The Origin of the Universe and Stewardship

Framing the Question

One of the oldest questions asked by human beings is: where did the universe come from? Modern science offers the Big Bang theory as an evidence-based account. Religious traditions offer creation narratives, theological frameworks and ethical duties derived from understanding the world as God’s creation. These two types of account are not always in conflict — but the relationship between them is complex and contested. This lesson examines how six world religions and a non-religious worldview approach the origin of the universe and what that means for how human beings should treat the natural world.

Christianity

The Bible opens with two accounts of creation in Genesis. Genesis 1 presents a structured, six-day creation in which God creates light, sky, land, vegetation, animals and finally humanity. On the sixth day, God creates human beings in the imago Dei (image of God): the text affirms that both male and female are created in God’s image. At the close of creation, God declares it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Genesis 2 offers a more intimate account in which God forms the man from the dust of the ground.

Christian beliefs about stewardship derive from Genesis 1:28 (God instructs humanity to “have dominion” over the earth) and Psalm 8:6 (God has made humanity “ruler over the works of your hands”). While “dominion” was once interpreted as licence to exploit, contemporary Christian environmental theology increasingly emphasises stewardship — caring for creation on God’s behalf. Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ (2015) is a landmark document in this tradition, calling for an “ecological conversion” and insisting that care for the poor and care for the environment are inseparable. Christian Aid works to address global poverty and climate justice, drawing on the principle of global citizenship.

Judaism

Jewish beliefs about the origin of the universe are grounded in Genesis 1 and 2, which Orthodox Jews understand as divine revelation, while Reform Jews may interpret the text more allegorically. The concept of tikkun olam (repairing the world) gives Jewish environmental responsibility a theological basis: the world is broken and humans are called to work with God to restore it. The related principle of bal tashchit (do not destroy) prohibits unnecessary waste or destruction of natural resources.

Tu B’Shevat (the “New Year of the Trees”) is an ancient ecological awareness day celebrated by planting trees and eating fruit. The Talmud records the story of Honi who, on seeing an old man planting a carob tree that would take seventy years to fruit, was told: “just as others planted for me, so I plant for those who come after me.” Maimonides’ thirteen principles of faith (principle 10 — God’s knowledge of human actions) also supports the idea that human treatment of the world is morally accountable before God.

Islam

In Islamic teaching, Allah created the universe: the Qur’an describes this in multiple passages, including Qur’an 36:81 which speaks of Allah’s power to create and recreate. The concept of fitra (natural disposition or inner nature) teaches that human beings are created in a state of innate recognition of God and moral awareness. The concept of khalifah (stewardship / trusteeship) is central to Islamic environmental theology: human beings are not owners of the earth but trustees, accountable to Allah for how they treat it (Qur’an 7:54 affirms Allah as the creator and establisher of order in the natural world). Muslim environmental organisations draw on these principles to advocate for sustainability and climate justice.

Hinduism

Hindu views of the origin of the universe are diverse. The Rig Veda (10:129) presents a “Hymn of Creation” that is philosophically agnostic: it wonders whether even the gods know how creation began. The Bhagavad Gita (11:7) offers a vision of the universe as the cosmic body of Vishnu, all things contained within the divine. The universe is not a one-time creation but cycles through vast periods of creation, maintenance and dissolution (srishti, sthiti, pralaya). Hindu teaching on stewardship draws on the principle of ahimsa (non-harming) applied to the environment: many Hindus regard rivers, forests and mountains as sacred and deserving of protection. The Bhagavata Purana teaches that harm to the environment is harm to God’s creation.

Sikhism

The Guru Granth Sahib opens with the Mool Mantar (page 1), affirming God as the one creator (Ik Onkar — One God). Sikhs believe the universe was created by God, although unlike Judaism or Christianity, Sikhism does not have a detailed creation narrative. Stewardship teaching is drawn from several passages in the Guru Granth Sahib (pages 21 and 1037), which affirm that the natural world is God’s gift and must be respected and cared for. The concept of sewa (selfless service) extends to environmental action: serving the world that God has created is a spiritual act. Khalsa Aid, the Sikh international relief charity, puts these principles into practice in disaster relief and environmental projects.

Buddhism

Buddhism is unique among the traditions studied here in having neither a creation story nor a creator God. The universe is understood as arising through dependent origination (paticca-samuppāda in Pali): all phenomena arise in dependence on conditions and pass away when those conditions cease. Buddhist environmental ethics flows from the first precept (not harming) and from Right Action (part of the Eightfold Path): harming the environment harms sentient beings, which violates both the precept and the path. The Lam Rim Buddhist Centre, a well-established British retreat centre, is actively engaged in environmental sustainability projects as an expression of these values.

Non-Religious and Humanist Views

Non-religious thinkers and Humanists accept the scientific account of the universe’s origin. The Big Bang theory, developed in the twentieth century, holds that the universe began approximately 13.8 billion years ago from an extremely hot, dense state that expanded and cooled over time. Stephen Hawking explored how the laws of physics themselves may explain the origin of the universe without requiring a creator. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection explains the diversity of life without design or purpose. Richard Dawkins argues for “blind evolution” — that the process of natural selection operates without intention or goal. Humanist Climate Action advocates for environmental responsibility on the basis of human flourishing and the wellbeing of future generations, without reference to any religious obligation.