Biodiversity:

Seven theological and ethical reasons

Prof. Dr. Christoph Stückelberger, Basel/Switzerland

Why is biodiversity theologically and ethically positive and to sustain?

1. Use/ usefulness for human beings
health, environmental sustainability, food security, industrial production, recovery

2. Lack of knowledge
We know only part of the functions of a species

3. Beauty of nature
Diversity is an important part of beauty

4. Intrinsic (inherent) value of non human beings
independent from their meaning for human beings

5. Respect for the dignity of creation
which was created during a very long period as an expression of the will of the creator

6. Relation between non human and human diversity
Biodiversity and diversity of languages, cultures etc. and interlaced

7. Biodiversity is unnecessary. That’s it’s value.
God’s creation with its fullness of life is more than what is useful. The superfluous is expression of God’s love and makes life meaningful and worthy and valuable.