(a)    Describe and explain Christian teaching about the importance of taking care of the environment.    [8]

• The Earth is made by God (Genesis 1&2) and should be treated with respect

• The Earth belongs to God, 'The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it'    Psalm 24:1, so it is not ours to destroy

• God appointed humans as stewards to care for and look after the environment: Then the Lord God placed the man in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and guard it. Genesis 2:15. 

• Cultivate means more than just watch over - we have a responsibility to conserve the environment: 'The dignity of nature as creation needs to be bound up with our responsibility for the preservation of life.' World Council of Churches

• Guard means protect: Keep safe what has been entrusted to you. 1 Timothy 6:20 so we shouldn't only look at how we use the environment, but we should protect it from abuse by others: 'Christians repudiate (reject) all ill-considered exploitation of nature which threatens to destroy it and, in turn, to make man the victim of degradation.' Assisi Declarations

•  By mistreating the environment we are destroying a gift (Methodist; RC views) and abusing our power/responsibilities

• Humans should live in harmony with creation (CofE)

• Christians believe in the interdependence of all things (Quakers & Methodists) - we need the natural world to survive

• Creation is beautiful and should not be damaged (in Genesis 1, after every act of creation God looked at what he had made and 'saw that it was good')

• In mistreating the environment we should think about the effect on humans and on future generations: 'A good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children' Proverbs 13:22