Imago Dei, Creation Care, and Nepal in 2021

AMAR PANDEY

The issues of global warming and climate change are hotly debated today. Many environmental scientists claim that the earth is warming at an alarming rate, and this is negatively affecting the whole earth. Some others disagree. Whether or not one agrees on the phenomenon of global warming, no one can deny the fact that humans have polluted the earth. This polluting of the earth—air, water, soil, etc.—is a result of human abuse of creation. Nepal is no exception. Even Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, is polluted by mountaineers.

Even though landslides and floods are yearly phenomena in many parts of Nepal, and Kathmandu is a highly polluted city, the year 2021 was very challenging, with high levels of air pollution and massive floods. Primarily three things come to mind: (1) Kathmandu registering the worst air among all the cities of the world, (2) the Melamchi floods, and (3) the nationwide destruction of ripe paddy crops.

If we continue to abuse creation like we have been, things will soon get worse and go out of control. God, having created humans in his own image, has given us wisdom and endowed us with the ability to take good care of creation, an ability that is not given to any other being. Therefore, we need to take all possible steps—big and small—in order to deal with this major global crisis. This essay will

1 Imago Dei

deal with the idea of imago Dei and what that entails; it will also suggest some practical ways of being God’s image-bearers.

Christians say that humans are created in the image of God, and rightly so. However, this realization often results merely in a superiority complex and is limited to proud feelings of being “the crown of God’s creation.” It indeed is true that humans are the crown of God’s creation, so we need to be aware of our worth, but very few seem to be aware of what being created in the divine image entails. In theological academia, there is no lack of discussion on the idea of the image of God, but these discussions are often purely theoretical and do not translate into the practical arena. The major issue is whether the image should be understood in an ontological or a functional sense; probably both/and is more appropriate than either/or is appropriate.¹ John Walton states comprehensively:

The imago Dei likely includes all the above and possibly more. However, the immediate context of the text (Gen 1:26–28) suggests that being created in the image of God gives humans the authority to “subdue” and “rule” the rest of creation. This study is interested in discussing what that means and what that looks like in practical terms.

The two nouns tselem (צֶלֶם) and demut (דְּמוּת) are crucial. These are the words translated as “image” and “likeness” in most English translations of the Bible. Often much is made about the difference between these two words and their meanings,³ but in this context, they are interchangeable.⁴ Moreover, as Kenneth Mathews rightly argues, even the prepositions bᵉ with tselem and kᵉ with demut are interchangeable.⁵ The best place for understanding the meaning of a text is its immediate context, and in the context of Genesis 1, the image of God is linked with the divine command to subdue and rule (imperative forms of the two verbs are used in v. 28) the rest of creation (cf. “and over all the earth” in v. 26). Hence, whatever else image/likeness of God in humans may mean, at the very least it means that humans have the divine mandate to subdue and rule over God’s beautiful creation.⁶ Mathews sees humans in Gen 1:26 as royal representatives of God, especially in light of the verb rdh.⁷

Now, what does subdue and rule or have dominion mean? The Hebrew verbs are imperatives of kbs (כָּבַשׁ) and rdh (רָדָה). They signify the authority humans are given, but every authority comes with responsibilities toward the subjects. A proper English word to summarize this God-given authority of human beings could be “govern.” Human beings are to be caretakers or stewards of God’s beautiful creation (and as stewards, we are accountable to him for how we treat his creation). This interpretation is supported also by 2:15, where God put ha-adam in the garden to work or serve it (עָבַד) and to keep or watch over it (שָׁמַר). Mathews is right: “This appointment by God [to subdue and rule] gave the human family privilege

but also responsibility as ‘caretakers’ (2:15).”⁸ Subduing and ruling is not the right to abuse creation.⁹ Terence Fretheim clarifies that rdh (“rule” or “have dominion”) “must be understood in terms of care-giving, even nurturing, not exploitation.”¹⁰ The verb kbs (“subdue”) is difficult to understand in the context of Gen 1 because it usually has a negative connotation. Therefore, John Oswalt argues that the verb implies “some sort of coercion” will be necessary for humans to subdue creation.¹¹ However, Fretheim clarifies:

In other words, the two verbs suggest that humans are given authority to use and develop the rest of creation for mutual benefit and welfare but not to abuse it. Thoughtless killing of animals, random deforestation, exploitation of land to produce bumper crops, contamination of water bodies, unchecked industrialization and “development works,” and uncontrolled vehicular emissions are examples of the abuse of human authority to subdue and rule. Discussing Gen 1:26–28 and related texts, Richard Middleton rightly states that “the fundamental human task is conceived as the responsible exercise of power on God’s behalf over the non-human world.”¹³

