the teaching of the Bible. It must also be prescriptive, aiming to hear God’s message for us today. It must be inclusive, hearing diverse voices of Scripture rather than only listening to those that fit nicely with its interpretation. Finally, it must be canonical, integrating the teaching of both the Old and New Testaments.

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While the bridge analogy is helpful, it is limited in that it often implies one-way traffic (from the Bible to theology) and does not account for other voices that inform the conversation. So this chapter concludes by comparing this approach to biblical theology with a “roundabout,” in which “traffic from several secondary roads feeds into the highway leading from text to application.” Three of these secondary roads are particularly important. First, historical and systematic theology provide categories and concepts that might not be in the text itself but help to make sense of the text (e.g., “the Fall”). Second, culture can direct our attention to particular problems or blind spots in our interpretation of Scripture; while some cultural developments need to be resisted, others point to our need to recover previously neglected biblical teaching. Finally, science can influence our biblical theology by (1) highlighting the importance of creation as a topic for biblical theology to explore, (2) providing data and viewpoints on the natural world with which we rightly dialogue as we interpret the biblical text, and (3) showing us how we can put into practice the care for creation to which the Bible calls us. These three “secondary roads” all help us to better understand and apply the biblical teaching about and for creation.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of 1 Timothy 3:16–17, stressing particularly how what

Scripture is relates to what Scripture does in this text and relating this to the practice of biblical theology.

• Introduce biblical theology by seeing how prominent practitioners of it understand it (two such videos are listed below).

• Discuss the three strategies for using Scripture to address concerns about creation, reviewing how they are distinct and what the potential problems are of each.

• Discuss how both the “bridge” metaphor and the “roundabout” metaphor contribute to our understanding of biblical theology.

Essay Questions1. What characterizes the various “strategies” (resistance, recovery, and revision), and what are

the strengths and weaknesses of each? 2. What do the authors argue should be “resisted” when we interpret Scripture, and why?3. Why do the authors think that the “strategy of recovery” is the best strategy? How do they

answer the critique that others have made of that strategy?4. The authors argue that biblical theology is descriptive, prescriptive, inclusive, and canonical.

What do they mean by these four descriptions?5. How can science and culture rightly influence our biblical theology?

Reflection Questions1. What blind spots do you think you or your community have that might need to be “resisted”

when reading and applying biblical teaching on creation? What might be the economic, social, or political reasons for these blind spots?

2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the “bridge” metaphor for understanding biblical theology?

3. What is your experience using roundabouts? Could this experience shed light on the opportunities and challenges inherent in this model of biblical theology? If so, how?

4. Does allowing theology, culture, or science to influence our biblical theology threaten the authority of Scripture? Why or why not?

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5. How should we handle apparent conflicts between biblical truth and scientific knowledge? How would this affect our understanding of, for example, Psalm 104:5?

Other Media Sources / Websites• Greg Beale gives a good, brief (under two minutes) introduction to biblical theology and how

it grows out of an evangelical view of Scripture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiszKfP8QTI

• Andrew Naselli gives a more engaging and expanded introduction to biblical theology (with a plug for the NIV Zondervan Study Bible in the last ten seconds), illustrating it via a comparison to the Harry Potter series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD6LCYLlYpE

• For further discussion of biblical theology from one of its most prominent proponents, see D. A. Carson’s article on “Biblical Theology” (pp. 89–104 in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology; eds. T. D. Alexander and Brian S. Rosner; Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2000), available online: http://beginningwithmoses.org/bt-articles/219/systematic-theology-and-biblical-theology

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Chapter 3 – A Beautiful World

Key TermsContingency of creation; enduring goodness of creation; natural theology; common grace; cosmic praise.

Key Points• The biblical creation account re-centers us on God, the unique Creator who calls all other

things into existence.• It teaches that creation is ordered and purposeful, contingent rather than necessary, good even

if not perfect, and abundantly diverse.• Our response to this should be to celebrate God’s care for creation, recognize creation’s

witness to God’s glory, perceive creation’s enduring goodness, acknowledge our limitations, recognize God’s ownership, and join the rest of creation by praising and glorifying God.

Chapter SummaryChapter 3 explores what the Bible teaches about God as Creator and the creation he

made. The account of creation in Genesis 1 teaches that God is the unique Creator who calls all other things into existence. Unlike other creation accounts from that time, it teaches that there is a fundamental distinction between God and everything else, that creation is a result of God’s free decision to create, and that God creates by his sovereign Word. From this we learn that God delights in his creation.

It also teaches us about God’s beautiful world. The seven-day creation account shows that creation is ordered and purposeful. It also shows that creation exists contingently rather than necessarily, meaning that it depends for its existence on God’s free decision to create. This means that we can come to genuine, reliable knowledge about creation by exploring it and studying it. It also means that creation is not divine; its goodness is derived from its status as the creation of a good Creator. This means that creation has intrinsic value. Finally, this account teaches that God meant for creation to be diverse and abundant. We have kinship with these diverse creatures, sharing with them our earthly origins and our dependence on the life-giving breath of God.

Other biblical texts, such as Psalm 104 and Job 38–39, show us six ways to respond to this beautiful world. First, we celebrate God’s care for and delight in all of his creatures, even the wild and dangerous ones that threaten human life. Second, we recognize creation’s testimony to the glory of the God who created it. Third, we perceive creation’s enduring goodness, even on this side of the fall. Fourth, we acknowledge humanity’s limitations in light of those aspects of creation that are outside our knowledge and control—but not outside God’s. Fifth, we acknowledge that even though God has given earth to us as our home, all of creation belongs to God and exists for his glory. Finally, we join the rest of creation in praising and glorifying God by being what it was created to be. Through this, we can come to see creation as God sees it and to join all of creation in praising the God who made us and cares for us.

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Pedagogical Suggestions• Three significant texts form the basis for this chapter: Genesis 1, Psalm 104, and Job 38–39.

As a result, structure the class around reading and reflecting on these three texts and what they teach about God and creation.

• The distinct emphases and teaching of Genesis 1 become apparent when compared to the Babylonian creation account, Enūma Eliš. Have students read a portion of this text (an online translation is given below) and reflect on how its “theology of creation” compares to that of Genesis 1.

• Have students reflect on what aspects of the praise of God as Creator in Psalm 104 are unexpected to us. Discuss how this may indicate ways our theology of creation could be improved.

• Job 38–39 emphasizes those aspects of creation that are the most wild and untamed. Have students discuss what remains mysterious and wild to us, that is, what might be “leviathan” and “behemoth” to us (a video of one possible example is given below). What do we learn about God from reflecting on these parts of creation?

Essay Questions1. While debates about how to relate Genesis 1 to modern science continue, what does Genesis

1 clearly teach about God and about creation?2. What distinguishes the creation account in Genesis from other creation accounts in the

ancient Near East?3. What does it mean to say that creation is good? What does it not mean?4. What is natural theology? What can we learn from it about God?5. According to the authors, how does all of creation praise and glorify God?

Reflection Questions1. How does knowing about other ancient Near East creation accounts affect how you read

Genesis 1? What does this mean for how we should read and study the Bible?2. Does the biblical teaching about the contingency of creation devalue creation? Why or why

not?3. How can we reconcile God’s care for creation with the realities of predation and death? How

should we reconcile God’s love for us with the fact that God’s good creation also includes dangerous elements?

4. What role should the doctrine of common grace play in our proclamation of the gospel to non-believers?

5. If we believe that God created the world to be filled with abundant diversity of life, how does that affect the way we think about and respond to loss of biodiversity?

6. Why is it important to acknowledge humanity’s limitations, meaning that there are aspects of creation that are outside our knowledge and control?

Other Media Sources / Websites• A translation of Enūma Eliš (the Babylonian creation account) can be found online:

https://www.csun.edu/~rlc31920/documents/History%20110/Enuma_Elish.pdf• Simon Oliver describes the theological view of creation and how that relates to science (8

minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMzA3UMnjxI

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• One of the most striking examples of the untamed power of creation was captured by the ultra-high speed footage of breaching great white sharks in the BBC’s Planet Earth. An excerpt can be found online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qzxy3GtSzt0

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Chapter 4 – Members, Rulers, and Keepers of Creation

Key TermsImage of God; dominion mandate; “subdue the earth”; stewardship; preservation of life.

Key Points• Although we are members of the community of creation, human beings alone are created in the

image of God.• We are mandated to have dominion over creation by caring for it under the authority of God

alone.• Noah is a key biblical example of God using a human being to keep and preserve the

abundance of life God created.• Stewardship, biblically defined, is a useful way to describe our dominion over creation.

Chapter SummaryIf we saw in the last chapter that all of creation praises and glorifies God by becoming

who we were created to be, chapter 4 explores what human beings were created to be as those distinctly created in the image of God and given distinct commands. First, we are members of the community of creation. Both the Bible and scientific discoveries confirm that we are part of God’s creation, share in its fragility, and have a close relationship with the rest of life on earth. This means that the place of honor and special concern that God grants to us is entirely because of his grace.

Second, we are created in the image of God. This remains the case even after the fall. Moreover, this distinguishes human beings from other creatures and applies to all human beings without exception. Being made in God’s image likely consists of the set of relationships with God, each other, and creation, and it allows us to rule as God’s royal representatives.

Third, we are granted dominion over all of creation. While the command to “fill the earth” is also given to non-human creation, the command to “subdue” it is only given to human beings. This task suggests the need for change in creation, a move toward a goal. The best example of God using a human being to keep and preserve his creation is Noah. This dominion can be described as stewardship as long as this is carefully defined along the way it is used in Jesus’ parables (stewards remain members of the household they serve, care for the things entrusted to them on behalf of the owner, and do not exploit or take advantage of what was entrusted to them). In short, caring for creation is not peripheral to who we are created to be but is central to what it means to be human.

Pedagogical Suggestions• This chapter focuses on how Noah is an example of someone who cares for creation, so open

class with a reading and devotion or reflection of the conclusion of the flood narrative, Genesis 8:18–9:17.

• Because being “created in the image of God” is relatively undefined in Scripture and therefore debated, students likely have diverse views of what it means. Have them discuss their views on this and how the different views might lead to different practical applications.

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Essay Questions1. How does what the Bible teaches about our kinship to non-human creation relate to what

modern science teaches about our kinship to non-human creation?2. Who are created in the image of God? Are there any exceptions? Why or why not?3. What does Noah illustrate about our dominion over creation?4. What does Solomon illustrate about our dominion over creation?5. What changes in the relationship between human beings and non-human creation after the

flood? What stays the same?6. What are the potential problems with understanding our dominion over creation as

“stewardship”? Why is this still a helpful term?

Reflection Questions1. This chapter gives some examples of ways we are closely related to non-human creation.

What are some other ways we are like other animals or intertwined with non-human creation? What does this tell us about what it means to be human?

2. What are the implications of understanding the “image of God” in human beings as our set of relationships? How does this affect how we view individual human beings?

3. How can we fulfill the biblical command to “subdue” the earth if, like most people today, we do not have jobs (such as agriculture or wildlife management) that involve interacting with non-human creation?

4. A helpful parallel to help us understand the command to “subdue the earth” can be found in the context of the conquest of Canaan, where the land is described as “subdued before the Lord” (Num. 33:22). How can this shed light on the use of that phrase in Genesis 1? In what ways is the situation of the conquest like the situation of Adam and Eve? In what ways is it different?

5. For many people, the most intimate relationship they have with non-human creation is with their pets. How does this (relatively modern) practice of keeping pets in our homes reflect what this chapter teaches about our status and role as human beings?

6. What is the difference between dominion and domination? How does this distinction help clarify the dominion mandate of Genesis 1?

Other Media Sources / Websites• A photo essay depicting the complicated bonds humans have with animals can be found on the

New York Times website: https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/humans-and-animals-a-complicated-bond/

• Theologian Tom O’Loughlin discusses how Proverbs 3:19–20 can serve as the foundation for a biblical view of creation (4 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SXIMZWgItQ

• Neurologist and primatologist (and outspoken atheist) Robert Sapolsky answers a question about the genetic difference between humans and chimpanzees that strikingly depicts our close relationship to non-human animals (4 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzDLkPFjev4

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Chapter 5 – Humanity and the Earth, Israel and the Land

Key TermsLocal creation care; intrinsic value; instrumental value; sustainability; restraint; Sabbath; Jubilee.

Key Points• Caring for creation means caring for our own local part of creation, just as Israel was to care

for the land God gave them.• Israel was to live in a land of abundance by being faithful to the God who gave that land.• The lives of other creatures are valued in the sacrificial system.• The Law of Israel stipulates sustainability and restraint, and these commitments inform the

practices of the Sabbath and the Jubilee.

Chapter SummaryCaring for creation means caring for our own local part of creation, so this chapter looks

at how Israel was to care for the land God promised them. First, the earth itself is part of the network of relationships between God, Israel, and the land. This has two important implications. First, “heaven and earth” are to witness to the covenant between God and his people. Second, God’s provision and abundance toward his people is centered on the land. This means that non-human creation therefore has both intrinsic value and instrumental value. It also means that the land is sustained when Israel is faithful to God. Since the abundance and fruitfulness of the land is a gift, not a given, Israel is to live in dependence on and faithfulness to God. By doing this, Israel’s relationship to the land will show other nations how God intends all human beings to live in relationship to the rest of creation.

Second, the stipulations about the sacrificial system also shows how the lives of other creatures are valued. While the lives of non-human animals do not have the moral weight of the lives of human beings, the sacrificial system assumes that they have some value and that there is a kinship between them and the human beings on whose behalf they die. This is seen most clearly in the stipulations about the blood of slain animals.

Finally, the Law of Israel stipulates sustainability and restraint in the use of the resources of the land so that they can be used indefinitely into the future. The abundance of the land was to be treated as the manna was treated, as a gift of God from which one takes only what one needs. These commitments also inform the practices of the Sabbath and the Jubilee. The Sabbath rest is not just for Israelites but for foreign workers and their beasts of burden, and these practices remind Israel that God is the true owner and sustainer of the earth. When Israel failed to observe these stipulations, the result was exile and dispossession from the land.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of Leviticus 25:1–22 (on the Sabbath year and Jubilee). Have

students imagine what it would be like to live in a society where these practices were observed. What problems and challenges would arise? What opportunities? How would they have to reorient their thinking in such a society?

• Have students reflect together on how Israel’s relationship with their land is unique and how it is a model for our relationship to the land in which we live.

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Essay Questions1. What roles did the land play in God’s covenant with Israel?2. According to Deuteronomy, what is the temptation Israel will face when they live in an

abundant land? What should they do to resist that temptation?3. What does Israel’s sacrificial system teach us about the value of the lives of non-human

animals? 4. How do the commandments concerning manna in the wilderness show Israel how to live in a

land of abundance?5. How do the Sabbath and Jubilee practices illustrate the principles of sustainability and

restraint?

Reflection Questions1. How could you put “local creation care” into practice where you live?2. How does understanding the significance of the blood of the animals in Israel’s sacrificial

system affect how you think about Jesus’ statement in John 6:53–54 that we are to eat his flesh and drink his blood (see p. 93 n. 5)?

3. How should the values of non-human animal life that undergird Israel’s sacrificial system change how we treat non-human animal life today?

4. What characterizes the difference between an economy based on fear and scarcity and an economy based on trust and abundance? Can we live in an “economy of abundance” if we are not currently experiencing abundance? If so, how? If not, why not?

5. Jesus teaches us that “the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). How does this reflect what we learned about the purpose and effect of the stipulations about Sabbath and Jubilee practices in Israel’s Law? How does this affect how we should observe such practices today?

Other Media Sources / Websites• The UC Davis website has an introduction to the modern practice of sustainable agriculture,

with links for further information on a variety of subtopics: http://asi.ucdavis.edu/programs/sarep/about/what-is-sustainable-agriculture

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Chapter 6 – A Creation Subjected to Frustration

Key TermsFall; brokenness in creation; curse; frustration of possibilities; recapitulation; plight of the cosmos; “bondage to decay.”

