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what implications does creation's 'witness' have for how we approach environmental ethics?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Romans 1:20

“For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes, his eternal power and Divine Nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through the things that are made; so that they are without excuse.”

The Apostle Paul writes this letter to believers in Rome, likely around 57 CE. In the opening chapters, he lays out his understanding of the human condition, arguing that all people—both Jewish and Gentile—are accountable to God, because God's existence and character are revealed through creation itself.

What does acknowledging creation as a witness to an 'invisible' reality ask of our daily choices regarding the natural world?

Then — the setting

Paul wrote Romans from Corinth in the mid-1st century CE. His letter addresses a diverse Christian community in Rome, aiming to unify them and clarify the gospel's universal scope. This passage engages with themes of natural theology, suggesting that God's presence and character are not hidden but are discernable through observing the created world. This idea was not unique to Jewish thought; Greek philosophers, particularly Stoics, also contemplated how the order of the cosmos revealed a divine mind or reason, potentially forming a point of connection for Paul's Gentile audience.

Across the Testaments

In the Old Testament, the concept of creation bearing witness is prominent, particularly in wisdom literature and psalms. Psalm 19:1-4 famously declares that 'The heavens declare the glory of God,' and Job 12:7-9 suggests one can 'ask the animals, and they will teach you.' These texts articulate creation as a continuous, non-verbal revelation of God's power and wisdom. Paul's argument in Romans 1:20 builds on this ancient Jewish understanding, extending it to assert a universal human accountability for recognizing God's attributes through creation, irrespective of whether they have received specific divine law. The New Testament, therefore, affirms and amplifies the Old Testament's natural theology, using it to establish the foundation for the need for salvation.

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Read alongside it

Psalm 19:1-4a
Declares that 'the heavens declare the glory of God' and speak without words.
Job 12:7-9
Suggests that asking the animals, birds, earth, and fish can teach about God's power.
Genesis 1:28
Instructs humanity to be fruitful, multiply, and exercise stewardship over creation.

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