Christian responses to issues in the natural world
I can explain Christian views on stewardship and the treatment of animals, including key teachings and differing perspectives.
Christian responses to issues in the natural world
I can explain Christian views on stewardship and the treatment of animals, including key teachings and differing perspectives.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Genesis 1:28 is mainly seen as supporting stewardship, but sometimes as supporting dominion.
- Most Christians support stewardship, but some prioritise spiritual work.
- The Christian Declaration on Nature (1986) affirms Christians' environmental responsibility.
- UK law regulates animal use; most Christians allow it but seek to minimise suffering.
- Some Quakers oppose animal testing, and Seventh-Day Adventists promote a plant-based diet.
Keywords
Animal experimentation - the use of animals in scientific research to study biological processes, test medical treatments, or assess product safety
Creation - the act of bringing everything in the world into existence
Pollution - contamination of an environment with harmful substances
Stewardship - the duty given by God to humankind to look after the created world, and all life within it
Vegetarian - someone who does not eat meat, but may consume other animal products like dairy or eggs
Common misconception
All fundamentalist Christians reject environmental responsibility.
While some prioritise spiritual work, others still value stewardship.
To help you plan your year 10 religious education lesson on: Christian responses to issues in the natural world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 religious education lesson on: Christian responses to issues in the natural world, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Matters of life and death unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
a place of eternal happiness with God
a state of eternal separation from God
a temporary state of purification before heaven
being raised from the dead with a transformed body
Exit quiz
6 Questions
stewardship is important for future generations
stewardship is a sacred responsibility
stewardship is key to Christianity
caring for God’s gift of creation is important