Key Points• While creation remains good, its present state is one of brokenness and fallenness.• Sin has fundamentally changed our relationship to the land.• The earth therefore now bears mournful witness to the broken covenant and groans as it awaits

a better future.• God also weeps for creation, and his continued love for the world he made points toward hope

for repentance and renewed blessing.

Chapter SummaryCreation, even those parts that may be harmful or threatening, remains good. Yet it is

clear that all is not right, and this chapter explores this brokenness and what that means for our responsibilities toward creation. First and foremost, our sin has fundamentally changed the relationship between us and the land. The curse in Genesis 3 does not seem to have ontologically altered creation itself but our relationship to it. This challenges us to participate in the restoration of this relationship that is now possible in light of Christ.

Exploring this broken relationship begins with the observation that the earth mourns as it bears witness to Israel’s breaking of the covenant. This broken covenant looks back to the breaking of the first covenant in the creation narrative itself and the ensuing unmaking of creation. As a result, creation itself is portrayed as suffering the consequences of the people’s sin, and the witness of the earth is now a mournful witness. Second, Paul also perceives that all of creation is groaning as it awaits a better future. This indicates that something is wrong now, as creation is waiting for us to be “revealed” as God’s children. Finally, in a striking text in Jeremiah, God himself weeps for the ruin of creation on account of human sin, just as in Romans 8 the Spirit groans along with us and all of creation.

In each of these texts, there is hope for repentance and renewed blessing. Our response should therefore be to face the environmental challenges of our day and consider how we can reflect God’s purposes for us and for creation.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a reading and reflection on Genesis 3 that synthesizes this chapter and the previous

chapter. Have students reflect on how this narrative of the fall can inform such notions as “sustainability” and “restraint.” How is this particular sin of Adam and Eve reflected in the history of Israel? How might it be reflected in our own day and age?

• Have students reflect on how we see the “brokenness” of our relationship to creation more clearly today in light of modern technology, industrialization, and globalization.

Essay Questions1. How has creation changed as a result of the fall? How has it not changed as a result of the

fall?

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2. What is the relationship between the curse of the land as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve and the curse of the land as a result of Israel breaking their covenant with God?

3. Why do the Old Testament prophets use imagery of the unmaking of creation and its reversion into chaos? What does that mean for our theology of creation?

4. How does our relationship to God affect our relationship to the land? How do both of these affect our relationship to other people, particularly the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable? Give concrete examples if possible.

Reflection Questions1. How does understanding the “fallenness” of creation as our broken relationship with it affect

how we respond to the fact that we “live in a fallen world”? How does the coming of Christ affect that response?

2. What indications of the “brokenness” of creation can you see around you?3. If creation will be broken until the return of Christ, why should we worry about caring for it

in the meantime?4. What does the idea that God subjected creation to futility by subjecting it to us imply about

our relationship to creation and our responsibility toward creation?5. Should our understanding of the “brokenness” of creation change in light of modern

technology, industrialization, and globalization? If so, how? If not, why not?

Other Media Sources / Websites• For a brief but engaging view on how modern actions affect the environment, see the “crash

course” on the five largest human impacts on the environment (10 minute): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eTCZ9L834s

• Tom O'Loughlin introduces Joel, one of the clearest calls to repentance in the Old Testament, and discusses its use in the Christian tradition (3 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_xQ12C6yPs

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Chapter 7 – Jesus and Creation

Key TermsIncarnation; peaceable kingdom; limitation and dependence; economy of abundance.

Key Points• Jesus’ incarnation is the greatest demonstration of the goodness of creation.• We look to Jesus to see what it means to be human and to fulfill our vocation as rulers over

creation.• Jesus shows us how to be attentive to the natural world and how this can illustrate our life in

God’s kingdom.• The resurrection of Jesus is the sign of our own resurrection and the new creation to come.

Chapter SummaryThis chapter explores what we can learn about creation and about our role in it from the

story of Jesus. First and foremost, his incarnation is the greatest demonstration of the goodness of creation. This rules out any denigration of the goodness or reality of the physical world. The particularity of this incarnation (as a human, as an Israelite, and as a Son of David) matters, as does the particularity of his life and teaching. An example of this is how the story of Jesus’ temptation in Mark likely alludes to prophetic expectations of the “peaceable kingdom” of the Messiah, meaning that Jesus is restoring the relationship between humanity and creation. In this way Jesus confirms for us God’s love and care for his creation.

Second, we look to Jesus to see what it means to be human and to fulfill our vocation as rulers over creation. Jesus shows us what it means to be human by living in his own limitations and dependence on God. Jesus also shows us what it means to rule as human beings by having compassion on the weak, ill, and helpless. Finally, Jesus shows us how to be connected and attentive to the natural world and how this can illustrate our life in God’s kingdom. In all these ways we can look to Jesus to see how we should live as human beings in the world God created.

Finally, the resurrection of Jesus has significance for the entire creation. It is the sign not only of our own resurrection but also of the new creation to come, a new creation that does not abolish the old but takes it up and transforms it. This cosmic significance can be seen in the response of creation to Jesus as its coming king: it convulses with his death and resurrection, it is in upheaval at God’s final judgment, and it ultimately sings praise to God and Christ. All this shows that the good news of Jesus Christ is good news for all of creation.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open class with a devotional reading of Matthew 6:25–34. Have students reflect on what this

passage says about God’s care for creation and therefore for us. How does knowing what Jesus teaches about our heavenly Father in this passage change the way we live our daily lives?

• Lead students in a discussion of the challenges and implications of the claim that “Jesus shows us what it means to be human.”

• Have students explore the theological significance of the resurrection of Jesus. What do we learn from it? What does it mean for our own destiny and for the ultimate destiny of creation?

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Essay Questions1. What does the incarnation of Jesus tell us about creation? What does it tell us about our role

in creation?2. How does Jesus show us what it means to be human? Be as specific as possible.3. What does it mean that Jesus’ kingdom is not “of this world”? What does it not mean?4. According to Jesus’ teaching, what characterizes the economy of God’s kingdom? How does

this relate to the original context of Jesus’ teaching? How does it relate to our context?5. What can we learn from Jesus’ resurrection about the ultimate redemption of creation?

Reflection Questions1. How can we reconcile the view that Jesus shows us what it means to be human with the

understanding that Jesus was a particular human in a particular time and place with a particular identity and vocation?

2. Does the idea that Jesus lived in obedience and trust challenge the belief that Jesus is fully God? Why or why not?

3. What can we learn about Jesus’ relationship to the natural world from the temptation narrative in Mark? From Jesus’ parables and teachings? From Jesus’ miracles?

4. How can we reconcile Jesus’ teaching about God’s care for the sparrows with the realities of extinction and loss of biodiversity?

5. How should we understand the attribution of human actions to non-human creation in the Bible, such as groaning, rejoicing, singing, etc.? Should this language be taken metaphorically or literally? If literally, how does this happen? If metaphorically, does this limit what we can learn about creation from these passages? Why or why not?

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Chapter 8 –What Counts Is the New Creation

Key TermsBuilt environment; universalization; inaugurated eschatology; biblical universalism; shalom.

Key Points• While Acts and the New Testament letters are relatively silent and vague about non-human

creation, they still believe that creation has an important place in God’s plan of redemption.• Paul’s two references to promises about the “land” indicate that he thought of this promise as

universalized rather than spiritualized.• Paul’s use of the phrase “new creation” refers to the renovation of the created world.• One verse (Col. 1:20) makes clear that Paul thought of God’s redemptive work as cosmic,

reconciling and redeeming “all things.”

Chapter SummaryThere are relatively few references to the natural world in Acts and the New Testament

letters. Part of the reason for this relative silence about the land is that the setting in these books moves to a “built environment.” However, this chapter argues that even though these authors are relatively silent about the natural world, their unified belief that they were living in the time of the fulfillment of the Old Testament promises means that creation still has an important place in God’s plan of redemption.

First, a few key instances show us that they thought of the land promises as universalized rather than spiritualized. One clear example of this is when Paul cites the promises to Abraham but speaks of an inheritance of the “world” rather than just the “land” (Rom. 4:13). Paul also quotes from the Old Testament promise of “long life in the land” but universalizes the scope of the “land” to apply to gentile believers (Eph. 6:2–3). Second, Paul’s two important uses of the phrase “new creation” (Gal. 6:15; 2 Cor. 5:17) likely refer to the renovation of the created world that has been inaugurated in Christ. The background of the concept of “new creation” can be found in other Jewish texts and in the Old Testament, particularly Isaiah 40–55, and this background suggests that it refers to the total renovation of the universe. This means that we “cannot remove creation from ‘new creation’” (141). Finally, the scope of God’s redemptive work is cosmic, as God is reconciling “all things” to himself (Col. 1:20). In short, the New Testament shows continuity in concern for the natural world, as the Old Testament material focus is not abandoned in the New Testament but expanded to include the whole earth—even if much of this remains “not yet.”

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of the “Christ-hymn” in Colossians 1:15–20. Have students

reflect on what this passage says about the cosmic scope of God’s redemptive plan and how that relates to God’s work in us and in the church.

• Have students reflect on what it might mean that God is reconciling “all things” (Col. 1:20). How do we account for Paul’s statement that we still struggle against “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Eph. 6:12)?

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Essay Questions1. What did the New Testament authors think about eschatology, or the “end times”? Where

did they think they were located on the eschatological time-line?2. How is the emphasis on non-human creation different in the New Testament letters? What

explains this shift in emphasis? What does this mean for the role of non-human creation in God’s plan of redemption?

3. How are the Old Testament promises concerning the land fulfilled for us today? What fulfillment remains outstanding?

4. What does the phrase “new creation” mean in Paul’s writings? How does that relate to that concept in the Old Testament?

5. Define “biblical universalism” according to Colossians 1:20.

Reflection Questions1. How would balancing the “already” and the “not yet” aspects of our salvation affect the way

we approach our struggles with sin? How would it affect the way we approach suffering? How would it affect the way we approach creation care?

2. Does Paul’s universalization of the promises of the land in Romans 4 undermine the belief in God’s election of the descendants of Israel as God’s chosen people? Why or why not? How does what Paul goes on to say in Romans 9–11 affect our view on this issue?

3. What is the significance of the way the Old Testament and Paul connect the promise of long life in the land to the command to obey one’s parents? In other words, why do you think the promise is connected to this command and not to one of the other ten commandments?

4. In light of our study so far, what do you think it will look like when the cosmic scope of God’s redemption is brought to completion? In other words, what will change when God reconciles “all things” to himself?

5. How does understanding the relationship between the Old and New Testaments affect our understanding of the importance of non-human creation in God’s plan of redemption?

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Chapter 9 –I Am Making Everything New!

Key TermsReplacement model; annihilation; transformation model; renovation; redemptive history.

Key Points• While some texts stress discontinuity and suggest that the heavens and earth will be replaced,

the New Testament as a whole stresses continuity and suggests that the heavens and earth will be transformed.

• Romans 8:19–22 teaches that creation has a future: it will be liberated and transformed at the culmination of redemptive history.

• 2 Peter 3:3–14, which seems to teach that this creation will be replaced, is better read as teaching that this creation will be radically renovated and cleansed so that righteousness can dwell in it.

• Revelation teaches that the destiny of creation is to be “made new” as a “new heaven and a new earth.”

• Creation will therefore ultimately be transformed, just as our bodies will be transformed at the resurrection.

Chapter SummaryChapter 9 explores the two scenarios for the future, final destiny of creation and argues

that, while some texts stress discontinuity and suggest that the heavens and earth will be replaced, Scripture as a whole stresses continuity and suggests that the heavens and earth will be transformed. The first text examined is Romans 8:19–22, which suggests that creation will be liberated. The context of this passage is the life by the Spirit that will culminate in the resurrection of our bodies, so Paul’s statements about creation make a point about us. Still, this shows that the “cosmic dimension of God’s redemptive work” (148) was recognized very early on. The second text is 2 Peter 3:3–14, which at first glance seems to teach that creation will be replaced but more likely suggests that creation will be radically transformed into a place “where righteousness dwells.” The references to the “new heavens and new earth” are based on Isaiah, who has in view the renewal and transformation of the world. The references to “fire” likely connote God’s judgment and communicate the “earth-shattering” intensity of that judgment on the model of the flood at the time of Noah. The melting of the elements likely also describes God’s burning away all that covers up sin and unrighteousness, not the complete destruction of the universe. All this suggests that, while this text could mean that the universe will be annihilated by fire, this is not the most likely meaning. It more likely refers to God’s exposure and judgment of all wickedness on the earth in order to radically transform creation into a place where righteousness can be at home. The final text is Revelation, which suggests that creation’s destiny is to be “a new heaven and a new earth.” References to destruction of creation in this text likely refer to the judgment of those elements of creation that are themselves “destroying the earth” (Rev. 11:18). The language of “new creation” and “making everything new” therefore suggests a renewal of what exists and a reversal of the curse.

An important theological point to add to these exegetical arguments is that the resurrection of our bodies, which will be transformed rather than replaced, suggests that the cosmos will also be transformed rather than replaced. While being “in heaven” is an intermediate

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blessed state, the ultimate hope of the believer is therefore to live in a resurrected body in the new heaven and new earth. In short, while creation should be cared for whether or not it has a future, the fact that it does have a future reminds us of its importance.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of Romans 8:18–39. Have students reflect on how our hope

relates to the hope for all of creation in this passage.• This chapter is the most important illustration of a method of biblical theology that

acknowledges the various voices in the canonical writings but sees them as ultimately teaching a coherent theology. Have students evaluate and reflect on how the authors handle diversity and unity in this chapter.

Essay Questions1. What does the “replacement” model expect to happen to creation in the future? What does

the “transformation” model expect? Which of these models is taught in the New Testament?2. What does Romans 8:19–22 say about the future of creation? What does that mean for how

we should treat creation now?3. What does 2 Peter 3:3–14 say about the future of creation? How does that relate to what

Romans 8:21 and Colossians 1:20 say about the future of creation?4. What future for creation is envisioned in the last chapters of Revelation? How does this

relate to what the rest of the book of Revelation says about creation?5. What does the resurrection of the body imply about the future of creation?

Reflection Questions1. How does the authors’ commitment to Scripture affect their response to apparent conflicting

biblical texts in this chapter? How does it reflect their commitment, outlined in chapter 2, to biblical theology as inclusive?

2. What is the significance of the fact that the context of Paul’s statements about the future of creation is his discussion of our future? How does this shed light on the point emphasized in the last chapter about the shift in emphasis in the New Testament letters? How does it affect the final point made in this chapter that the resurrection of our bodies is a model for the future of creation?

3. Trace the argument for the authors’ interpretation of 2 Peter 3. How do they incorporate other New Testament teaching, the context of the passage, its relationship to the Old Testament, and textual issues into their conclusions about what the text means? Do all these considerations point in the same direction? If not, how do they navigate that tension?

4. How does the point made in chapter 7 about Jesus’ relationship to the rest of creation affect the argument made in this chapter that the resurrection of the body indicates the transformation rather than the replacement of creation?

5. Should the argument in this chapter about the future of creation affect how we treat creation now? If not, why not? If so, how?

Other Media Sources / Websites• The Bibledex introduction to the little-known book of 2 Peter helps to put the passage this

chapter discusses in context (8 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu0VjZreBpA

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• N. T. Wright is one of the most prominent voices arguing that “heaven is a big deal but it’s not the end of the world.” His views on heaven can be found here (6 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwch0FTLYSA

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Chapter 10 – The Gospel and Creation Care

Key TermsGospel; eschatological Jubilee; christological focus; gospel-shaped lives.

Key Points• The gospel should be our priority as believers, but this includes rather than excludes creation

care.• Creation care is a part of the gospel, since “gospel” refers to the entirety of God’s saving action

in Christ.• Caring for creation is a necessary implication of the gospel that grows out of having our

thoughts and actions transformed in light of the gospel.

