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Book Review: Responsible Dominion: A Christian Approach to Sustainable Development. By Ian Hore-Lacy. Regent College Publishing. Vancouver. ISBN: 1-57383-342-8

 7 January 2007             See also  World  blog

A book by the Director of Public Communications  for the Word Nuclear Association may be suspected of being a public relations exercise for the nuclear industry. Certainly nuclear energy is part of the discussion and receives strong support in the book.

But it would be a mistake to write the book off (or buy it) just for that reason. Ian Hore-Lacy is a Christian who has spent most of his working life involved with mining (CRA – Rio Tinto) and environmental issues. His main arguments have to do with Christians pursuing a truthful analysis of the problems we face and seeking solutions that have a biblical foundation – especially solutions that will enable the world to feed its billions of poor and starving inhabitants.

Hore-Lacy takes issue with many of the assumptions and aims of modern environmentalism. He sees the green movement as basically a religious movement which opposes human activity as generally harmful to the environment which is given a kind of semi-sacred status.

He sees much of the debates as a clash of value systems. One of these he defines as a physical construct by which the environment is understood scientifically and rationally, and the other as a moral construct in which ‘nature’ is understood metaphysically, having intrinsic spiritual values.  Many people will hold to both these systems in different proportions or in different circumstances.

However one of the great strengths of this book is that it seeks to describe a Christian stewardship of creation. It departs form the Romantic view of the environment and seeks to understand God’s purpose in creation and the ways humans should look after and use the creation they have been given.

The book has an excellent section on creation, the role of science and the nature of human stewardship of the creation. This is a refreshing study that focuses on practical matters and leaves behind the ideological debates about creation and science. Hore-Lacy discusses land use, national parks and mining, food production, GM, water resources and some of the impacts of globalisation.

Because the book aims to discuss sustainable development he has a fair bit to say about minerals, energy and renewable energy sources. He also discusses recycling, waste management and the likely long term availability of fuels. He compares alternatives sources of renewable energy and, yes, he makes a case for nuclear energy as part of the solution to sustaining human life on the planet.

One of the helpful aspects of the book is that it takes issue with the impact of ideology on science. Many assertions are made in the name of science, which are not scientific but rather ideological or religious (in this case green religion).

Overall for those interested in the environment and sustainable development or who want another perspective on the emerging debate about nuclear energy, this is a good book, written from a biblical perspective and challenging many assumptions of the green movement.

Dale Appleby

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