Good ruling or governance requires taking good care of the subjects and working for their welfare.¹⁴ Our understanding of ruling or having dominion has been influenced by problematic modern leadership practices in which people in authority often abuse those over whom they have authority. Affected by sin (cf. Gen 3) and selfishness, humans have abused the creation over which the Lord has given them authority. Water, soil, and air are all polluted. In our pursuit of comfort and pleasure, we have ruined creation to a large extent. As Christians and those aware of the fact of being created in the image of God, we need to be true creation care enthusiasts if not activists. But sadly, many Christians are indifferent to environmental concerns, and even worse, some are opposed to the idea of creation care while “many are dying in their sins.” That is, they believe that all our time, energy, and resources need to be spent on “saving souls” rather than worrying about saving trees, rivers, and glaciers. But both are important. A holistic understanding is essential, which is undoubtedly concerned about the “dying souls” but is not indifferent to creation care and other issues such as social justice and care for the poor and vulnerable (see Exod 22:21–27).

Psalm 8 alludes to Gen 1:26–28 and affirms that God made humans so that they may rule over or govern (רָדָה) the works of his hands. The psalm explains the grandeur of God’s creation and the smallness of humans in comparison, and yet, it elucidates that God bestows special status on humans (cf. imago Dei) but with a special responsibility, namely, creation care.

The Fall (Gen 3) has negatively affected every aspect of creation. Humans have become sinful and selfish, but the imago Dei is not totally lost. As Eugene Merrill rightly affirms, “The image may be blurred [due to the Fall], but it is not obliterated.”¹⁵ Mathews shows that both Gen 5:1–3, using the words tselem and demut, and Gen 9:6 indicate that the divine image in humans is not undone by the Fall.¹⁶ Therefore, human beings are still capable of bearing the imago Dei mandate to take good care of God’s beautiful creation even though they are often naturally inclined to abuse it. Moreover, since those who are in Christ are a new creation (cf. 2 Cor 5:17) or a “part of the

new creation” (see Common English Bible) in whom the imago Dei has been renewed even though not yet to the fullest extent,¹⁷ they should be more aware of their responsibility of creation care as image-bearers of the divine.

2 Creation and God’s Glory

The whole creation—animate and inanimate—glorifies God. Psalm 148 is probably the clearest biblical text witnessing to the fact that the whole of creation praises him (cf. Ps 96:11–12; 98:7–8; Isa 43:20). The celestial bodies (e.g., sun, moon, and stars), the trees and living creatures of sea, land, and air, and even inanimate earthly entities (e.g., mountains, fire, hail, snow, and wind) praise the Lord (vv. 3–10). Humans are called to join the rest of creation in praising him (vv. 11–12). This mega-choir also includes heavenly beings (vv. 1–2). What a privilege it is to praise and glorify God with the rest of the majestic creation!

Moreover, creation leads us to glorify God in a peculiar way. When we see beauty in creation (e.g., a snowy mountain during sunset, a pristine river with crystal clear water, or a colorful bird or flower), we are inclined to praise the Creator. Consider this portion of a well-known hymn:

On the contrary, when we see a thing of beauty corrupted (e.g., polluted river or beach), we complain and are rarely inclined to praise the Creator. We miss the opportunity to glorify him because we have ruined his handiwork.

The non-human creation entities glorify God by naturally being and doing what they were created to be and do.¹⁹ We humans also need to be and do what we were created for, i.e., at the least, caring for creation as God’s image-bearers (Gen 1:26–28). Such imaging (i.e., faithfully carrying out the imago Dei mandate) glorifies God.

One would wonder how well a corrupted creation can glorify God. Our efforts at creation care and environmental protection positively contribute toward glorifying God in two ways. First, a well-preserved creation can better glorify God by its entities properly carrying out their God-given roles. Second, our very act of caring for creation, as mentioned above, is imaging God, which in turn glorifies him. Let us, therefore, all join in glorifying God by being his true image-bearers!

3 New Creation

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1) and pronounced that it was very good (Gen 1:31). Human beings have been corrupting God’s creation ever since the Fall. Industrialization and technological advancements have made global pollution a real problem. Air, soil, and water are all polluted. “Global warming” is a contested topic. Many believe that global warming is a real problem and that greenhouse gases—primarily CO₂—are the main culprit. They make several claims concerning global warming. If we do not control our anthropogenic carbon production, it can be catastrophic. The earth’s temperature is rising at a rate like never before. The global ecosystem is threatened. Lands are at risk of drowning under the sea. There are higher risks of landslides, floods, hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, and other calamities. Some plant and

animal species are at a high risk of extinction. Unless major steps are taken soon, the future looks bleak. We may soon be reaching a point of irreparability.²⁰ Some, including physicists, deny that anthropogenic carbon is a major threat and that global warming is as big a problem as many people claim.²¹ In any case, it is true that we have greatly polluted the beautiful creation. In many parts of the world, we inhale toxic air, drink contaminated water, and farm on corrupted land. If we continue such abuse of creation, life on earth for future generations will be very challenging. But we can change our habits and create a better future.