Chapter SummaryRenewed thinking should result in renewed commitment to care for creation, so this

chapter explores how that commitment relates to what should always be central for us as believers: the gospel. First, creation care is part of the gospel. If it seems like distraction, that means we do not understand fully the meaning of “gospel.” The Old Testament background of the term “gospel” suggests that it refers to God’s saving intervention on behalf of his people, while the Greco-Roman background of the term “gospel” suggests that it refers to the new hope for the people brought about by the rise of their emperor. In Jesus’ ministry, the “good news” is the eschatological Jubilee. All this suggests that the gospel is more than just invitation to salvation (although that is its “cutting edge,” 174)—it encompasses all of God’s action in his Son. And, since the gospel is about the entirety of God’s actions, creation care is a part of the gospel.

Second, creation care is part of what it means to live transformed lives in light of the gospel. The gospel is meant to transform our thinking and our actions, which includes our thinking and actions regarding creation. Changing this thinking and action is a particular challenge for us who live in the affluent and materialistic West, which is why we need to avoid being “conformed to the pattern of this world” and instead be “transformed by the renewing” of our minds (Rom. 12:2). Thus creation care is both a part of the gospel and the way of thinking and acting that grows out of having our minds and actions transformed by the gospel.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of Isaiah 61. Have students discuss the “good news” in this

chapter. Then look briefly at Luke 4:14–28. How does Jesus apply this text? How did people in Nazareth respond to this “good news”?

• Use the discussion of the content of the “gospel” to guide the discussion of this chapter. After each section, ask students how their understanding of the “gospel” has deepened or changed.

Essay Questions1. Should our concern to care for creation conflict with our concern to spread the gospel? Why

or why not?2. How does the Old Testament background of the term “good news” or “gospel” inform what

it likely means in the New Testament? How should it inform what it means for us?

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3. What does Jesus mean by the term “good news” or “gospel”? What does Paul mean by the word “gospel”?

4. How does being transformed by the gospel change the way we approach creation care?

Reflection Questions1. How would you summarize the “gospel”? Compare or contrast this summary with Isaiah’s

“gospel.” What is different? What is the same?2. What anxieties or difficulties prevent us from caring for creation? How are these anxieties or

difficulties affected by the gospel?3. In chapter 2, the authors made the point that biblical theology must be canonical,

incorporating both the Old and New Testaments. How does that canonical approach undergird the argument about the “gospel” in this chapter?

4. What other claimants to authority does proclamation of the supreme authority of Christ challenge in our world today? How do these relate to caring for creation?

5. If the gospel is about the saving action of God in Christ in its entirety, does that diminish the point of the gospel as a summons to individual human beings to faith and discipleship? Why or why not?

Other Media Sources / Websites• N. T. Wright discusses his take on what “gospel” means from a variety of perspectives (13

minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICHovRHJAYY

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Chapter 11 – Humans and Creation: Understanding Our Place

Key TermsSpeciesism; “other regard”; theocentric focus.

Key Points• Care for creation must include humans both as those who care and those who are cared for.• Humans have a distinct responsibility as stewards of creation.• Caring for creation is part of caring for human beings.

Chapter SummaryThe story of creation prominently includes the story of human beings, so the care for

creation must include humans both as those who care and those who are cared for. First, humans have a distinct responsibility as stewards of creation. Modern ecological science rightly emphasizes the way we are connected to other forms of life, but that does not mean that we do not have a special role in the created order. The question, then, is not whether but how humans will rule over the earth. We should do this in two ways. First, Christ shows us that self-giving service is central to leading. Second, our rule over creation is always conditioned by the fact that we are ruling on behalf of God, the only true Ruler. Therefore our stewardship is a stewardship that is accountable to God.

Second, caring for creation is part of caring for human beings. While creation care is rightly motivated primarily by the first greatest commandment (love for God), it is also motivated secondarily by the second greatest commandment (love for neighbor). God sometimes asks us to do more than one thing, to balance responsibilities. Even so, loving our neighbors means taking care of the environment that is so central to their wellbeing.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of Mark 12:28–34. Have students reflect on what role creation

care places in each of these commandments.

Essay Questions1. In light of what you have read so far, how are human beings a part of the community of

creation? How are human beings separate and distinct? What does this mean about how we should care for creation?

2. How does Jesus show us what it means to care for creation, given that he spent his time caring for people?

3. How do both the first and second greatest commandments relate to creation care?4. How does the global nature of the present environmental crisis affect our view of who is our

“neighbor”?

Reflection Questions1. What is “speciesism”? What can a biblical perspective affirm in that view? What must a

biblical perspective deny? 2. How are you aware of being connected to the natural world around you? What might be

preventing you from being more aware of that connection?

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3. Why should the mandate to “subdue” the earth not be interpreted as a mandate to dominate? Particularly when that language, as we saw in chapter 4, is also used to describe conquering enemies (p. 76)? How does the perspective of biblical theology help us to understand that command?

4. What does it mean to be a “steward” of something? How is that metaphor helpful to understand our relationship with creation? How might it need to be corrected?

5. How do people suffer when creation suffers? Have you ever witnessed this personally? If so, how? If not, can you think of a reason why you might have not witnessed this?

Other Media Sources / Websites• For a look at creation care in the context of the economically disadvantaged, see A Rocha

Canada’s “Just Growing” sustainable agriculture project (10 minutes): http://www.arocha.org/en/resources/a-rocha-canada-just-growing/

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Chapter 12 – Wisdom and Creation Care

Key TermsWisdom; curiosity; specialists; scientific information; scientific consensus.

Key Points• Moving from a theology of creation care to the actual practice of creation care requires us to

understand the specific needs of creation, and these needs can be learned from specialists who study creation.

• The biblical understanding of wisdom shows us how to reflect on the created world from a divine perspective, make decisions that balance various issues, and remember our finitude and creaturely status.

Chapter SummaryChapter 12 shows how to move from a theology of creation care to the actual practice of

creation care. It argues that doing this requires us to understand the specific needs of creation. While the Bible teaches important but general points about creation, we need to turn elsewhere to learn these specific points. Fortunately, God has also given human beings a curiosity about the natural world and the ability to study it. Therefore, being a faithful steward of creation means taking advantage of what specialists who devote themselves to studying creation can teach us about creation. While scientists of course have more to learn and engage in spirited debates about some matters, there is a great deal of information on which they confidently agree. We should wisely incorporate this scientific consensus in our decisions about how to care for creation.

The biblical understanding of wisdom helps us think through how to do this. Wisdom involves reflection on the created world from the perspective of the “fear of the Lord.” As such, it helps us make good decisions that balance various issues and priorities. It also reminds us of our finite and creaturely status that suggests we should intervene in the natural world cautiously and carefully. In short, the Bible does not give us direct guidance on many of our decisions but helps us renew our minds so we can make these decisions in a way that pleases God.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of Genesis 2:19–20 and 1 Kings 4:29–34. Have students

compare and contrast these passages. How does the location of each in redemptive history explain their similarities? How does that explain their differences? What might this say about what it means to live as a follower of Jesus today?

Essay Questions1. Why should we be willing to learn how to care for creation from sources outside the Bible?

What does that imply about the authority of Scripture?2. How should Christians respond to scientific debates about the environment? How should

Christians respond to scientific consensus about the environment?3. How is scientific inquiry based on a biblical worldview? Are there any examples of

beginning “scientific” endeavors in Scripture? If so, where are they found?4. What role does the Bible play in helping us to make decisions about issues that are not

directly addressed in the Bible?

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Reflection Questions1. How do we balance the biblical mandate to rule creation, which necessarily involves

learning about it, with the recognition of our creaturely finitude that will always prevent us from knowing everything about it?

2. Can scientific consensus contradict the Bible? Are there instances in recent history where that has happened? What should Christians do if such a contradiction seems to arise?

3. Does the approach outlined in this chapter to biblical wisdom limit or expand the scope of things that the Bible speaks about? Give reasons for your answer.

4. Can you give a recent example of when you had to use wisdom to balance competing issues and priorities? How did you make your decision?

5. Can you give a recent example of when a “hands off” approach, or perhaps a “soft hands” approach, was the best approach to caring for something? Why was this approach preferable?

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Chapter 13 – Creation in Crisis?

Key TermsBiodiversity loss; anthropocene; deforestation; ocean acidification; topsoil degradation; climate change; IPCC; greenhouse gases; “planetary boundaries”; Earth System.

Key Points• There are six major planetary-wide challenges facing creation:

1. Biodiversity loss as species are going extinct at a rapid pace.2. Loss of natural habitat as humans directly influence most of the land on earth.3. Loss of forests, especially in the tropics where they are critical for ecological health.4. Decline of marine life due to pollution, overfishing, warming, and acidification.5. Harm of ecosystems due to intensive agricultural practices.6. Climate change brought about by greenhouse gases released when we burn fossil fuels.

• While our response to his will inevitably involve pain and mourning with creation, we are called to care for creation with a hope, joy, and love that trusts in the God who made, loves, cares for, and will ultimately heal creation.

Chapter SummaryThis chapter gives a “sober and restrained” (196) assessment of the major planetary-wide

challenges facing creation. The first major challenge is the loss of the biodiversity that plays such a key role in the health of ecosystems. Some extinction and loss of biodiversity is normal and natural, but extinctions are occurring at least one thousand times that natural rate. The second major challenge is the loss of natural habitat that is the primary reason for loss of biodiversity. It is a product of the recent exponential increase in human population, who now directly influence 83% of the ice-free land on earth. The third major challenge is the loss of the world’s forests. This is particularly a concern in the tropics, where the loss is accelerating. While several factors influence this, the greatest influence has come from the large-scale forestry and agriculture that has arisen to meet our consumption habits. The fourth major challenge is the decline of the world’s oceans. Pollution, overfishing, warming seas, and acidification have all put tremendous stress on the marine life. The fifth major challenge is the harm to ecosystems from agricultural practices. Fertilization has enabled far more food to be grown, but its overuse and misapplication has some very negative effects on ecosystems. More generally, intensive agricultural practices have resulted in the degradation and loss of topsoil.

The sixth and most significant challenge is climate change. There is very little room for skepticism about the rapid change of our climate or the human causes of this change. The planet is significantly warmer than it was 150 years ago, and most of this warming has happened in the last 50 years. The burning of fossil fuels since the industrial revolution has released an immense amount of carbon into the atmosphere, so that there is more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than ever before in human history. Scientists have known for two centuries that these “greenhouse” gases trap heat, so we can be as confident of the link between burning fossil fuels and global warming as we are of the link between smoking and lung cancer. This will have several effects. Since warmer air holds more moisture, the warming of the atmosphere will lead to a change in weather patterns and an increase in potentially-destructive high-precipitation events. It will also cause sea-levels to rise, resulting in catastrophe for the millions who live in

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low-lying coastal lands. As oceans absorb more carbon dioxide they will become far more acidic, threatening marine life. And as changing climates adversely affect agriculture, our food supply will become far less secure.

While not perfect, the “planetary boundaries” approach can help us take seriously the global scope of the effect we are having on earth. We are called not to despair but, even in the midst of mourning, to work to care for creation with a “love and joy and hope” that will be “beacons of the new creation in Christ, overcoming the darkness of despair by our trust in the God who will never abandon us or his groaning creation” (220).

Pedagogical Suggestions• This is a challenging chapter, one that brings home vividly the depths of the present ecological

crisis. So close the class with a devotional reading of Psalm 130, which cries out to God “from the depths.” Reflect on who is making this cry, and how this might relate to the “groaning” of creation in Romans 8.

• Each of the six challenges discussed in this chapter could be explored in far more depth. Have students divide into six groups and have each group read and research more about one of these challenges (consulting the additional resources in the footnotes should be adequate) and present their findings to the class.

Essay Questions1. Why is biodiversity important? How would you summarize the current state of biodiversity?

What are the most significant reasons for this state?2. How do consumption habits of wealthy people in the global north affect forests in the global

south?3. What are the factors that are currently putting stress on marine life? What are some ways we

can remove some of that stress?4. Why should people who live in places with cold winters be concerned about global

warming?5. Briefly explain how burning fossil fuels affects the global climate.6. What about the current state of creation does the “planetary boundaries” approach help us to

see more clearly?

Reflection Questions1. Why do the authors’ intend to give a “sober and restrained” account in this chapter? What is

the value of such an approach? What would be the value of a more shocking, apocalyptic account of the ecological crisis? Which approach would you use to communicate these challenges to your community?

2. How would you respond to the claim that moving toward more sustainable agricultural, fishing, or forestry activities would be too disruptive to those who base their livelihoods on these activities?

3. The authors compare our certainty about the link between fossil fuels and climate change with the link between smoking and lung cancer. In what other ways are these two links similar? What does this say about the challenges we might face in terms of changing our behavior for the sake of the “health” of the planet?

4. Who will be most affected by climate change? Whose actions are most responsible for climate change? In which group do we find believers? How does 1 Corinthians 12:26 (“if one part suffers, every part suffers with it”) change how we should respond to this situation?

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5. Many of the topics in this chapter are painful to contemplate. What role do pain and sorrow have in creation care? How does this relate to the biblical theology of creation we have studied so far? How does this relate to the example of Jesus?

6. In light of this chapter, what is the source of the “love and joy and hope” that should characterize our approach to creation care?

Other Media Sources / Websites• Human population growth is dramatically explained in this “crash course” (11 minutes):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8dkWQVFAoA• The National Climate Assessment gives a summary of the effects of climate change:

nca2014.globalchange.gov• A list of sustainably-sourced seafood from Monterey Bay Aquarium: www.seafoodwatch.org

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Chapter 14 – Caring for Creation and Worshipping the Creator

Key TermsLegalism; arrogance; despair; carbon offset; attentiveness; activism; consumerism.

Key Points• Caring for creation begins with proclaiming the cosmic scope of God’s purposes and spending

time contemplating and actively engaging with the non-human creation around us.• Practical ways to care for creation include being attentive to creation around us, using human-

powered transportation whenever possible, engaging in activism, being reflective about what and when we buy things, and being willing to eat more responsibly.

• Ultimately, we can joyfully care even for a hurting creation out of love for the God who himself created it, loves it, and cares for it.

Chapter SummaryChapter 14 suggests concrete steps to care for creation. Two practices are important to

prioritize at the outset: we need to put creation back into new creation by proclaiming the cosmic scope of God’s purposes, and we need to put ourselves back into creation by spending time contemplating and actively engaging with the non-human creation around us. When it comes to finding practical ways to live transformed lives for a transformed world, we should expect to confront uncomfortable realities, and yet inaction is not an option. Instead, we need to remember that we are sustained by God’s grace in order to avoid the cycle of legalism-arrogance-despair. Moreover, when “best” options are not available or conflict with other values, we should be willing to go with “good” options.

Practical suggestions for how we can alter our lifestyles to care for creation can be summarized with the acronym “AWAKE”. “Attentiveness” means we should be aware of the community of creation around us. “Walking” means we should use alternative, human-powered transportation whenever possible, and buy carbon offsets (they are imperfect but are better than nothing) when necessary. “Activism” means we should avoid party politics and work together to pass policy that addresses these challenges. “Konsumerism” means we should stop buying what we do not need and act as informed and ethical consumers when we do buy things. Finally, “eating” means that, because cheap food comes at a price for the rest of creation, we should be willing to pay farmers more so they can engage in more sustainable practices. We end, therefore, where we began: with celebration, joy, and worship, caring for creation ultimately because we love the God who created it.

Pedagogical Suggestions• Open with a devotional reading of 1 Corinthians 15:51–58, paying particular attention to the

last verse. How does the future hope in this passage affect the present tasks before us? How does that relate to caring for creation?

• Lead students in a discussion of the five suggestions for how to care for creation. Which of these are the most challenging for them? How will these challenges change in different stages of life?

