Dominion Mandate vs. Cultural Mandate

[zoeenglishministry]

This may have been asked in pieces throughout other posts but I have not found a singular post addressing the overall question: what is the difference between the Dominion Mandate and the Cultural Mandate? What implications do these differences possess, particularly in regards to stewardship vis-a-vis keeping and guarding? How does one "better" complement the Great Commission and why?

As an aside: In my endeavors to study various theologies of ecology, I am finding two common extremes -- a near eisegetical perspective of ecology that seems to inaccurately leverage Scripture to support a pre-existing perspective of ecological stewardship (ex. appropriating Ezekiel 34:17-19 as an argument against overuse of the land) or, at the other extreme, a full-on dominion perspective that sprinkles in conscientiousness as a fulfillment of ecological stewardship; though, ultimately, a theology of ecology that permits permanent damage to ecosystems. Any thoughts, studies, or opinions in response?

 

[RamistThomist]

particularly in regards to stewardship vis-a-vis keeping and guarding?

Both are in the Hebrew, so there is no real opposition.

In the older debates, theonomists wanted a Christian culture. Kuyperians wanted Christianity to inform culture. Theonomists wanted to Christianize culture. Schilderians, of whom I am sympathetic, wanted to form culture.

 

[VictorBravo]

theology of ecology that permits permanent damage to ecosystems.

On the ecology question, how "permanent damage" is defined is the rub.

Man has altered the environment for millennia. When ground was cleared to plant grain, the existing ecosystems were "damaged" if you look at it through the eyes of modern earth worshipper.

But God showed man how to do it:

24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rye in their place?
26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
(Isa. 28:24-26 KJV)

But the earth is not man's to destroy. That is rebellion. I think there are plenty of passages showing how important stewardship is.

 

[zoeenglishministry]

Both are in the Hebrew, so there is no real opposition.

In the older debates, theonomists wanted a Christian culture. Kuyperians wanted Christianity to inform culture. Theonomists wanted to Christianize culture. Schilderians, of whom I am sympathetic, wanted to form culture.

Very interesting. I am sure I have some books from seminary somewhere about the distinctions but any books that specifically address a Kuyperian vs Schilderian perspective of culture?

On the ecology question, how "permanent damage" is defined is the rub.

Man has altered the environment for millennia. When ground was cleared to plant grain, the existing ecosystems were "damaged" if you look at it through the eyes of modern earth worshipper.

But God showed man how to do it:

24 Doth the plowman plow all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of his ground?
25 When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the appointed barley and the rye in their place?
26 For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.
(Isa. 28:24-26 KJV)

But the earth is not man's to destroy. That is rebellion. I think there are plenty of passages showing how important stewardship is.

Thank you for the wisdom here. Interesting ideas. As I prepare to teach on this, I am seeing how political stewardship very quickly becomes. At what cost ought humanity continue to drill for fossil fuels? Is deforestation sinful and, by implication, should Christians vote for legislation that opposes deforestation? Just a few questions I am trying to work through Biblically.

 

[VictorBravo]

As I prepare to teach on this, I am seeing how political stewardship very quickly becomes. At what cost ought humanity continue to drill for fossil fuels? Is deforestation sinful and, by implication, should Christians vote for legislation that opposes deforestation? Just a few questions I am trying to work through Biblically.

I'm not going to get into the politics of it all, but I'll give a little background of myself. Long ago I was an agronomist and soil scientist. I also was a farmer/rancher. I've seen use and abuse, and also the surprising resilience of God's Earth.

One thing I like to throw out to the Malthusian-influenced fearful: people have been predicting disaster, famine, overpopulation, bad health, and basically the end of the world for more than a century.

When I was in undergrad in the late 70s, the world population was around 4 billion. Back then that was too much and we were all going to starve and die. (I almost forgot to mention that another ice age was coming). Average worldwide life expectancy was around 61.5

Now we are at around 7.9 billion people and life expectancy is over 72. As I say when we are presented things to fear: check your premises.