Romans 8:19–23 mentions that creation is groaning and it awaits redemption.²² This groaning of creation certainly is the result of human sin.²³ The redemption of creation is its renewal, i.e., new heavens and a new earth, just like humans’ final redemption is resurrected bodies.²⁴ The groaning undoubtedly began with the Fall

(cf. Gen 3:17–18).²⁵ It is reasonable to surmise that the situation today, with the massive human abuse of creation, is much grimmer than it was then or even in Paul’s days, which results in a greater groaning of creation. The good news, however, is that creation is also being redeemed and will eventually be fully redeemed in the eschaton. Middleton avers, “In Scripture, redemption is conceived most fundamentally as the reversal of the fall and the restoration of God’s good purposes from the beginning.”²⁶ Middleton rightly sees redemption as comprehensive, including both human and non-human creation.²⁷ The damaged imago Dei will also be fully restored when the resurrection and new creation become a reality (cf. 1 Cor 15:49; 1 John 3:2).²⁸

Many Christians quickly jump to Rev 21:1 (cf. Isa 65:17; 66:22) and do not see the need to be concerned about creation because they believe that God will create a new one. Hence, they have no time to worry about something that will not be there one day. Moreover, in 2 Peter 3:1–13 (esp. vv. 7, 10–13), they find the assertion that the present creation will be totally burned up and will give way to a completely new one. Gale Heide informs us that “2 Peter 3:3–13 is the primary passage used to support the view of total obliteration and re-creation ex nihilo.”²⁹ John MacArthur, for instance, believes that the present universe will be obliterated and an entirely new one will be created.³⁰ In these texts (Rev 21 and 2 Pet 3), many Christians find a “biblical basis” for neglecting environmental issues and creation care concerns. In other words, their stance is that the present creation is going to be annihilated, and new heavens and new earth will be

created, and hence, what we do with creation now does not matter.³¹ This understanding of the Scripture is problematic.

Second Peter 3:7 is preceded by a mention of God’s judgment by flood (v. 6), an obvious reference to the Noahic flood (Gen 6–9).³² In that deluge, the world was not annihilated to give way to a completely new one; rather, the corruption was removed by the waters, and a kind of re-creation occurred. Similarly, even in eschatological judgment (v. 7), destruction by fire is not the annihilation of the old but a renewal or transformation in which the fire will destroy the corruption, just as the waters did in Noah’s time.³³ We must also understand vv. 10–13 in the same light.³⁴ Moreover, Dick Lucas and Christopher Green remind us that “will be destroyed” (v. 11) and “will melt” (v. 12) are present participle verbs signifying “almost as if the process has already started.”³⁵ In other words, the burning up and being destroyed seems to be already underway in Peter’s time.

Peter, then, is not talking about burning in the sense of annihilation but in the sense of refining or renewing.³⁶ That is, the

corrupted will be burned up to recover and restore the uncorrupted.³⁷ Hence, the idea here is not a replacement of the old heavens and earth with something entirely new, but a renewal or transformation; there will be some continuity and some discontinuity from the old to the new.³⁸ This is in line with Romans 8:19–23 discussed above. Just as human redemption at the eschaton involves resurrected bodies with some continuity and some discontinuity,³⁹ so it is with creation at large.⁴⁰ Hence, to reiterate, it is not the annihilation of the old creation and formation of something entirely new; rather, it is a renewal of the old to remove the corruption and thus re-create an uncorrupted one. Commenting on 2 Peter 3:10–13, Heide states, “Just as gold is purified through the process of melting, allowing for the pure gold to be separated from the dross, so the earth may finally be transformed and renewed by God through the testing of its substance and works by a judgment of holy fire.”⁴¹

Nonetheless, even if that were not the case—even if the present creation will be totally destroyed to be replaced by the new—should we not take care of it until the time of the new comes, for the benefit of ourselves and future generations? Consider this: one day, every one of us will die unless the Lord returns in our lifetime, and yet we take care of our bodies. Likewise, everything we own today will one day be gone, but we take care of our possessions as long as they are useful.⁴² If we remain indifferent and continue in our abuse of creation, soon the earth will not be able to sustain life, and even those

