Christians generally claim that humans have ‘dominion’ and/or ‘stewardship’ over the earth.

However, they do not all agree on how important each of these is; or, indeed, exactly what they mean.

Here we examine three perspectives on the nature of dominion and stewardship.

Dominion is the idea that humans have authority over the earth.

Some Christians point out that God instructs the first humans to ‘Fill the earth and be its master. Rule over the fish in the sea and over the birds in the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ (Genesis 1. 28).

They argue that God created humans to be the rulers of the earth.

And since a ruler has absolute authority over their subjects, humans can do whatever they like to the earth; nothing they do to it will ever be a sin.

However, other Christians argue that humans actually have stewardship over the earth.

They point out that in Genesis 2, a more detailed account of creation, it says, ‘The Lord God put the man in the garden of Eden to care for it and work it’ (Genesis 2. 15).

They argue that God has given humans authority to care for the earth, but only as its stewards — it is still God’s earth.

This means that they have a duty to look after it on God’s behalf, and not for their own selfish ends.

Still other Christians note that after the Great Flood, God seems to have given humans dominion.

They note that God tells Noah and his family, ‘Every animal on earth, every bird in the sky, every animal that crawls on the ground, and every fish in the sea will respect and fear you. I have given them to you’ (Genesis 9. 2).

They argue that while Adam and Eve might have been stewards, everyone who has lived since the Flood has had dominion.