Abstract

The global ecological crisis of today is a radical challenge for Christians as the physical world faces unprecedented environmental peril. According to the scientific evidence, the fragile chemical and biological complexities of our world are being permanently altered. This study interprets the two creation accounts found within Hebrew Scripture in order to elicit ecological insights for Christians of today. The analysis depends on the three exegetical operations suggested in Chapter 7 of Bernard Lonergan's Method in Theology , on Interpretation: (1) understanding the text, the object, words and author; (2) judging the correctness of the interpretation; (3) relevancy for Christians of today. The ecological insights revealed from the Priestly and Yahwist creation narratives include: goodness of creation, image of God, cultivation and care of the natural world, interdependency and chaos and order.