From Dominion To Stewardship: A Reconstruction Of Christian Theology On Human Dominion Over The Earth Based On Genesis 1:28

Abstract

The escalating global ecological crisis has intensified scrutiny of the theological underpinnings of Western environmental attitudes, particularly the dominion mandate of Genesis 1:28. This study addresses the unresolved debate between exploitative dominion and protective stewardship interpretations by reconstructing a Christian theology of human responsibility toward the earth. Employing a canonical and theological exegesis method, the research analyzes the semantic range of the Hebrew verbs radah and kabash within their Ancient Near Eastern context, interprets the mandate within the literary structure of the Genesis creation narrative, and develops a constructive theological framework. The main findings demonstrate that a contextual reading of the text, integrated with the imago Dei and the covenantal framework of creation, refutes the notion that Genesis 1:28 sanctions ecological exploitation. The study proposes the Stewardship Covenant Model, a novel integrative paradigm positioning humanity as a royal priest within the cosmic sanctuary of creation, thereby redefining dominion as responsible, protective, and representative stewardship. This model bridges the gap between descriptive exegesis and normative ecological ethics, offering a theologically coherent and practically applicable foundation for Christian environmental engagement. The contribution of this research lies in its synthesis of exegetical rigor with constructive theology, providing a compelling alternative to both utilitarian and fragmented stewardship approaches