What does creation mean for Catholics?
The Catholic Church teaches that creation is a direct result of God and that nothing could have come into existence without him. As a result, the Church also teaches that people have certain responsibilities towards the Earth and all of God’s creation. This responsibility falls on every Catholic and it is their duty to protect and care for the environment.
Dominion
The term dominion To have rule or control over something, in this case humans having control of the world. means to rule over nature. This is the idea that humans are in charge of the world on behalf of God. Some Christians who have a literal interpretation of the Bible believe that this gives humans the right to use the world's natural resources for their own benefit.
In Genesis 1:26-31, God creates humans and gives them the Earth to care for.
Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.
By giving humans dominion over the land and animals, God is giving humanity the right to control and have power over all other living beings.
Stewardship
The term stewardship The duty of human beings to care for the world and maintain balance in nature. means to look after the world for God. The Catholic Church teaches that God has created a world in which humans have a special role as stewards of creation. The belief is that this means they should look after the interests of the planet and all life on it. This belief is more about living in harmony with nature.
God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground'.
The Catholic Church teaches that when God gave humans dominion over the land, he gave them responsibility too. The belief is that humans were created to be stewards of the land, ie:
- to use it
- to look after it
- to protect it
The Catholic Church teaches that:
- all humans have a responsibility to the land and all living beings, including fellow humans
- people are not here to simply use it as they want, but rather to protect God’s creation so future generations may benefit from it
- through being stewards, humanity shows and displays its thanks to God as well as acknowledging that without God nothing would have been possible