5) The Lord of Creation

Although human beings are but a part of the natural world, we occupy a unique position as lords of creation. In the Bible, Adam and Eve were granted the blessing of dominion over all things, and the Qur’an accords to each human being the status of God’s “vicegerent.” This means also that God created the natural world for our benefit, as nature provides us with everything we need to live and thrive.

Nevertheless, the blessing of dominion is not divine permission to pollute the earth and create artificial environments at nature’s expense. In the agricultural societies where this mandate was first given, human creativity was seen as essentially in harmony with nature’s ebb and flow. We are truly lords of creation when we practice love for all things and use our creativity to enhance nature’s abundance even as we adapt it to our use.

The basis of humankind’s sovereignty over nature is not a matter of size or strength. On that scale of things we are but infinitesimal specks on a planet that is itself but a speck in the infinite reaches of the universe. Rather, it is due to our unique spiritual endowment. Humans seek after God; they seek to better themselves and aspire to a better world. This makes us different in kind from animals. In our awareness of and intimacy with the Creator of the universe, we humans are potentially more valuable than the entire world of creation.

Do we deserve this honor? As Father Moon teaches, since we receive the Creator’s abundant love, we should, in turn, love the creation on God’s behalf. Then we become the bridge between God and the natural world. God loves His creatures through us, and through us the entire natural world is perfected.