Beyond dominion and stewardship : humanity and nature in Puritan theology

Amidst the burgeoning public consciousness of climate change in recent years, theologians have reflected extensively upon the topic of humanity's proper relationship to nature. In the course of this endeavor, various strands of the Christian tradition have come under close scrutiny. In particular, early modern Puritans have often been criticized for aspects of their thought that, some scholars have argued, legitimated an exploitative attitude toward nature. Theologians and historians alike have contended that the Puritans displayed antipathy toward the North American wilderness, and that they were focused on the idea of conquering nature. This article challenges this interpretation of early modern Puritan theology. I recover an Anglo-American Puritan tradition in which attitudes toward nature were much more complex and, indeed, the story is not quite so disheartening. Rather, in the work of Jonathan Edwards, John Bunyan, Robert Boyle and others, there are frequent condemnations of mankind's sinful misuse of nature. Moreover, the creation is understood in terms of its role in the eschatological project of building the Kingdom of Christ on earth. As such, the Puritans were concerned that nature's resources, like talents, not be squandered; the fruits of the creation must be used for "the least of these", to feed and clothe their neighbors. I argue that, interestingly, the categories of dominion and stewardship were not at the forefront of this Puritan tradition. Rather, the tradition was centered upon the all- encompassing project of rebuilding and redeeming the whole of God's creation, which, as Jonathan Edwards was ever keen to assure his followers, groans in travail (Rom 8). After recovering this Puritan theological tradition and exploring its central ideas in some depth, the last section of this article suggests that moving beyond the classic dominion/stewardship dichotomy has the potential to enrich contemporary theological discussion about the church's responsibilities toward the environment.