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Essay Questions1. How does the way we read, preach, and teach the Bible affect how we understand the scope

of the gospel?2. Why is it important to remember and rely on God’s grace when we are seeking to care for

creation?3. Why is “attentiveness to creation” the first suggestion? How does that help the environment?4. What specific personal sacrifices are required to implement the suggestions given in this

chapter? What specific personal benefits would come from implementing the suggestions in this chapter?

Reflection Questions1. The authors mention possible times when other values might conflict with making the best or

perfect choice (227). What are some additional examples of Christian values that might conflict with a commitment to care for creation? How should these particular conflicts be managed?

2. The authors mention the need to avoid the “related traps of legalism, arrogance, and despair” (227). How are these related to one another? How do they lead to one other? How can they be avoided?

3. Which of the suggestions in this chapter are the most challenging for you personally and for people you know? Why is that?

4. How do the lifestyle suggestions in this chapter relate to the way we saw in chapter 5 that Israel was commanded to live? How do the principles and motivations remain the same, and how do they differ? How do the actual concrete actions remain the same, and how do they differ?

5. In light of this book as a whole, where do you think creation care should be on the list of priorities for Christians today? Where is it now on your list of priorities? What are some limitations with even thinking in terms of a “list of priorities”?

Other Media Sources / Websites• The final “crash course” on ecology covers the growing fields of conservation biology and

restoration ecology (10 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kaeyr5-O2eU&t=0s

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Student Learning Objectives

Chapter 1 – What Do Christians Have to Do with Creation?

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Define the term “creation” and explain the significance of using this term to refer to the

natural world.2. Explain why thinking rightly about creation is important for caring for creation.3. Describe the rise of the environmental movement and the roles some Christians and

Christian organizations have played in it.4. Explain the reasons for this rise in interest in and awareness of the environment.5. Understand and respond to the accusation that Christianity is responsible for the present

environmental crisis.6. Discuss the need for Christians to care for creation independent of any current concerns or

crises.

Chapter 2 – How Do We Think Biblically and Theologically about Creation?

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Discuss the challenge of using texts of Scripture that seem to be focused on human beings to

address concerns about non-human creation.2. Define, discuss, and evaluate three approaches for using Scripture to address these concerns:

the strategy of resistance, the strategy of recovery, and the revisionist strategy.3. Define the practice of “biblical theology” and describe its relationship to the text on one

hand and to systematic theology on the other.4. Describe what it means for biblical theology to be inclusive and canonical.5. Discuss how historical and systematic theology can rightly inform our biblical theology.6. Discuss how culture can rightly influence our biblical theology.7. Discuss the role science should play in our biblical theology.

Chapter 3 – A Beautiful World

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Discuss what Genesis 1 teaches about God as Creator and everything else as creation.2. Compare and contrast Genesis 1 to other creation accounts from the ancient Near East.3. Define and discuss what it means that God’s creation is contingent rather than necessary and

what that implies for our knowledge about creation.4. Discuss how and why creation is to be valued even if it is not to be worshipped as divine.5. Discuss how we are related to non-human creation.6. Define and discuss natural theology and common grace, and articulate the usefulness and

limitations of each in thinking about God and sharing the gospel.7. Describe how non-human creation witnesses to, praises, and glorifies God.

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Chapter 4 – Members, Rulers, and Keepers of Creation

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Describe how human beings are members of the community of creation, and how both the

Bible and modern science support this.2. Discuss what it means to be made in the image of God.3. Define and discuss our mandate to have dominion over all of creation.4. Discuss what the story of Noah teaches about our vocation as human beings.5. Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of understanding dominion as “stewardship.”

Chapter 5 – Humanity and the Earth, Israel and the Land

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Discuss the various roles that the promised land played in God’s covenant with Israel.2. Discuss how Israel was to live faithfully towards God and how that relates to the fruitfulness

of the land.3. Discuss how the lives of non-human animals are valued in the sacrificial system.4. Define the principles of sustainability and restraint and discuss how these principles inform

the practices of Sabbath and Jubilee.

Chapter 6 – A Creation Subjected to Frustration

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Describe how creation can be good and at the same time broken as a result of the fall.2. Discuss how our sin has altered the relationship between us and the land.3. Relate the covenant curses on the land of Israel that the Old Testament prophets describe to

the situation of creation as a whole today.4. Apply Romans 8 to our understanding of the present situation of creation and its future

promise.5. Explain how a correct understanding of the fall and subsequent brokenness of creation

increases rather than decreases our moral responsibility for the present state of the earth.

Chapter 7 – Jesus and Creation

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Discuss what the incarnation tells us about the goodness of creation and why.2. Explain how Jesus shows us what it means to be human and to fulfill our vocation as

humans.3. Discuss what we learn from Jesus’ teachings about being attentive to non-human creation.4. Define and discuss the characterization of the kingdom of God as an economy of abundance.5. Discuss what the resurrection of Jesus shows us about our own resurrection and the ultimate

redemption of all of creation.6. Describe how creation responds to Jesus in his earthy ministry and at his final return.

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Chapter 8 –What Counts Is the New Creation

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Explain how and why the emphasis on non-human creation changes in the New Testament

letters.2. Define “inaugurated eschatology” and explain how this phrase describes the perspective of

the New Testament.3. Explain how Paul reinterprets the Old Testament promises regarding the land.4. Discuss the background and use of the phrase “new creation.”5. Define biblical universalism according to Colossians 1:20.

Chapter 9 –I Am Making Everything New!

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Contrast the two models for the future of creation—replacement and transformation—and

discuss the extent to which each receives support from the New Testament.2. Discuss what Romans 8:19–22 teaches about the future of creation and how that relates to its

surrounding literary context.3. Summarize and defend the student’s own interpretation of 2 Peter 3:3–14, explaining the

exegetical issues in that text and relating it to teaching elsewhere in the New Testament.4. Discuss the future of creation as it is pictured in the final chapters of Revelation.5. Discuss the relationship between the future resurrection of our bodies and the future destiny

of creation.

Chapter 10 – The Gospel and Creation Care

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Define “gospel” and explain how caring for creation fits into it.2. Discuss what the term “gospel” or “good news” likely meant in the Old Testament, in Jesus’

ministry, and in the Greco-Roman world.3. Explain how having our thoughts and actions transformed by the gospel affects the way we

approach caring for creation.

Chapter 11 – Humans and Creation: Understanding Our Place

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Explain the unique role of human beings in creation.2. Relate caring for creation to the first and second “greatest commandments.”3. Discuss how the way we are to “rule” over creation is determined by Christ.4. Discuss how the interrelatedness of human beings with the rest of creation gives shape to the

way we are to love our neighbors throughout time and space by caring for creation.

Chapter 12 – Wisdom and Creation Care

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Defend the biblical use of non-biblical sources of knowledge in our care for creation.

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2. Define the biblical concept of wisdom and explain how that relates to caring for creation.3. Explain how we can make right and God-honoring decisions about issues that are not

directly addressed in the Bible.

Chapter 13 – Creation in Crisis?

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Identify and discuss six major planetary-wide challenges facing creation.2. Explain how human actions have caused these challenges.3. Articulate some basic practices that could help ameliorate these challenges.4. Discuss how faith in the God who loves and cares for creation affects our approach to these

challenges.

Chapter 14 – Caring for Creation and Worshipping the Creator

Upon completion of this chapter the student will be able to:1. Explain what it means to put creation back into new creation.2. Explain what it means to put ourselves back into creation.3. Discuss the practical challenges that result from trying to care for creation and how to

respond to these challenges.4. Summarize five ways to care for creation in our daily life.5. Discuss how caring for creation relates to celebrating creation and loving the Creator.

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Chapter Quizzes

Chapter 1 – What Do Christians Have to Do with Creation?

True/False

1. According to the authors, having the right attitude toward creation and treating it rightly depends on having a right understanding of creation. True

2. A theology of creation can be best understood apart and independent from other theological themes. False

3. According to the Bible, our human status of being made “in the image of God” is a status we share with all of creation. False

4. The biblical view of nature is that it is mechanistic, separate from God, and available for us to manipulate as we please. False

5. Referring to the natural world as “creation” privileges its relationship to God over its relationship to us. True

6. Evangelical Christians have had virtually nothing to say about the current environmental crisis up to the present time. False

7. The negative effects of technological change on the environment have all been obvious since the beginning of the industrial revolution. False

8. While the climate has always changed, the speed at which it is currently changing poses a threat to human and non-human flourishing. True

9. Some environmental historians have blamed Christianity for the present environmental crisis. True

10. According to the authors, we should not need a crisis to learn to care for creation. True

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following do the authors say is the first step in learning to care for creation?A. being concerned for creationB. celebrating creationC. studying creationD. all of the above

2. According to the authors, our understanding of ourselves and the created world ultimately depends on __________.

A. God’s self-revelation in ScriptureB. the consensus of the scientific communityC. our experience of creationD. our culture and tradition

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3. According to the authors, which of the following is not a potential problem with understanding non-human creation as “nature”?

A. It is an ambiguous term that carries a lot of unfortunate baggage.B. It can refer to a deified “mother nature.”C. It fails to capture how we are at the center of God’s creation.D. It is often thought of as something open to manipulation at human whim.

4. According to the authors, which of the following is not a potential problem with understanding non-human creation as the “environment”?

A. It keeps us humans as the center of attention.B. It is a “Christianese” word which will confuse non-Christians.C. It is associated with anti-theistic religious movements.D. It inappropriately privileges anthropology over theology.

5. A biblical understanding of creation entails which of the following views?A. Creation is something God called into being.B. Creation is something God created for a purpose.C. Creation is something God made for his glory.D. All of the above.

6. Which evangelical leader wrote an early book on “pollution” from a biblical perspective?A. C. S. LewisB. Lynn White, Jr.C. Francis SchaefferD. John Muir

7. Which of the following is not a likely reason for present interest in the environment?A. Scientists have recently developed tools and techniques to gather more

comprehensive data about the environment.B. It has become increasingly clear that unprecedented development of

technology is having an unprecedented effect on the environment.C. Those who live in the urban and suburban environments of wealthy

nations live where the effects of this ecological crisis are most clearly felt.D. There is a robust consensus among the scientific community regarding the

challenges our planet is facing right now.

8. What is the authors’ response to the accusation that Christianity is responsible for the present “environmental crisis”?

A. Christians have never thought that the natural world exists only to meet our needs.

B. Christians have rightly focused on our individual relationships with God, since that is the only thing God cares about.

C. Christianity has never had a large enough impact on society to contribute to a crisis of this magnitude.

D. Superficial readings of the Christian story, not Christianity itself or the Bible itself, are what have resulted in a narrow focus on human beings that neglects God’s broader creation.

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9. According to the authors, what can the biblical story and worldview offer to help meet the present “environmental crisis”?

A. resources to explain, respond to, and keep in perspective this crisisB. an “instrumentalist” view of nature that helps us feel better about this crisisC. support for scientific and technological advancements that can solve this crisisD. a self-contradictory text that frees us to respond to this crisis as we see fit

10. According to the authors, what is the most important reason to talk about caring for creation?A. Christians have always talked about it.B. No one else is talking about it.C. The Bible talks about it.D. Our culture talks about it.

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Chapter 2 – How Do We Think Biblically and Theologically about Creation?

True/False

1. According to the authors, the “strategy of resistance” has value as long as what we are resisting is the human focus of the text. False

2. The “strategy of recovery” is characterized by the identification of eco-friendly biblical teaching that has been ignored or neglected due to cultural factors. True

3. The “revisionist strategy” aims to construct new meaning that nevertheless stands in continuity with the meaning of the text. True

4. According to the authors, it is necessary to creatively construct new meaning that supports an ecological agenda because reading such concerns back into the text is anachronistic. False

5. Biblical theology is commonly understood as a “bridge” discipline connecting the biblical text to systematic theology. True

6. Biblical theology seeks to describe our theological views and then prescribe them onto the biblical text. False

7. Biblical theology seeks to integrate the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments. True

8. According to the authors, it is important that we avoid using later categories from historical and systematic theology to understand the Bible. False

9. Our culture can direct our attention to problematic ways we have interpreted Scripture. True

10. When the teaching of the Bible seems to conflict with scientific knowledge, we should remember that it is our interpretation of scientific data and our interpretation of Scripture that are in conflict. True

Multiple Choice

1. Which evangelical commitment directly conflicts with the “strategy of resistance”?A. the priesthood of all believersB. the supreme authority of ScriptureC. justification by faith aloneD. the doctrine of original sin

2. What value do the authors suggest there might be in the idea of “resistance”?A. We should resist apparent scientific consensus as the groupthink of career-

conscious academics.B. We should resist cultural voices expressing concern about the environment.C. We should resist our own prejudices about what the Bible teaches.D. We should resist feelings of guilt and despair in the face of the environmental

crisis.

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3. What problem do some scholars find with the “strategy of recovery”?A. This strategy subordinates the voice of Scripture to other cultural voices.B. This strategy naively claims to find more support for an ecological

agenda in the text than is actually there.C. This strategy concedes too much authority to the reader.D. This strategy fails to recognize the support for an ecological agenda already in

the Christian tradition—there is no need to “recover” what was never lost.

4. What problem do the authors find with the “revisionist strategy”?A. This strategy subordinates the voice of Scripture to other cultural voices.B. This strategy naively claims to find more support for an ecological agenda in

the text than is actually there.C. This strategy concedes too much authority to the reader.D. All of the above.

5. Why, in spite of the criticism of some scholars, do the authors of this book prefer the “strategy of recovery”?

A. They think this strategy is likely to be more palatable to those who have a strong commitment to the authority of Scripture.

B. They are convinced that support for creation care can actually be found in the text.

C. They view this strategy as the one that is most effective at pushing back against the anthropocentric focus of the Bible.

D. They think this strategy rightly grants the most authority to the reader.

6. Which of the following is not a feature of biblical theology?A. Because it is biblical, it is descriptive.B. Because it is theological, it is prescriptive.C. Because it is inclusive, it involves Scripture as a whole.D. Because it is canonical, it ignores the passages that do not fit a particular

interpretation.

7. According to the authors, which of the following is the reason why the “bridge” metaphor for biblical theology is inadequate?

A. Bridges are man-made, whereas biblical theology is given to us by God.B. Bridges have only two sources of traffic, whereas biblical theology is

influenced by multiple factors.C. Bridges are sturdy and fixed, whereas biblical theology is fluid and dynamic.D. Bridges are necessary infrastructure, whereas biblical theology is frivolous

and unnecessary.

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8. How can historical and systematic theology help us to understand Scripture?A. They give us categories to help us understand how the different teachings

of Scripture relate to each other.B. They dictate to us how to read the Bible, preventing us from making the most

serious errors.C. They fill in the gaps, telling us things about which the Bible is silent.D. They should not help us understand Scripture—the influence should only go

the other way, from Bible to theology.

9. How should we respond to cultural developments that influence our biblical theology?A. At times we need to resist these cultural developments when they contradict

the teaching of Scripture.B. At times we need to recover neglected teaching of Scripture in light of these

cultural developments.C. At times we should allow these cultural developments to help us prioritize

which biblical-theological topics to investigate.D. All of the above.

10. Which of the following is not a way that science can helpfully contribute to our biblical theology of creation?

A. Science highlights the importance of creation and humanity’s role in it as topics for biblical theology.

B. Science provides viewpoints on the natural world that we bring to the Bible.C. Science allows us to correct the Bible’s human-centered focus.D. Science helps us to put into practice the values and care that the Bible

commends.