4. Nepal in 2021

Kathmandu is one of the most polluted cities in the world, even during the rainy season when air pollution is much lower than at other times of the year.⁴³ However, it was the most polluted city in the world for a few days in 2021, including 400 μg/m³ of PM2.5 on 05 January and over 300 μg/m³ on 26 March.⁴⁴ Ashim Neupane states that “PM2.5 levels of more than 150 μg/m³ is considered extremely dangerous for human health.”⁴⁵ 2020 World Air Quality Report notes:

Among criteria pollutants commonly measured in real time, fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is currently understood to be the most harmful to human health due to its prevalence and far-reaching health risks. Exposure to PM2.5 has been linked to negative health effects like cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, and premature mortality.

PM2.5 is defined as ambient airborne particulates that measure up to 2.5 microns in size.…

The microscopic size of PM2.5 allows these particles to be absorbed deep into the bloodstream upon inhalation, potentially causing far-reaching health effects like asthma, lung cancer, and heart disease. PM2.5 exposure has also been associated with low birth weight, increased acute respiratory infections, and stroke.⁴⁶

With such high levels of pollution in Kathmandu, city-dwellers were advised to stay indoors and avoid even healthy practices that usually are beneficial to human health, such as morning walks and jogging.⁴⁷ Chandan Mandal states that the only international airport in Nepal (Tribhuvan International Airport) was also closed temporarily on 26 March 2021 due to poor visibility caused by pollution.⁴⁸ Fossil fuels are major contributors to air pollution in Kathmandu; numerous wildfires across the country raised PM2.5 levels even higher.⁴⁹ Other cities also recorded high PM measures.⁵⁰ Wildfires are often associated with climate change.⁵¹

In June and July of 2021, Melamchi and other places in Sindhupalchok district suffered massive floods claiming many lives and destroying or damaging houses, roads, bridges, fish farms, arable land, a mega water project, and much more. However, Sindhupalchok was not the only district affected by heavy rainfalls, but as Mandal informs, Palpa, Manang, Pyuthan, Syangja, Lamjung, and Bajura have also suffered.⁵² Moreover, Nepal faced a massive

blow when ripe paddy crops ready for harvest were destroyed or submerged by untimely post-monsoon heavy rains across the nation in October 2021, negatively impacting both the national economy and family livelihoods, in addition to claiming lives and damaging infrastructure. The loss from paddy crops alone is estimated at around Rs. 8 billion, and the total agricultural losses, including livestock, is likely over Rs. 10 billion.⁵³ Some associate this untimely torrential rain with climate change.⁵⁴

Floods and landslides are yearly phenomena in different parts of Nepal. They are normally called “natural disasters.” While some may indeed be natural, most of these result from human abuse of rivers and forests.⁵⁵ For instance, riverbanks have been encroached, and there is uncontrolled deforestation. Moreover, the rivers are unscientifically mined and exploited for boulders, pebbles, and sand.⁵⁶ The Chure region made headlines after the government announced the national budget for the fiscal year 2078–2079 BS (AD 2021–2022), which included a plan to export boulders, pebbles, and sand to India.⁵⁷ The illegitimate and unscientific mining of these resources has already caused enough environmental concerns in Nepal.⁵⁸

In addition, much of the land in cities is concretized (buildings, roads, and house compounds); thus, it cannot absorb rainwater, and during heavy monsoon outpourings, the waters flow into the rivers. Rivers have been narrowed through encroachments, as mentioned above, and attempts have been made to contain them with some kind of barricade. As a result, the rivers overflow and flood their surroundings. Likewise, many landslides are caused by unscientific random road projects in hilly areas that weaken the soil, which, in turn, can cause floods.⁵⁹ Roads are often constructed without proper EIA (environmental impact assessment) and DPR (detailed project report).⁶⁰ There is, thus, little wonder that Nepal suffers from so many floods and landslides every year. If we do not take bold steps toward creation care, then these disasters will continue and even escalate in the future.

5  What Can We Do?

The Creator, by creating humans in his own image, has given us the responsibility of taking care of his beautiful creation as good stewards.⁶¹ On discussing the image of God, Thomas Brodie rightly says, “The human race, collectively and individually, has a responsibility for the environment,”⁶² as I have argued in this paper. Not all human beings are aware that they are God’s image-bearers. Nonetheless, Christians know this truth, and hence, they need to be at the forefront of creation care or environmental protection. Understandably, very few may be able to affect policy or make macro-level changes. Nonetheless, each person can make small efforts and develop good habits that contribute positively toward creation care and environmental conservation.

