The Imago Dei and the Ecology of Dignity

At the heart of Christian theology lies the Imago Dei—the belief that all human beings are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). This foundational truth has profound ecological implications. If people bear divine likeness, then their surroundings—the air they breathe, the water they drink, the soil that sustains them—must be treated with reverence and justice. Environmental degradation that disproportionately impacts marginalized communities becomes not just a social issue, but a theological crisis. To pollute the Earth is to violate the dignity of those made in God's image.

Creation care, in this view, is not an add-on to faith but a core expression of it. Stewarding ecosystems, resisting environmental racism, and cultivating sustainable futures are acts of worship—ways of affirming the divine imprint in both humanity and habitat. The Imago Dei calls us to build communities where people thrive in communion with the Earth, reflecting the harmony God intended from the beginning. It reorients believers from passive observers of nature to active participants in God’s healing work.