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Chapter 3 – A Beautiful World

True/False

1. By insisting that creation is not God, the biblical account of creation also insists that creation is not good. False

2. Because Genesis 1 teaches that creation is purposeful, this implies that creation has value only to the extent that human beings can make use of it. False

3. Because Genesis 1 teaches that creation is contingent rather than necessary, the only way to have knowledge of creation is to study it ourselves. True

4. Genesis 1 teaches that God intended for the earth to be filled with an abundance of diverse creatures. True

5. The goodness of creation does not extend to those aspects of creation that threaten human beings. False

6. The goodness of creation means that it is perfect and should not change or grow in any way. False

7. The way God made creation to abundantly provide for human life is an example of God’s common grace. True

8. Creation’s witness to the glory of God means that, if we look carefully enough, we can arrive at the truths of the gospel from natural theology rather than from the special revelation of God’s Word. False

9. The witness of creation to the common grace of God’s provision is threatened by the destruction of the natural world by human beings. True

10. Creation glorifies God by being what it was created to be. True

Multiple Choice

1. How does the biblical creation account differ from other ancient Near Eastern creation accounts?

A. In the biblical account, creation is the product of the intentional, sovereign word of God rather than the result of conflict between gods.

B. In the biblical account, creation is understood as the product of divine action rather than the product of blind chance.

C. In the biblical account, creation occurs only a few thousand years in the past rather than billions of years in the past.

D. In the biblical account, creation shares its divine nature with the God who created it rather than its non-divine status with the humans who rule it.

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2. Which of the following is not something that Genesis 1 teaches about creation?A. Creation is contingent, meaning that it exists only because of God’s free

decision to create.B. Creation is ordered and purposeful: everything has its own place and its own

function.C. Creation is diverse, as God intended a rich variety of species to fill the earth.D. Creation was good originally, but that is no longer the case because of

Adam and Eve’s sin.

3. Which of the following is not something we share in common with non-human creatures?A. Being sustained by the abundance of the earth.B. Living by means of the life-giving breath of God.C. Being created in the image of God.D. All of the above.

4. What does Psalm 104 celebrate about creation?A. God’s continuing care for creation.B. God’s concern for even those parts of creation that are not beneficial to human

beings.C. God’s provision of prey for predators, implying that the psalmist is fully

aware of the reality of predation and death.D. All of the above.

5. What does the Bible emphasize that we learn about God from looking at creation?A. God’s power and glory.B. God’s justice towards all.C. God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ.D. God’s distance and otherness.

6. What is natural theology?A. The theological perspective on the natural world.B. Theology that proceeds apart from God’s revelation in his Word.C. Theology that has a commitment to caring for the natural world.D. All of the above.

7. Where in the Bible do we see appeals to natural theology and common grace?A. Where the gospel is being preached to non-Jews who do not already

believe in God as the Creator.B. Where the gospel is being preached in rural or wild environments where the

beauty of creation is evident.C. Where the gospel is being preached to those who are skeptical of its claims

and need to be convinced through reason.D. Where the gospel is being preached by those who do not have access to God’s

revelation in his Word.

8. What does it mean to say that creation has enduring goodness?A. It has a purity and innocence that is spoiled only by human contact.B. It should be left alone in its natural state and not altered by human beings.C. It has an intrinsic goodness apart from its usefulness to human beings.D. It is all meant for our benefit and use.

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9. How do the authors understand the statement in Psalm 115:16 that God has given the earth to humanity?

A. All of creation belongs to us.B. The earth is given to us as our home.C. Our knowledge of and care for creation does not extend beyond this planet.D. We are responsible to care for the earth.

10. In Revelation 5:13, who praises “him who sits on the throne” and “the Lamb”?A. Those who have by faith accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.B. All the creatures around the heavenly throne.C. All human beings without exception.D. Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

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Chapter 4 – Members, Rulers, and Keepers of Creation

True/False

1. While modern people are confident about human beings and our accomplishments, Scripture challenges this confidence and reminds us that we are fallible and transient. True

2. While modern science questions humanity’s place in the cosmos, it was easy and natural for the ancient Hebrews to think human beings were special in God’s eyes. False

3. Because being made in the “image of God” means we are rational, it cannot apply to all human beings since not all human beings are rational. False

4. The command to “subdue” the earth suggests hard, active work is necessary to bring the earth under our dominion. True

5. The command to “subdue” the earth suggests the need for change in creation that moves towards a goal. True

6. The best example in the Old Testament of God using a human being to preserve creation is Adam. False

7. After the flood, all concern for non-human animal life is abolished. False

8. According to the authors, “stewardship” is a problematic term to describe our dominion over creation and should be abandoned. False

9. The purpose of biblical stewardship is always first and foremost to serve the ultimate master. True

10. Caring for creation is a key way for us to be who God has created us to be. True

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is not a way we are members of the community of creation?A. We all have the earth as our home.B. We all are created in the image of God.C. We all have mortality and fragility in common.D. We all are entwined and dependent upon the rest of creation.

2. What does it mean to be created in the image of God?A. It distinguishes us from other non-human creatures.B. It consists in the set of relationships with God, each other, and the rest of

creation.C. It allows us to exercise dominion over creation as God’s royal representatives.D. All of the above.

3. Which of the following commands are given only to human beings in Genesis 1?A. “Be fruitful and multiply.”B. “Fill the earth.”C. “Subdue the earth.”D. All of the above.

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4. What helps us understand God’s willingness to destroy non-human creation on account of the sins of human beings?

A. God’s judgment is never his decision to abandon us to the results of our actions.

B. Non-human creation is in close relationship to us and shares in our fate.C. God’s concern for non-human creation, as opposed to human beings, is

minimal.D. The command to “fill the earth” was never meant to be taken literally.

5. What task was given to Noah?A. The task of preserving bio-diversity.B. The task of judging the wicked.C. The task of solving an ecological crisis.D. The task of naming the animals.

6. After the flood, what is explicitly permitted for the first time?A. Eating the blood of animals.B. Eating the meat of animals.C. Being fruitful and multiplying.D. All of the above.

7. What is the potential problem with using the concept of stewardship to understand our dominion over creation?

A. Stewardship is an anachronistic concept that is not found in the Bible.B. Stewardship can imply that we are above creation rather than a part of it.C. Stewardship can imply that non-human creation is merely a set of

resources for us to use and exploit.D. Stewardship can imply that we have no responsibility toward creation.

8. What biblical texts illustrate for us the biblical concept of stewardship that can rightly describe what it means to exercise dominion over creation?

A. The account of Noah.B. The parables of Jesus.C. Paul’s analogies of a farmer in 1 Corinthians and 2 Timothy.D. The book of Revelation.

9. How is stewardship not defined in the Bible?A. Stewards remain members of the household they serve.B. Stewards care for the things entrusted to them on behalf of the owner.C. Stewards work primarily for the sake of their master and secondarily for other

members of the household.D. Stewards may exploit what was entrusted to them for their own gain.

10. What do the authors conclude creation care is about?A. Being human.B. Becoming who we are created to be as bearers of God’s image.C. Living as God calls us to live.D. All of the above.

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Chapter 5 – Humanity and the Earth, Israel and the Land

True/False

1. According to the authors, all creation care begins with local creation care. True

2. The state of the land of Israel was never a reliable indicator to the wider world of the status of Israel’s relationship to God. False

3. According to Israel’s Law, the land’s value is always intrinsic, never instrumental. False

4. The sacrificial system shows that non-human animal life has the same value as human life. False

5. Israel’s relationship to the land was supposed to be a sign and an example to the other nations. True

6. “Sustainability” means that people should use resources in a way that is healthy for people and the land and could be continued indefinitely. True

7. The prohibitions against mixing creatures or sowing two seeds together are probably also examples of the principle of restraint in Israel’s law. True

8. Because manna was a gift from God rather than something Israel worked the land to produce, it was to be treated differently than the later abundance from the land. False

9. The Sabbath and Jubilee practices remind Israel that God is the true owner and sustainer of the earth. True

10. Israel was sent into exile even though they followed these practices. False

Multiple Choice

1. What is the appropriate way for Israel to respond to the gift of good land?A. Hard work to keep it good.B. Worship and obedience.C. Sharing it with the surrounding nations.D. All of the above.

2. Israel is to remember that the abundance of the land is a ______, not a ______.A. gift … givenB. blessing … curseC. reward … giftD. solution … problem

3. How can Israel continue to experience the blessing of the land and avoid the curse?A. By living in daily dependence on God.B. By thanking God and praising him for what he provides.C. By keeping his commands and walking in his ways.D. All of the above

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4. What do we not learn about animal life from Israel’s sacrificial system?A. Animal life has distinctive value in itself.B. There is a kinship between human beings and other creatures.C. There is ultimately no meaningful distinction between humans and other

animals.D. Even when sacrificed, animal life should still be treated with respect.

5. Why was Israel not to consume blood?A. Hygienic issues—without modern medicine, eating blood was too risky.B. Blood represents the life of the animal that must be treated with respect.C. The nations around them consumed blood and Israel was not to be like them.D. The blood was to be saved for its special function in the sacrificial system.

6. What prohibition in Israel’s Law reflects a commitment to sustainability and restraint?A. The prohibition against eating pork.B. The prohibition against cooking a calf in its mother’s milk.C. The prohibition against taking a mother bird along with her young.D. All of the above.

7. What truth leads to the principle of restraint?A. God is God and we are not.B. Earth’s resources are finite and scarce.C. There is no correlation between hard work and wealth.D. Inequality is usually the result of oppression.

8. What is the danger of storing up wealth for Israelites?A. They may abandon trust in the God who saved them from Egypt.B. The stored grain might attract vermin that would bring disease.C. Foreign armies will be compelled to invade and steal this wealth.D. They will be lazy and, friends, the idle brain is the devil’s playground.

9. Who benefits from Sabbath observance?A. The Israelites who observe it.B. The foreigners in their midst who would otherwise work the fields.C. The Israelites’ domesticated beasts of burden.D. All of the above.

10. What practice was not supposed to occur in the year of Jubilee, every 49 years?A. Those who had become indentured were to be freed.B. Land that had been sold would revert to the family that originally owned it.C. Extra crops were to be planted in each field for the poor to eat.D. The land would have its customary rest.

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Chapter 6 – A Creation Subjected to Frustration

True/False

1. The parts of creation that are threatening or harmful are the result of the fall. False

2. The curse of Genesis 3 has ontologically altered creation itself. False

3. The punishment of sin includes the possibility of pain and fruitlessness. True

4. The Old Testament prophets show the connection between faithfulness to God, the establishment of justice, and the health of the land. True

5. The prophets universalize Israel’s experience in the land, which is now applied to the experience of the whole cosmos. True

6. In Romans 8, all of creation is included in the hope of the gospel. True

7. “Bondage to decay” in Romans 8 cannot refer to the natural processes of decomposition, disintegration, and death. False

8. Lamenting and mourning are unnecessary and inappropriate responses for us to have to our sin and injustice and the suffering of creation that results from it. False

9. Burning fossil fuels is an example of a modern technology that is inherently sinful. False

10. In spite of the brokenness of creation, the world and its creatures remain valued in God’s eyes and deserving of our continued care. True

Multiple Choice

1. How has creation fundamentally changed as a result of our sin?A. Our relationship to it is broken.B. Our knowledge of it is limited.C. Our appreciation of it is muted.D. Now it has mosquitos.

2. What previous biblical narrative does the experience of biblical Israel end up recapitulating?A. The fall of Adam and Eve.B. The flood of Noah.C. The call of Abraham.D. The jealousy of Joseph’s brothers.

3. What new function do “the heavens and the earth” have in light of the broken covenant?A. Helping to fix this brokenness by leading us to God.B. Bringing punishment for sin through natural disasters.C. Mournfully bearing witness to the broken covenant.D. Nothing—“heavens and earth” are the setting for the story, not the characters.

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4. According to Israel’s prophets, what does their experience of drought and devastated land point to?

A. The way that nation was particularly sinful.B. The plight of the whole earth when people do not follow God.C. God’s lack of concern for non-human creation.D. All of the above.

5. What does Romans 8 say is wrong with creation?A. It is in bondage to decay.B. It has been subjected to futility.C. It is groaning in its present state.D. All of the above.

6. According to the authors, how did God subject creation to futility in Romans 8?A. By subjecting it to fallen and futile human beings.B. By withdrawing his care and concern from it.C. By actively ruining it himself.D. All of the above.

7. In the book of Jeremiah, what is God’s own attitude toward the suffering of the earth?A. God is unconcerned with the earth, only with the animals and people in it.B. God is angry at the human beings who caused this suffering.C. God himself laments for the land that suffers.D. God is obviously OK with this suffering because God caused it.

8. According to the authors, which of the following should not be part of our response to the brokenness of creation?

A. Recognizing the moral responsibility that Scripture says God entrusts to us and considering how our actions affect the health and well-being of creation.

B. Trusting that even if our actions are responsible for this brokenness, God’s grace will not let us experience the natural consequences of these actions.

C. Lamenting and mourning over our individual and collective sin and the destruction of the earth that has resulted from it.

D. Repenting by returning to God, as we are summoned to do in Joel 2:12–13.

9. What do the prophets promise will result from sorrow and repentance over sin?A. God will renew the blessing of the land.B. God will renew the blessing of the people in the land.C. God will relent from sending calamity.D. All of the above.

10. What is the main point of Paul’s argument about the groaning of creation in Romans 8?A. This groaning and suffering is our fault.B. This groaning and suffering is temporary.C. This groaning and suffering is an illusion.D. This groaning and suffering is insignificant.

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Chapter 7 – Jesus and Creation

True/False

1. The incarnation is the greatest demonstration of the goodness of creation. True

2. Jesus recapitulates the failure of Adam and Israel when he is tempted in the wilderness. False

3. Mark’s mention that Jesus was “with the wild animals” likely indicates that he is restoring the relationship between humanity and creation. True

4. Because Jesus himself was God, he did not need to live in dependence on and obedience to God. False

5. Because Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world, we are required to leave this world behind in order to be a part of his kingdom. False

6. The way Jesus acted in self-sacrificial love to heal and restore those who are broken shows us how we should act as stewards of creation. True

7. Jesus’ teachings are rooted in observations of life in first-century rural Galilee. True

8. The gathering of leftovers after the feeding of the five thousand shows that even in this situation of abundance God’s gifts should not be wasted. True

9. The resurrection of Jesus shows that our present bodies and this present creation do not matter as much as we think they do. False

10. The good news of Jesus Christ is good news for human beings but not for all of creation. False

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following do we not learn about creation from the incarnation?A. The particularity of created things, where they are and who they are, matters.B. Any philosophy that denigrates the physical world is one we must reject.C. God being willing to become part of God’s creation shows the enduring

goodness of creation.D. Since the incarnation was the means of God’s salvation, the value of

creation is solely instrumental.

2. What is the value of speculating on whether God could have been incarnate as a non-human creature?

A. It reminds us of the extent to which God humbled himself by becoming incarnate as a human.

B. It reminds us of our kinship with the rest of creation.C. It reminds us that our particularity as human creatures matters less than the

fact that we are creatures in general.D. All of the above.

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3. Which Old Testament event does Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness parallel?A. The temptation of Adam and Eve in the garden.B. The temptation of Israel in the wilderness.C. The temptation we all face as human beings.D. All of the above.

4. To which Old Testament book does Mark’s description of Jesus “with the wild animals” likely allude?

A. Deuteronomy.B. Psalms.C. Isaiah.D. Ezekiel.

5. How does Jesus not show us what it means to be human?A. As Israel’s Messiah, he has compassion on the weak and helpless.B. As an itinerant preacher, he uses very few natural resources.C. As fully human, he lives in limitation and dependence on God.D. As a part of creation, he lives in a particular social location as a Jewish male.

6. What do we learn from the way Jesus’ teaching consistently refers to the natural world?A. God’s preference for rural life over urban life.B. The legitimacy of natural theology to teach us reliable truths about God.C. The importance of being connected and attentive to the natural world

ourselves.D. All of the above.

7. Which of the following is not something that Jesus teaches by means of an illustration from the natural world?

A. God’s economy of abundance, illustrated by God’s provision for birds and flowers.

B. God’s care for human beings, illustrated by God’s concern for sparrows.C. God’s provision of Jesus as a sacrifice for sins, illustrated by the annual

cycle of death and rebirth.D. God’s indiscriminate generosity, illustrated by the rain that falls on the

righteous and the unrighteous.