Do we not want clean water and air for ourselves and future generations, for other animals and vegetation, for the survival of species and avoidance of extinction, and for the avoidance of extremes in environmental/weather hazards (e.g., excessive rain or untimely monsoon, drought, etc.)? Experts tell us that the extinction of even one species can cause an imbalance in the ecosystem. For instance, the death of predators in a forest can cause excessive growth of herbivores, which can result in rapid loss of grasslands causing drought and other environmental imbalances.⁶³ Do we not want to hand over good soil to future generations so that they can have sufficient food?

According to the 2020 World Air Quality Report, “The most common human-made sources [of PM2.5] include fossil-fuel powered motor vehicles, power generation, industrial activity, agriculture and biomass burning.”⁶⁴ Every individual can contribute to stopping or minimizing such hazards. There are major contributors to this problem, such as the most industrialized and developed nations that are in the race for world economic dominance, especially those that use huge quantities of fossil fuels, and there are minor contributors like Nepal.⁶⁵ According to World Resources Institute’s 2020 report, China contributed 26.1% of global GHG emissions, the USA 12.67%, India 7.08%, and Nepal merely 0.11%.⁶⁶ Nepal, sandwiched between two major GHG emitters (i.e., China and India), suffers from their emissions in addition to its own emissions and other harmful actions. In any case, the problem has to

be dealt with at different levels—global, regional, national, familial, and individual. The primary focus of this essay is on Nepal and what we, as individuals and households, can do. I am not an environmental expert or a scientist, but the following are a few suggestions that each of us can implement (at least some of them) and teach to others within our circle of influence:

• Be educated or informed about environmental issues and the impact of human actions on the environment.
• Be involved in conservation efforts by serving on governments and policy-making bodies.
• Advocate for environmental protection, and put pressure on governments for policies that enhance environmental welfare. This can be done formally (e.g., academic forums) or informally (e.g., social media).
• Speak against the exploitation of rivers, forests, and other resources.
• Support people and organizations that are involved in conservation efforts.

These might require expertise, influence, time, and much effort. Understandably, not everyone may be in such positions. However, there are other smaller efforts that everyone can make at individual and household levels, such as:

• Eat what you need and avoid food wastage.
• Consume local produce rather than packaged and imported products.
• Dispose of garbage properly. Do not use rivers and streets as garbage containers or dumping sites.
• Avoid or minimize the use of plastic materials. Carry a shopping bag and avoid polythene bags. Minimize purchasing single-use bottles of water or other beverages.
• Do not burn waste, wood, foliage, etc. Put them to other usages such as composting, or dispose of them appropriately.
• Reuse and recycle whenever possible.

• Avoid using fossil fuels as much as possible. Drive electric vehicles instead of those run on petrol/diesel. Use biogas for cooking instead of firewood or coal.
• Properly maintain your vehicle to minimize emissions.
• Practice carpooling/motorcycle-pooling. Use public transportation.
• When possible, walk or ride a bicycle instead of driving a car or riding a motorcycle.
• Adopt organic farming.
• Plant trees and other plants around your home.
• Conserve water. Close the tap while brushing your teeth. Use only as much water as is needed while bathing. Harvest rainwater. Adopt drip irrigation.

Conclusion

There is no denying that human interaction with creation has resulted in environmental impacts. God, after creating everything beautiful, handed over the responsibility of caring for creation to the human beings that he had created in his image. Humans have abused creation since the Fall and have brought it to a state that requires immediate drastic measures to prevent some places from becoming uninhabitable for humans and other living beings. Nepal has been experiencing the ill effects of abusing creation; 2021 was especially painful with huge rainfalls and floods, and the capital city is topping the charts of the most polluted cities in the world.

The whole creation glorifies God, and we humans are invited to join with creation in glorifying him. We can do so by taking care of creation, which enables the entities in creation to function properly, and hence, better glorify God. In addition, we can better image God by properly carrying out our creation mandate to subdue and rule over creation, thus, glorifying God.

The promise of new heavens and new earth does not imply an annihilation of the present creation and a replacement of it by a completely new one. Rather, it involves renewal or transformation in which the corruption of the present creation will be removed. Hence, there will be some continuity and some discontinuity between the

present and the new creation. In any case, we need to take care of creation until the new happens—for us and for future generations. This essay has suggested a few practical measures we can take. Any big or small step taken in the right direction is meaningful.

Finally, creation care is a big subject, so one small essay cannot do it justice. Nonetheless, the hope is that this essay has, in some ways, challenged and encouraged us to think more for the welfare of the overall creation and to take some steps towards that end.

Bibliography