In an essay for Christianity Today, former CT editor David Neff gets eloquent about the beauty and meaning of the outdoors for Christians. While many in the 20th century forgot the importance of the natural world in Christian theology, the experience of encountering God's beautiful creation is a prompt to worship and care for the environment, conserving our natural resources for future generations, and for the good of the earth itself.

We should consider—how well are we expressing Christian values in our own use of and stewardship of resources? In the simple ways that many of us have influence over—the use of poisonous weedkiller in a backyard perhaps, or the extra effort of recycling—we can make an impact on the earth that can express consistent and historic Christian values of stewardship. Or, we can walk a path more self-centered than caring in rich love for our communities, future generations, and the earth.