8. What does the resurrection of Jesus show us?A. A picture of our own resurrection that is to come.B. The way God redeems by taking up the old creation and transforming it rather

than destroying it.C. A picture of the ultimate redemption of the entire creation.D. All of the above.

9. In the New Testament, how does creation not respond to Jesus as its coming king?A. It convulses with his death and resurrection.B. It is in upheaval at God’s final judgment.C. It resists his coming since it is under the control of the evil one.D. It ultimately joyfully sings praise to God and Christ.

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10. How, according to this chapter, should we act towards creation in light of its future redemption?

A. We should join alongside creation in worshipping our Creator and Redeemer.

B. We should clean up creation to get it ready for the arrival of its rightful king.C. We should ignore creation and trust God to accomplish the redemption that

only he can accomplish.D. We should stop learning about creation since everything about it will change

soon anyway.

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Chapter 8 – What Counts Is the New Creation

True/False

1. The New Testament letters put just as much emphasis on non-human creation as the Old Testament and the gospels. False

2. Concern for the natural world has been entirely left behind in the New Testament letters. False

3. While New Testament authors believed that Jesus’ death and resurrection had inaugurated the “last days,” they still anticipated future blessings when this age would be consummated at Jesus’ second coming. True

4. Paul quotes from the Old Testament promise of “long life in the land” but universalizes the scope of the “land” in Ephesians 6:3. True

5. The phrase Paul uses for “new creation” could also be translated “new creature.” True

6. Language of “new creation” is likely Paul’s way of removing creation from “new creation.” False

7. The concept of “new creation” should be used to simply designate the renewal of the whole of the material universe. False

8. Paul wants to keep together both the future transformed universe and present spiritual realities as dual-references of “new creation.” True

9. Paul’s reference to “all things” in Colossians 1:20 means that God will ultimately make everything in the universe right with him. True

10. The way the apostles appropriate key words and concepts from the Old Testament shows that non-human creation continues to have an important role in God’s plan of salvation. True

Multiple Choice

1. What about the setting of the New Testament letters helps explain the difference in emphasis on non-human creation?

A. The setting moves from the Jewish world where creation was despised to the gentile world where creation’s goodness was probably overemphasized.

B. The need for the gospel to spread by means of individual humans putting their trust in Jesus does not leave much room for a focus on non-human creation.

C. The setting moves from rural Galilee to the built environment of urban centers, so the natural world moves more into the background.

D. Speaking about the enduring goodness of creation would have been offensive to pagans, so deemphasizing the natural world was an important evangelistic strategy.

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2. What is the redemptive-historical basis for the view that concern for the natural world is implicit in the New Testament even if it is not as explicit?

A. The New Testament centers on the view that the Old Testament promises, which themselves centered on the land, have now been fulfilled in Christ.

B. The New Testament focuses exclusively on human beings, which the Old Testament makes clear need the non-human world in order to survive and thrive.

C. The New Testament marks the beginning of a new era in which God’s concern is limited to individual human beings, but it also looks forward to a future era in which God will again be concerned with Israel and the land.

D. The New Testament on its own has no concern for the natural world, but our knowledge today about the environmental crisis compels us to read such a concern into it.

3. What word best describes how Paul reinterprets the land promises of the Old Testament?A. Spiritualization.B. Universalization.C. Negation.D. Consummation.

4. What does the Old Testament and Jewish background of the phrase “new creation” suggest that this language refers to?

A. A total renovation of the universe.B. A personal, existential reorientation.C. A replacement of the cosmos.D. An inaugurated eschatology.

5. What does the phrase “new creation” refer or allude to in Galatians 6:15?A. The new state of affairs that exist as a result of Jesus’ death and resurrection.B. The believer who has been transformed by Jesus.C. The community in which social distinctions are marginalized in light of Jesus.D. All of the above—the entiretyof God’s redemptive work in Jesus.

6. How does Paul expect his readers to live in light of his claims about “new creation”?A. He expects them to withdraw from the old creation and live exclusively in the

sphere of new creation.B. He expects them to care for creation by considering how their actions affect

the natural world.C. He expects them to evaluate everything in light of the new system of

values rooted in this new creation.D. All of the above.

7. In Paul, the phrase “new creation” _______ the cosmic scope of God’s redemptive and transformative work but _______ the current situation of Christian believers.

A. connotes … denotesB. emphasizes … deemphasizesC. affirms … deniesD. refers to … is applied to

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8. What does it mean that Colossians 1:20 teaches “biblical universalism”?A. It teaches that all people will ultimately be saved.B. It teaches that God’s work in Christ reclaims the entire universe.C. It teaches that all religions are valid paths to God.D. All of the above.

9. In the context of Colossians 1:20, who is the prime object of God’s redemptive action?A. Jews.B. Gentiles.C. Human beings.D. All of creation.

10. What best describes what has already changed with regard to non-human creation in light of Jesus’ death and resurrection?

A. Universal peace and reconciliation has already been established.B. God has enlisted his people in the work of prefiguring the ultimate

transformation of creation.C. The Old Testament focus on non-human creation has been exposed as a grave

error.D. The promises of the land have been restored to the people of Israel.

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Chapter 9 – I Am Making Everything New!

True/False

1. This chapter makes the point that the Bible’s overall teaching about the future of creation is that it will be replaced. False

2. The context of Romans 8:19–22 is the life by the Spirit that will culminate in the resurrection of our bodies, so Paul teaches about the future of creation to make a point about us and our future. True

3. Romans 8:19–22 teaches that God will transform creation only at the culmination of redemptive history. True

4. While 2 Peter 3:3–14 seems to teach that the heavens and earth will be replaced, the authors argue that it is more likely teaching that they will be radically renovated and cleansed. True

5. The context of 2 Peter 3 is intense persecution that is causing believers to look in hope to the imminent return of Christ. False

6. The references to the “new heavens and new earth” in 2 Peter 3 are based on Isaiah, who has in view the renewal and transformation of the world. True

7. The interpretation of 2 Peter 3:3–14 as teaching that the universe will be annihilated by fire has no support in the text. False

8. In spite of what is taught elsewhere in the New Testament, Revelation clearly teaches that this creation will be destroyed. False

9. Even if creation will be renewed, our ultimate hope remains to be with God in heaven. False

10. Creation should be cared for even if it does not have a future. But it does have a future. True

Multiple Choice

1. What is the most likely referent for “all creation” in Romans 8?A. All non-human animals.B. All human beings.C. All non-human creation in general.D. All of creation, including human beings.

2. Which of the following is not a conclusion we can draw from what Paul says in Romans 8:19–22?

A. The present state of decay that we see in creation is not its original state.B. Creation’s liberation is clearly in the future.C. Freeing creation from its bondage is our task to accomplish.D. The liberation of creation is bound up with the redemption and glory of

human beings.

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3. What does Romans 8 imply about the material focus of the Old Testament?A. It is still present in the New Testament.B. It is spiritualized in the New Testament.C. It is updated in the New Testament.D. All of the above.

4. Why do the authors think that the end of 2 Peter 3:10 should read “will be found”?A. It is a difficult reading, so that explains why it would have been changed in

other manuscripts.B. It has the support of early and reliable Greek manuscripts.C. It could mean “will be exposed,” which would fit well with the context.D. All of the above.

5. What does “fire” often connote in the Old Testament?A. The Canaanite fire god Moloch.B. God’s judgment.C. Light and warmth on a cold, dark night.D. All of the above.

6. Which Old Testament story does Peter point to as an analogy for the final judgment of the cosmos?

A. The fall of Adam.B. The mark of Cain.C. The flood of Noah.D. The destruction of Sodom.

7. What do the authors suggest that the “melting” of the “elements” in 2 Peter 3:12 refers to?A. God’s complete destruction of the universe.B. God’s burning away all that covers up sin and unrighteousness.C. God’s refashioning of the structure of the universe from the ground up.D. Nuclear war.

8. Who or what do the twenty-four elders say God will “destroy” in Revelation 11:18?A. Those who destroy the earth.B. God’s servants the prophets.C. The old heavens and the old earth.D. The temple.

9. What does our future hope for the resurrection of our bodies mean for the future of this creation?

A. It implies that our ultimate hope is to be with God in heaven, not on an earth that is subject to decay.

B. It affirms the anthropocentric focus of the New Testament that stands in stark contrast to the cosmic focus of the Old Testament.

C. It adds support to the view that creation will be radically transformed rather than replaced.

D. Not much, since the bodies that will be raised will be spiritual bodies according to 1 Corinthians 15:44.

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10. The New Testament view of the future of creation is best described as _______ within ______.

A. replacement … transformationB. decay … gloryC. judgment … salvationD. transformation … continuity

Chapter 10 – The Gospel and Creation Care

True/False

1. According to the authors, creation care is antithetical to the gospel. False

2. The authors agree that creation care distracts from preaching the gospel, so they conclude from this that the gospel should not be at the core of the mission of the church. False

3. The Old Testament book that is most significant for the background of “gospel” language in the New Testament is Isaiah. True

4. In Jesus’ ministry, “good news” refers to the eschatological Jubilee. True

5. The gospel is about God’s restoring of all of creation, not the salvation of individual human beings. False

6. The proclamation of Jesus as Lord challenges others who would claim to be Lord, which in the first century meant challenging the cult of the emperor. True

7. The gospel informs how we become followers of Jesus, not how we live as followers of Jesus. False

8. Historically, it was when the West tried to live out the gospel authentically that the dominion command was understood in terms of absolute human power over nature. False

9. Modernity and human self-centeredness that comes with it has its roots in the rejection of the gospel. True

10. Seeing creation through the lens of the gospel reminds us that it is not our world, it is God’s. True

Multiple Choice

1. What central point do the authors make in this chapter to show that creation care is a part of the gospel?

A. They argue that caring for creation is a necessary part of our witness to a world that is very concerned about the environmental crisis.

B. They argue that the New Testament understanding of the “gospel” includes much more than a summons to individual salvation.

C. They argue that our emphasis on grace in the proclamation of the gospel hinders the fact that our actions have environmental consequences.

D. All of the above.

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2. What is significant about the fact that Paul wants to “preach the gospel” (Rom. 1:15) to the addressees of the book of Romans?

A. They are already believers, indicating that the gospel is more than just a summons to become a Christian.

B. They are complacent and wealthy, indicating that Paul does not think that their faith is genuine.

C. There are already apostles in Rome, indicating that Paul’s claim not to “build on the foundation of another” (15:20) is merely rhetorical.

D. All of the above.

3. What best describes the focus of the gospel in the New Testament?A. People.B. Creation.C. Sin.D. Jesus.

4. What does the New Testament understanding of the “gospel” not include?A. A warning about judgment.B. God’s liberation of his oppressed people.C. A summons to flee a world that is destined to destruction.D. An invitation to salvation from sin.

5. To what does the Old Testament background of the term “gospel” suggest that it refers?A. God’s saving action on behalf of his people.B. The accession of the Davidic Messiah to his throne.C. The call to take care of creation.D. A summons to mourn and repent for sin.

6. To what does the Greco-Roman background of the term “gospel” suggest that it refers?A. The destruction of the enemies of the emperor.B. The seditious and possibly treasonous claim of a rival emperor.C. The new hope for the people that results from the rise of the emperor.D. The gracious action of the gods.

7. For whom is the gospel “good news”?A. For sinful human beings.B. For Jews and Gentiles alike.C. For the whole of the created world.D. All of the above.

8. According to Alister McGrath, how does the gospel transform our way of thinking?A. By showing us the way things really are.B. By allowing us to live in a creative, productive fiction.C. By giving us magical thinking so we can handle bad news about the

environment.D. All of the above.

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9. According to Wolfhart Pannenberg, when was the dominion command interpreted as absolute domination over nature?

A. In the fourth century when the church began to have political power after Constantine.

B. In the eighteenth century when modernism cut its ties with the God of the Bible.

C. In the nineteenth century with the rise of transcendentalism in the United States.

D. In the twentieth century with the rise of the modern environmental movement.

10. How will the gospel not change the way we look at the world around us?A. It teaches us that this world is God’s creation, that he cares for it, and that he

plans to redeem it.B. It calls us to trust that he will provide even if caring for creation affects our

pursuit of economic gain.C. It reminds us that nature is an autonomous entity.D. It calls us to be responsible stewards of the world God has made.

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Chapter 11 – Humans and Creation: Understanding Our Place

True/False

1. According to the Bible, human beings play a central role in the story of creation. True

2. The central tenet of modern ecological science is the distinction and independence of human beings. False

3. According to the authors, while some radical environmentalists exaggerate the extent to which we are a part of creation, it is important that Christians not swing the other way and minimize the extent to which we are a part of creation. True

4. The Hebrew verbs for “rule over” and “subdue” imply a large degree of active human intervention. True

5. Several passages of Scripture apply the word “stewardship” to our interaction with non-human creation. False

6. Our “rule” over creation needs to be understood in line with the theocentric focus of the creation accounts. True

7. Because we are not God, our “rule” over creation should not look at all like God’s rule over creation. False

8. According to the authors, if loving others did not involve caring for creation, it would necessarily come into conflict with creation care since God only fundamentally asks us to do one thing. False

9. The realities of the environmental crisis make it clear that it is impossible to love someone without caring for the environment in which they live. True

10. According to the authors, the “neighbors” we are called to love include future generations. True

Multiple Choice

1. What is “speciesism”?A. The view, which many radical environmentalists think is misguided, that

human beings are superior to all other animals.B. The view, which many Christians oppose, that biodiversity is important.C. The view, which the authors support, that the human species is the most

worthy of our care and concern.D. The view, which is clearly taught in the story of Balaam’s donkey, that human

beings are meant to be able to communicate with animals.

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2. What does not contradict the view that other animals are equal to human beings in every way?

A. The observation that human beings have a far greater impact on the environment and therefore have unique responsibilities.

B. The teaching in Genesis that human beings alone are created in the image of God.

C. The observation of how interdependent human beings are with our environment.

D. The observation that in general our abilities to think, form relationships, and cooperate are unique in degree even if not in kind.

3. The question is not _______ humans will rule the earth but _______ humans will rule the earth.

A. how many … for what purposeB. which … whetherC. when … whyD. whether … how

4. In Genesis 2:15, what qualifies the command to “rule” the earth from Genesis 1?A. Taking care of it.B. Studying it.C. Overpowering it.D. Questioning it.

5. How does being restored to right relationship with God in Christ affect our other relationships?

A. It prioritizes them.B. It restores them also.C. It deemphasizes them.D. All of the above.

6. Who first popularized the stewardship metaphor to describe our relationship with non-human creation?

A. The fourth-century bishop Athanasius.B. The sixteenth-century reformer John Calvin.C. The seventeenth-century theologian Matthew Hale.D. The twentieth-century environmentalist Aldo Leopold.

7. What is important to keep in mind if we use the stewardship metaphor?A. That God is not an absentee landlord but is active in his creation.B. That human beings are a part of creation ourselves.C. That creation is not just a resource to be used but life to be cared for.D. All of the above.

8. What is the term for the central New Testament teaching about loving our neighbors?A. “Perichoresis.”B. “Other-regard.”C. “Mutual submission.”D. “Interchange.”

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9. While the authors prefer to speak of “creation,” what is one advantage of speaking about the “environment” when relating it to loving our neighbors?

A. The term “environment” reminds us that this non-human “creation” is indeed the place where people live and from which people draw sustenance.

B. The term “environment” helps us to cooperate with like-minded non-believers for whom the term “creation” can be off-putting.

C. The term “environment” reminds us that the value of non-human creation is primarily instrumental.

D. The term “environment” reminds us that taking care of non-human creation is actually a more selfish act than we think.

