Dr. Jonathan Moo: Loving God, Neighbor, and the Natural World
Good Faith
Good Faith
4.8 • 1.9K Ratings
🗓️ 5 February 2026
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
How Can Christians Turn Groans into Growth By Responding to Ecological Grief?
In this episode of the Good Faith Podcast, host Curtis Chang talks with Dr. Jonathan Moo, a decorated professor of both the New Testament and Environmental Studies, about why Christian creation care belongs at the center of discipleship. Drawing from Romans 8, Colossians 1, and Genesis 1–2, Moo connects biblical hope for new creation with practical action on climate change, stewardship, and loving our neighbors by caring for the places they depend on and enjoy. The conversation explores how faith and science can work together, why "dominion" looks like Christ-shaped service, and how small, local projects—from Uganda to Texas—offer tangible models of environmental renewal. Dr. Moo offers us a bigger vision of human flourishing, plus concrete next steps for Christians and churches to live joyfully and faithfully in God's world.
05:04 - How Do Jonathan Moo's Academic and Faith and Love for Creation Intersect?
07:51 - Romans 8 and Lament for Creation
17:38 - Salvation, Resurrection, and the Earth
22:08 - Practical Examples of Creation Care
27:01 - Motivating People To Move From Enjoying Nature To Actively Caring For It
31:24 - How Do We Address Interpretations of "Dominion"?
36:32 - Jesus as Model for Dominion
39:34 - Understanding Barriers Between Evangelicals and Science
47:16 - Engaging with Skeptics and Loved Ones
53:25 - Advice for Skeptics
55:11 - Practical Steps for the Environmentally Concerned
Episode Companion:
Christians and Climate Change Guide 2
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Learn more about George Fox Talks
Register for the Illuminate Arts + Faith Conference
Mentioned In This Episode:
Tools, Websites, and Organizations
Bull Creek Restoration Project
Books and Authors
- Learn more about Aldo Leopold
- Learn more about Alister McGrath
- Learn more about Evelyn Waugh
- Learn more about Wendell Berry
- Debra Rienstra's Refugia Faith: Seeking Hidden Shelters, Ordinary Wonders, and the Healing of the Earth
Biblical Passages
- Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)
- Romans 8 (ESV)
- Genesis 1 and 2 (ESV)
- Mark 12:30-31 (ESV)
Concepts and Ideas
More From Dr. Jonathan Moo:
- Jonathan & Douglas Moo's Creation Care: A Biblical Theology of the Natural World (Biblical Theology for Life)
- More about Dr. Moo: Whitworth professor acts as a wilderness guide
- A reminder of Dr. Moo's A.W.A.K.E. acronym
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The Good Faith Podcast is a production of a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Good Faith.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Good Faith wishes to thank our production partner on this series of episodes, |
| 0:05.9 | the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, |
| 0:08.3 | supporting inclusive higher education and healthcare, |
| 0:11.7 | vibrant spiritual communities, and a clean environment. |
| 0:15.1 | The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, investing in our common future. |
| 0:20.6 | If we see creation as a gift for which we have some responsibility, that just opens up |
| 0:25.8 | all sorts of fresh ways of thinking about how we inhabit the world. |
| 0:29.1 | It allows us to break out of our ways that we think we can only do things this way. |
| 0:32.7 | This is the only way we can have a good life. |
| 0:34.3 | I mean, Christians above all ought to be able to have this bigger vision |
| 0:37.5 | of what human flourishing looks like that doesn't just follow our culture's ideas if not. |
| 1:03.5 | Welcome to the Good Faith podcast. We're friends who follow Jesus, help each other make sense of the world. |
| 1:13.0 | I'm your host, Curtis Chang. The Good Faith podcast is a production of an organization that is a nonpartisan 501c3 organization. |
| 1:20.8 | Now, Good Faith is doing a three episode series on the topic of Christians and climate change. |
| 1:26.1 | Spread over a couple of months, we're going to examine what it means for followers of Jesus to care for God's creation at this historic |
| 1:29.6 | moment. A key partner in our series is Ben Lowe, executive director of A. Rocha, USA. A. Rocha |
| 1:37.1 | is a leading organization helping Christians and churches engage in creation care as part of |
| 1:43.8 | their discipleship and witness. Ben, welcome to the |
| 1:46.7 | Good Faith podcast. Thanks, Curtis. It's great to be back with you. Ben, it seems to me that a key way |
| 1:53.3 | to have helpful conversations with other Christians is not to beat them over the head with fact-checking or doomsday predictions, but rather |
| 2:04.0 | to engage people with where their values are. So tell me how does A. Rocha do this kind of engagement. |
| 2:12.6 | Yes, thanks, Curtis. Arosha USA and our sister Erosha organizations around the world really focus on caring |
... |
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