Religion and Planet Earth

Question 1

Religious explanations of how the world and life began… (4)

Answer 1

1. Genesis – God created it in 6 days and rested for 1: Light; Sky; Earth; Lights in the sky; Birds and fish; People and animals; Rest
2. Viewed by some as an alternative to science
3. Viewed by some as a myth that shows that everything has a purpose/there is an order to things
4. ‘and he saw that it was good’ - Genesis

Question 2

How the planet can be a source of awe and wonder, making us think of God (1)

Answer 2

1. The earth is too beautiful to come about by chance

Question 3

The problem with trying to help humans, but still helping the environment (2)

Answer 3

1. Humans need power and resources to live comfortably but this damages the environment;
2. Humans make money from natural resources (e.g. in Brazil - poorer people will lose out if they can’t cut down the rain forest)

Question 4

How people damage the environment (3)

Answer 4

1. Deforestation
2. pollution;
3. car exhaust

Question 5

How people help the environment, both as individuals and in groups (3)

Answer 5

1. People help the environment by recycling,
2. not wasting electricity,
3. campaigning for change (greenpeace).

Question 6

The world’s response to environmental problems, (3)

Answer 6

1. At earth summits such as Kyoto…
2. The most powerful leaders of the world got together to agree targets.
3. However, countries often either don’t sign up or they don’t fulfill their obligations. The agreements have no ‘teeth’.

Question 7

Religious attitudes to the natural world (2)

Answer 7

1. it is created by God – humans have stewardship/dominion (power).
2. Pope Francis said we must not use dominion as an excuse to mistreat the environment. (Laudato Si)

Question 8

Why religous people should protect the environment (3)

Answer 8

1. Stewardship (Earth is a gift from God);
2. help future generations;
3. help other people now [helping the environment improves health (better water/cleaner air); flooding and desertification]

Question 9

How modern living contributes to the problems, and how it needs to be part of the solution (4)

Answer 9

1. it is many individual decisions that cause environmental problems, e.g.
2. not recycling;
3. wasting electricity;
4. overuse of cars…