10. According to James Gustave Speth, what describes the most significant environmental issues we now face?

A. They are despair-inducing in their immensity.B. They are able to be solved through technological advances.C. They are global rather than local.D. Their effects will not be felt for many generations.

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Chapter 12 – Wisdom and Creation Care

True/False

1. Knowing how to think theologically about creation will show us on its own exactly how to care for creation. False

2. People who have the same theology of creation might still disagree about how to make practical decisions about caring for creation. True

3. Scripture makes very important but very general points about the creation we are to care for. True

4. We can “steward” the created world without knowing what it needs. False

5. According to the authors, the first place to go to learn about the world is Scripture, but that is not the last place to go. True

6. We cannot care for creation until we fully understand it and remove all mystery. False

7. According to the authors, in order to be wise a person must understand, at least to some degree, how the world works. True

8. Part of understanding the world is understanding that we are a finite, creaturely part of the world. True

9. Because of the dominion mandate, human beings should rarely if ever opt for a “hands-off” approach to creation care. False

10. Biblical wisdom is theoretical rather than practical. False

Multiple Choice

1. What does Scripture not teach us about creation?A. The care that God has for it.B. Our distinct vocation to care for it.C. How we should take care of it.D. Why we should take care of it.

2. What should our response be to the body of knowledge accumulated by the scientific community?

A. To learn from it, since it is the product of God-given curiosity and wisdom.

B. To ignore it, since it is the product of a worldview that has rejected God.C. To resist it, since God has taught us everything we need to know in the Bible.D. To reorient our lives around it, since it is far more stable than any theological

or biblical speculation.

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3. Which of the following illustrates how observing the world can help us better take care of it?A. A farmer who studies the soil to learn how to grow better crops in it.B. A physician who studies a disease to learn how to better treat it.C. An economist who studies the root causes of poverty to learn how to reduce it.D. All of the above.

4. How should we respond to the observation that science itself continues to develop?A. Ignore scientific theories until scientists can figure everything out.B. Reject scientific results as faddish and unsubstantiated.C. Look past the controversies at the margins to the stable consensus at the

center.D. Question this observation in the first place as the product of a biased news

media.

5. What do the authors cite as an example of stable scientific consensus?A. The age of the earth and of the universe.B. The causes and consequences of climate change.C. The theory of special relativity.D. The genetic similarities between humans and chimpanzees.

6. What biblical theme grounds this willingness to learn from sources of knowledge outside the Bible?

A. The biblical theme of wisdom.B. The biblical theme of covenant.C. The biblical theme of providence.D. The biblical theme of moral responsibility.

7. Which king of Israel illustrated the human vocation that includes learning about creation by speaking about plant and animal life?

A. Saul.B. David.C. Solomon.D. Josiah.

8. Which of the following is not something that wisdom helps us to do?A. Balance competing issues and priorities.B. Know about the world around us.C. Make decisions that are honoring to God.D. Become more independent from non-human creation.

9. What is the distinct contribution of the book of Job with respect to wisdom?A. The emphasis on our finite and creaturely status.B. The emphasis on God’s incongruous grace.C. The emphasis on the need to study creation in order to care for it.D. All of the above.

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10. What do the authors conclude will help us make decisions that please God?A. Advanced studies in the Bible, preferably from an accredited university.B. A mind governed by biblical values and directed by biblical wisdom.C. A willingness to read the Bible as a set of rules for life.D. A commitment to find a Bible verse that speaks directly to every decision.

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Chapter 13 – Creation in Crisis?

True/False

1. Biodiversity plays a key role in the health of ecosystems. True

2. Any loss of biodiversity or species extinction is unnatural and necessarily caused by human beings. False

3. According to the authors, human beings directly influence way too much of the planet’s surface. False

4. Loss of forests leaves surrounding communities more vulnerable to other environmental changes. True

5. Fertilization has enabled far more food to be grown, but its overuse and misapplication has some very negative effects on ecosystems. True

6. One simple way we can decrease the need for intensive agricultural practices is by being careful not to waste food. True

7. The planet is significantly warmer that it was 150 years ago, but most of this warming took place between 150 and 100 years ago. False

8. Scientists have only known that “greenhouse” gases trap heat since the 1970’s. False

9. We are as confident of the link between burning fossil fuels and global warming as we are of the link between smoking and lung cancer. True

10. Despair is the only realistic response for us to have to these crises. False

Multiple Choice

1. Roughly how many times greater is the present rate of extinction than the natural, background rate of extinction?

A. Five times.B. Ten times.C. One hundred times.D. One thousand times.

2. What is the primary reason for loss of biodiversity?A. Use of pesticides.B. Loss of natural habitat.C. Over-hunting for sport.D. Particulate pollution.

3. What is the most significant factor leading to the loss of the world’s forests?A. Increased large-scale forestry and agriculture operations necessary to

meet our consumption habits.B. Climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels.C. Misapplication of fertilizers and other intensive agricultural practices.D. Genetically-modified crops.

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4. Which of the following has not put stress on marine life recently?A. Overfishing.B. Ocean acidification.C. Pollution, especially plastic.D. Cooling ocean temperatures.

5. What in particular should we eat less of in order to decrease the need for intensive agricultural practices?

A. Poultry.B. Beef.C. Pork.D. Plants.

6. While the climate and weather have always fluctuated, what is different about the way climate is changing now?

A. The rate of this change is extremely fast and is accelerating.B. The cause of this change is almost certainly human action.C. The effects of this change will be one of the most significant challenges facing

humanity and all of creation in the coming century.D. All of the above.

7. What is the relationship between burning fossil fuels and global warming?A. Burning fossil fuels almost certainly causes global warming.B. Burning fossil fuels almost certainly results from global warming.C. Burning fossil fuels almost certainly masks the effects of global warming.D. All of the above.

8. Why will a warmer atmosphere result in more potentially-destructive storms?A. Warmer air absorbs more energy from the sun.B. Warmer air holds more moisture.C. Warmer air moves faster.D. All of the above.

9. Which of the following is not a likely effect of climate change?A. Sea-levels will rise, displacing many who live in low-lying coastal lands.B. Oceans will absorb more carbon dioxide and become more acidic, threatening

marine life.C. Winter storms will stop occurring, ending the experience of a white

Christmas.D. Agriculture will be adversely affected, resulting in a less-secure food supply.

10. What do the authors say these challenges require?A. Creative approaches to old and new problems.B. New ways of imagining faithful Christian lives and communities.C. Fresh and imaginative thinking.D. All of the above.

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Chapter 14 – Caring for Creation and Worshipping the Creator

True/False

1. The more we emphasize the scope of the biblical narrative, which includes all of creation, the less relevant it becomes to those who hear it. False

2. The worldwide church is uniquely situated to address environmental concerns. True

3. While human beings have faced environmental challenges before, the exponential rise in human population has made the present environmental challenge a unique global crisis. True

4. The magnitude of this environmental crisis means it is absolutely critical to avoid compromise, to insist not on “good” solutions but on the “best” solutions. False

5. Being aware of creation means also being aware of the suffering of creation. True

6. Carbon offsetting should be avoided since it is just a way for the wealthy to continue their lifestyle without feeling as bad about it. False

7. In a polluted urban environment, the risks of breathing dirty air is greater than the health benefits of walking outside. False

8. It is important to separate environmental issues from party politics in order to work together to meet the environmental challenges we face. True

9. We collectively spend more on food, on average, than people ever have in the history of people buying food. False

10. Paul had his own urgent God-given task, but according to Galatians 2:10 he still had and accepted an obligation to remember the poor. True

Multiple Choice

1. What is one of the most significant causes of our neglect of the theology of creation?A. Our single-minded focus on spreading, proclaiming, and living out the gospel.B. Our failure to read and teach the whole of Scripture, particularly the Old

Testament where much creation theology is to be found.C. Our insistence on spending so much time in creation that we fail to learn about

creation.D. All of the above.

2. What best helps us to have a posture of gratefulness, joy, and worship over God’s great creation?

A. Connecting to technology that teaches about creation.B. Listening to podcasts about creation.C. Watching videos about creation.D. Actually spending time unplugged in creation.

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3. What, according to the authors, helps us to avoid the cycle of legalism, arrogance, and despair when it comes to taking care of creation?

A. Acknowledging God’s grace and extending it to others.B. Remembering that our actions do not really amount to much since it is

ultimately God who cares for creation.C. Recognizing the awesome weight of our responsibility to care for creation.D. Not caring too much about creation.

4. What is not a benefit of walking or biking to places within a few miles of our home?A. We get where we are going much faster.B. We get fresh air and exercise.C. We greatly reduce our carbon footprint.D. We become more aware of our local surroundings and community.

5. What are some ways to decrease how much our transport contributes to greenhouse gas emissions?

A. Walk or bike for short journeys.B. Ride a train or bus when available.C. Purchase carbon offsets when we must take long flights.D. All of the above.

6. Where do the authors suggest is the best place to begin activism?A. The local church.B. Local schools.C. The local library.D. The local coffee shop.

7. What is the most important way we can change our purchasing habits?A. Stop shopping at stores that are not trendy, eco-friendly stores.B. Stop buying products that do not signal to others that you are concerned about

creation.C. Stop going on vacation to resorts that are not eco-friendly.D. Stop purchasing things we do not need.

8. What “price” is paid for cheap food?A. It encourages farmers to grow food without relying too much on synthetic

fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.B. It increases biodiversity, but not the right kind of biodiversity.C. It relies on agricultural practices that are harmful for the environment

and unsustainable.D. It forces us to pay farmers more.

9. What does the fact that we all have different gifts and callings mean for how individuals care for creation?

A. Some individuals are called to care for creation, but not all.B. All are called to care for creation, but not all will be involved in the same

way or with the same focus.C. Only a few experts are called to care for creation, since doing so is such an

all-encompassing task.D. All of the above.

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10. What sustains us in our task to care for creation when it might otherwise seem hopeless?A. God’s love for us and for his creation.B. Trust and confidence in the God who promises to accomplish even more than

we ask.C. The scriptural promise that “our labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor.

15:58).D. All of the above.

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Midterm Exam (Chapters 1–7)True/False

1. Referring to the natural world as “creation” privileges its relationship to God over its relationship to us. True

2. Evangelical Christians have had virtually nothing to say about the current environmental crisis up to the present time. False

3. Some environmental historians have blamed Christianity for the present environmental crisis. True

4. The “strategy of recovery” is characterized by the identification of eco-friendly biblical teaching that has been ignored or neglected due to cultural factors. True

5. Biblical theology seeks to describe our theological views and then prescribe them onto the biblical text. False

6. Our culture can direct our attention to problematic ways we have interpreted Scripture. True

7. By insisting that creation is not God, the biblical account of creation also insists that creation is not good. False

8. Because Genesis 1 teaches that creation is contingent rather than necessary, the only way to have knowledge of creation is to study it ourselves. True

9. The goodness of creation does not extend to those aspects of creation that threaten human beings. False

10. The way God made creation to abundantly provide for human life is an example of God’s common grace. True

11. Because being made in the “image of God” means we are rational, it cannot apply to all human beings since not all human beings are rational. False

12. The command to “subdue” the earth suggests hard, active work is necessary to bring the earth under our dominion. True

13. The sacrificial system shows that non-human animal life has the same value as human life. False

14. Israel’s relationship to the land was supposed to be a sign and an example to the other nations. True

15. “Sustainability” means that people should use resources in a way that is healthy for people and the land and could be continued indefinitely. True

16. Because manna was a gift from God rather than something Israel worked the land to produce, it was to be treated differently than the later abundance from the land. False

17. The parts of creation that are threatening or harmful are the result of the fall. False

18. Because Jesus himself was God, he did not need to live in dependence on and obedience to God. False

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19. The way Jesus acted in self-sacrificial love to heal and restore those who are broken shows us how we should act as stewards of creation. True

20. The good news of Jesus Christ is good news for human beings but not for all of creation. False

Multiple Choice

21. Which of the following do the authors say is the first step in learning to care for creation?A. being concerned for creationB. celebrating creationC. studying creationD. all of the above

22. According to the authors, our understanding of ourselves and the created world ultimately depends on __________.

A. God’s self-revelation in ScriptureB. the consensus of the scientific communityC. our experience of creationD. our culture and tradition

23. According to the authors, which of the following is not a potential problem with understanding non-human creation as “nature”?

A. It is an ambiguous term that carries a lot of unfortunate baggage.B. It can refer to a deified “mother nature.”C. It fails to capture how we are at the center of God’s creation.D. It is often thought of as something open to manipulation at human whim.

24. According to the authors, which of the following is not a potential problem with understanding non-human creation as the “environment”?

A. It keeps us humans as the center of attention.B. It is a “Christianese” word which will confuse non-Christians.C. It is associated with anti-theistic religious movements.D. It inappropriately privileges anthropology over theology.

25. According to the authors, what is the most important reason to talk about caring for creation?A. Christians have always talked about it.B. No one else is talking about it.C. The Bible talks about it.D. Our culture talks about it.

26. Why, in spite of the criticism of some scholars, do the authors of this book prefer the “strategy of recovery”?

A. They think this strategy is likely to be more palatable to those who have a strong commitment to the authority of Scripture.

B. They are convinced that support for creation care can actually be found in the text.

C. They view this strategy as the one that is most effective at pushing back against the anthropocentric focus of the Bible.

D. They think this strategy rightly grants the most authority to the reader.

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27. How can historical and systematic theology help us to understand Scripture?A. They give us categories to help us understand how the different teachings

of Scripture relate to each other.B. They dictate to us how to read the Bible, preventing us from making the most

serious errors.C. They fill in the gaps, telling us things about which the Bible is silent.D. They should not help us understand Scripture—the influence should only go

the other way, from Bible to theology.

28. How does the biblical creation account differ from other ancient Near Eastern creation accounts?

A. In the biblical account, creation is the product of the intentional, sovereign word of God rather than the result of conflict between gods.

B. In the biblical account, creation is understood as the product of divine action rather than the product of blind chance.

C. In the biblical account, creation occurs only a few thousand years in the past rather than billions of years in the past.

D. In the biblical account, creation shares its divine nature with the God who created it rather than its non-divine status with the humans who rule it.

29. Which of the following is not something that Genesis 1 teaches about creation?A. Creation is contingent, meaning that it exists only because of God’s free

decision to create.B. Creation is ordered and purposeful: everything has its own place and its own

function.C. Creation is diverse, as God intended a rich variety of species to fill the earth.D. Creation was good originally, but that is no longer the case because of

Adam and Eve’s sin.

30. What does Psalm 104 celebrate about creation?A. God’s continuing care for creation.B. God’s concern for even those parts of creation that are not beneficial to human

beings.C. God’s provision of prey for predators, implying that the psalmist is fully

aware of the reality of predation and death.D. All of the above.

31. What is natural theology?A. The theological perspective on the natural world.B. Theology that proceeds apart from God’s revelation in his Word.C. Theology that has a commitment to caring for the natural world.D. All of the above.

32. In Revelation 5:13, who praises “him who sits on the throne” and “the Lamb”?A. Those who have by faith accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord.B. All the creatures around the heavenly throne.C. All human beings without exception.D. Every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

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33. Which of the following is not a way we are members of the community of creation?A. We all have the earth as our home.B. We all are created in the image of God.C. We all have mortality and fragility in common.D. We all are entwined and dependent upon the rest of creation.

34. Which of the following commands are given only to human beings in Genesis 1?A. “Be fruitful and multiply.”B. “Fill the earth.”C. “Subdue the earth.”D. All of the above.

35. What task was given to Noah?A. The task of preserving bio-diversity.B. The task of judging the wicked.C. The task of solving an ecological crisis.D. The task of naming the animals.

36. What is the potential problem with using the concept of stewardship to understand our dominion over creation?

A. Stewardship is an anachronistic concept that is not found in the Bible.B. Stewardship can imply that we are above creation rather than a part of it.C. Stewardship can imply that non-human creation is merely a set of

resources for us to use and exploit.D. Stewardship can imply that we have no responsibility toward creation.

37. What is the appropriate way for Israel to respond to the gift of good land?A. Hard work to keep it good.B. Worship and obedience.C. Sharing it with the surrounding nations.D. All of the above.

38. Israel is to remember that the abundance of the land is a ______, not a ______.A. gift … givenB. blessing … curseC. reward … giftD. solution … problem

39. What do we not learn about animal life from Israel’s sacrificial system?A. Animal life has distinctive value in itself.B. There is a kinship between human beings and other creatures.C. There is ultimately no meaningful distinction between humans and other

animals.D. Even when sacrificed, animal life should still be treated with respect.

40. Why was Israel not to consume blood?A. Hygienic issues—without modern medicine, eating blood was too risky.B. Blood represents the life of the animal that must be treated with respect.C. The nations around them consumed blood and Israel was not to be like them.D. The blood was to be saved for its special function in the sacrificial system.

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41. What is the danger of storing up wealth for Israelites?A. They may abandon trust in the God who saved them from Egypt.B. The stored grain might attract vermin that would bring disease.C. Foreign armies will be compelled to invade and steal this wealth.D. They will be lazy and, friends, the idle brain is the devil’s playground.

42. What practice was not supposed to occur in the year of Jubilee, every 49 years?A. Those who had become indentured were to be freed.B. Land that had been sold would revert to the family that originally owned it.C. Extra crops were to be planted in each field for the poor to eat.D. The land would have its customary rest.

43. What previous biblical narrative does the experience of biblical Israel end up recapitulating?A. The fall of Adam and Eve.B. The flood of Noah.C. The call of Abraham.D. The jealousy of Joseph’s brothers.

44. According to Israel’s prophets, what does their experience of drought and devastated land point to?

A. The way that nation was particularly sinful.B. The plight of the whole earth when people do not follow God.C. God’s lack of concern for non-human creation.D. All of the above.

45. In the book of Jeremiah, what is God’s own attitude toward the suffering of the earth?A. God is unconcerned with the earth, only with the animals and people in it.B. God is angry at the human beings who caused this suffering.C. God himself laments for the land that suffers.D. God is obviously OK with this suffering because God caused it.

46. What is the main point of Paul’s argument about the groaning of creation in Romans 8?A. This groaning and suffering is our fault.B. This groaning and suffering is temporary.C. This groaning and suffering is an illusion.D. This groaning and suffering is insignificant.

47. Which Old Testament event does Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness parallel?A. The temptation of Adam and Eve in the garden.B. The temptation of Israel in the wilderness.C. The temptation we all face as human beings.D. All of the above.

48. To which Old Testament book does Mark’s description of Jesus “with the wild animals” likely allude?

A. Deuteronomy.B. Psalms.C. Isaiah.D. Ezekiel.

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49. What do we learn from the way Jesus’ teaching consistently refers to the natural world?A. God’s preference for rural life over urban life.B. The legitimacy of natural theology to teach us reliable truths about God.C. The importance of being connected and attentive to the natural world

ourselves.D. All of the above.

50. How, according to this chapter, should we act towards creation in light of its future redemption?

A. We should join alongside creation in worshipping our Creator and Redeemer.

B. We should clean up creation to get it ready for the arrival of its rightful king.C. We should ignore creation and trust God to accomplish the redemption that

only he can accomplish.D. We should stop learning about creation since everything about it will change

soon anyway.

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Final Exam (Chapters 8–14)True/False

1. The New Testament letters put just as much emphasis on non-human creation as the Old Testament and the gospels. False

2. While New Testament authors believed that Jesus’ death and resurrection had inaugurated the “last days,” they still anticipated future blessings when this age would be consummated at Jesus’ second coming. True

3. Romans 8:19–22 teaches that God will transform creation only at the culmination of redemptive history. True

4. The context of 2 Peter 3 is intense persecution that is causing believers to look in hope to the imminent return of Christ. False

5. Even if creation will be renewed, our ultimate hope remains to be with God in heaven. False

6. The Old Testament book that is most significant for the background of “gospel” language in the New Testament is Isaiah. True

7. In Jesus’ ministry, “good news” refers to the eschatological Jubilee. True

8. Modernity and human self-centeredness that comes with it has its roots in the rejection of the gospel. True

9. Several passages of Scripture apply the word “stewardship” to our interaction with non-human creation. False

10. Scripture makes very important but very general points about the creation we are to care for. True

11. Part of understanding the world is understanding that we are a finite, creaturely part of the world. True

12. Because of the dominion mandate, human beings should rarely if ever opt for a “hands-off” approach to creation care. False

13. Fertilization has enabled far more food to be grown, but its overuse and misapplication has some very negative effects on ecosystems. True

14. One simple way we can decrease the need for intensive agricultural practices is by being careful not to waste food. True

15. The planet is significantly warmer that it was 150 years ago, but most of this warming took place between 150 and 100 years ago. False

16. Scientists have only known that “greenhouse” gases trap heat since the 1970’s. False

17. We are as confident of the link between burning fossil fuels and global warming as we are of the link between smoking and lung cancer. True

18. The worldwide church is uniquely situated to address environmental concerns. True

19. We collectively spend more on food, on average, than people ever have in the history of people buying food. False

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20. Paul had his own urgent God-given task, but according to Galatians 2:10 he still had and accepted an obligation to remember the poor. True

Multiple Choice

21. What is the redemptive-historical basis for the view that concern for the natural world is implicit in the New Testament even if it is not as explicit?

A. The New Testament centers on the view that the Old Testament promises, which themselves centered on the land, have now been fulfilled in Christ.

B. The New Testament focuses exclusively on human beings, which the Old Testament makes clear need the non-human world in order to survive and thrive.

C. The New Testament marks the beginning of a new era in which God’s concern is limited to individual human beings, but it also looks forward to a future era in which God will again be concerned with Israel and the land.

D. The New Testament on its own has no concern for the natural world, but our knowledge today about the environmental crisis compels us to read such a concern into it.

22. What word best describes how Paul reinterprets the land promises of the Old Testament?A. Spiritualization.B. Universalization.C. Negation.D. Consummation.

23. What does the Old Testament and Jewish background of the phrase “new creation” suggest that this language refers to?

A. A total renovation of the universe.B. A personal, existential reorientation.C. A replacement of the cosmos.D. An inaugurated eschatology.

24. In Paul, the phrase “new creation” _______ the cosmic scope of God’s redemptive and transformative work but _______ the current situation of Christian believers.

A. connotes … denotesB. emphasizes … deemphasizesC. affirms … deniesD. refers to … is applied to

25. What does it mean that Colossians 1:20 teaches “biblical universalism”?A. It teaches that all people will ultimately be saved.B. It teaches that God’s work in Christ reclaims the entire universe.C. It teaches that all religions are valid paths to God.D. All of the above.

26. In the context of Colossians 1:20, who is the prime object of God’s redemptive action?A. Jews.B. Gentiles.C. Human beings.D. All of creation.

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27. What is the most likely referent for “all creation” in Romans 8?A. All non-human animals.B. All human beings.C. All non-human creation in general.D. All of creation, including human beings.

28. What does Romans 8 imply about the material focus of the Old Testament?A. It is still present in the New Testament.B. It is spiritualized in the New Testament.C. It is updated in the New Testament.D. All of the above.

29. What does “fire” often connote in the Old Testament?A. The Canaanite fire god Moloch.B. God’s judgment.C. Light and warmth on a cold, dark night.D. All of the above.

30. Which Old Testament story does Peter point to as an analogy for the final judgment of the cosmos?

A. The fall of Adam.B. The mark of Cain.C. The flood of Noah.D. The destruction of Sodom.

31. Who or what do the twenty-four elders say God will “destroy” in Revelation 11:18?A. Those who destroy the earth.B. God’s servants the prophets.C. The old heavens and the old earth.D. The temple.

32. What does our future hope for the resurrection of our bodies mean for the future of this creation?

A. It implies that our ultimate hope is to be with God in heaven, not on an earth that is subject to decay.

B. It affirms the anthropocentric focus of the New Testament that stands in stark contrast to the cosmic focus of the Old Testament.

C. It adds support to the view that creation will be radically transformed rather than replaced.

D. Not much, since the bodies that will be raised will be spiritual bodies according to 1 Corinthians 15:44.

33. The New Testament view of the future of creation is best described as _______ within ______.

A. replacement … transformationB. decay … gloryC. judgment … salvationD. transformation … continuity

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34. To what does the Old Testament background of the term “gospel” suggest that it refers?A. God’s saving action on behalf of his people.B. The accession of the Davidic Messiah to his throne.C. The call to take care of creation.D. A summons to mourn and repent for sin.

35. To what does the Greco-Roman background of the term “gospel” suggest that it refers?A. The destruction of the enemies of the emperor.B. The seditious and possibly treasonous claim of a rival emperor.C. The new hope for the people that results from the rise of the emperor.D. The gracious action of the gods.

36. What is “speciesism”?A. The view, which many radical environmentalists think is misguided, that

human beings are superior to all other animals.B. The view, which many Christians oppose, that biodiversity is important.C. The view, which the authors support, that the human species is the most

worthy of our care and concern.D. The view, which is clearly taught in the story of Balaam’s donkey, that human

beings are meant to be able to communicate with animals.

37. The question is not _______ humans will rule the earth but _______ humans will rule the earth.

A. how many … for what purposeB. which … whetherC. when … whyD. whether … how

38. What does Scripture not teach us about creation?A. The care that God has for it.B. Our distinct vocation to care for it.C. How we should take care of it.D. Why we should take care of it.

39. How should we respond to the observation that science itself continues to develop?A. Ignore scientific theories until scientists can figure everything out.B. Reject scientific results as faddish and unsubstantiated.C. Look past the controversies at the margins to the stable consensus at the

center.D. Question this observation in the first place as the product of a biased news

media.

40. Which of the following is not something that wisdom helps us to do?A. Balance competing issues and priorities.B. Know about the world around us.C. Make decisions that are honoring to God.D. Become more independent from non-human creation.

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41. What is the distinct contribution of the book of Job with respect to wisdom?A. The emphasis on our finite and creaturely status.B. The emphasis on God’s incongruous grace.C. The emphasis on the need to study creation in order to care for it.D. All of the above.

42. Roughly how many times greater is the present rate of extinction than the natural, background rate of extinction?

A. Five times.B. Ten times.C. One hundred times.D. One thousand times.

43. What is the primary reason for loss of biodiversity?A. Use of pesticides.B. Loss of natural habitat.C. Over-hunting for sport.D. Particulate pollution.

44. What is the most significant factor leading to the loss of the world’s forests?A. Increased large-scale forestry and agriculture operations necessary to

meet our consumption habits.B. Climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels.C. Misapplication of fertilizers and other intensive agricultural practices.D. Genetically-modified crops.

45. What is the relationship between burning fossil fuels and global warming?A. Burning fossil fuels almost certainly causes global warming.B. Burning fossil fuels almost certainly results from global warming.C. Burning fossil fuels almost certainly masks the effects of global warming.D. All of the above.

46. What, according to the authors, helps us to avoid the cycle of legalism, arrogance, and despair when it comes to taking care of creation?

A. Acknowledging God’s grace and extending it to others.B. Remembering that our actions do not really amount to much since it is

ultimately God who cares for creation.C. Recognizing the awesome weight of our responsibility to care for creation.D. Not caring too much about creation.

47. Where do the authors suggest is the best place to begin activism?A. The local church.B. Local schools.C. The local library.D. The local coffee shop.

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48. What “price” is paid for cheap food?A. It encourages farmers to grow food without relying too much on synthetic

fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.B. It increases biodiversity, but not the right kind of biodiversity.C. It relies on agricultural practices that are harmful for the environment

and unsustainable.D. It forces us to pay farmers more.

49. What does the fact that we all have different gifts and callings mean for how individuals care for creation?

A. Some individuals are called to care for creation, but not all.B. All are called to care for creation, but not all will be involved in the same

way or with the same focus.C. Only a few experts are called to care for creation, since doing so is such an

all-encompassing task.D. All of the above.

50. What sustains us in our task to care for creation when it might otherwise seem hopeless?A. God’s love for us and for his creation.B. Trust and confidence in the God who promises to accomplish even more than

we ask.C. The scriptural promise that “our labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor.

15:58).D. All of the above.

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Sample SyllabusCreation Care (Course #)

Semester and YearInstitution

Course Meeting Time: Course Room:

Professor(s):Contact Information: (campus) phone, email Office Hours: Teaching Assistant:

I. Course Description This course traces a biblical-theological approach to caring for creation. It will begin with a theology of creation itself—including our role in creation, its relationship to the gospel, and its ultimate destiny—and will conclude with practical guidance for how we as individuals and as a church can address the current ecological crisis.

II. Degree and Course Objectives· Include any degree objective(s) for which this course is a part.· Course objectives: upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

o Explain what biblical theology is and how to do it.o Sketch in outline form what the Bible has to say about creation.o Explain our role as human beings in and for creation.o Reflect on how we should live in a manner that is faithful to the role God created

us to have as those who care for creation.

III. Course TextbooksRequired

· Douglas J. Moo and Jonathan A. Moo, Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World. Biblical Theology for Life. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2018.

· A modern translation of the Bible (e.g., NIV, NASB).

Recommended · Include a brief course bibliography for additional recommended reading in biblical

theology and ecology.

IV. Course Requirements and Grading Breakdown· Daily Reading and Quizzes (30%)

o Each student is required to read from Moo and Moo as assigned below. o Students will take quizzes at the beginning of each class based on this reading.

This is also the attendance check for each student.

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· Mid-term exam (35%)o The mid-term exam will cover readings, lectures, and all class discussion on

chapters 1–7. · Final exam (35%)

o The final exam will cover readings, lectures, and all class discussion on chapters 8–14.

V. Grading Scale (Edit for Institution Appropriate Scale)94-100 (A) 84-86 (B) 74-76 (C) 64-66 (D)90-93 (A-) 80-83 (B-) 70-73 (C-) 60-63 (D-)87-89 (B+) 77-79 (C+) 67-69 (D+) Below 60 (F)

VI. Course Policies

Disability StatementInstitution complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Students with disabilities who seek accommodations must make their request by contacting ______.

Plagiarism StatementDo not plagiarize. Plagiarism is a form of academic dishonesty and therefore forbidden in all Institution courses. If you have a question of whether or not something is plagiarism, please consult the professor or teaching associate before turning in the assignment.

Attendance, “Late” Work, Other Course PoliciesInclude policies here

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VII. Course Outline (A “week” means Tues/Thurs, or M/W/F class times)Week Reading Assignment (Quiz / Test) Lecture

1 Moo and Moo, chapter 1 Syllabus, course expectations; introduction to the topic of creation care

2 Moo and Moo, chapter 2 The practice of biblical theology and how that relates to creation care

3 Moo and Moo, chapter 3 Our world as a beautiful world created by a loving God

4 Moo and Moo, chapter 4 Our role as members, rulers, and keepers of creation

5 Moo and Moo, chapter 5 What Israel and the land can teach us about humanity and the earth

6 Moo and Moo, chapter 6 A creation subjected to frustration: the fall and the broken creation

7 Moo and Moo, chapter 7 Jesus and creation: A restoration begun

8 Review: Moo and Moo, Chapters 1–7

Midterm Exam

9 Moo and Moo, chapter 8 “New creation" already, here and now

10 Moo and Moo, chapter 9 The future destiny of creation

11 Moo and Moo, chapter 10 What the gospel has to do with creation care

12 Moo and Moo, chapter 11 Humans and creation: understanding our place in God's good world

13 Moo and Moo, chapter 12 Creation care and the practice / pursuit of wisdom

14 Moo and Moo, chapter 13 Creation in crisis? The present state of creation

15 Moo and Moo, chapter 14 Caring for creation and worshipping the Creator: conclusion

16 Review: Moo and Moo, Chapters 8–14

Final Exam

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