Biblical Teachings on Stewardship and Environmental Responsibility Among Christians in Ogun State

The accelerating environmental crisis in Nigeria, including deforestation, plastic waste pollution, and water contamination, calls for ethical and theological responses from religious communities. This study examines how biblical teachings on stewardship of creation are understood and applied by Christians in Ogun State, South West Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was adopted, with questionnaires administered to 220 adult church members from Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, and Redeemed Christian Church of God congregations in Abeokuta, Sagamu, and Ijebu-Ode. The questionnaire assessed respondents' knowledge of biblical stewardship passages (Genesis 1:28, 2:15; Psalm 24:1; Revelation 11:18), their attitudes toward environmental responsibility, and their actual environmental behaviours. Results indicate that biblical knowledge of stewardship is moderate, with 58 percent of respondents identifying at least two relevant passages. However, the practical application of stewardship theology to environmental behaviour is weak, with less than 30 percent reporting active participation in environmental conservation activities. Churches rarely address environmental themes in sermons or programming. Higher educational attainment is correlated with stronger environmental awareness. The study concludes that biblical stewardship teaching in Ogun State churches is disconnected from practical environmental ethics. It recommends that Nigerian church denominations develop eco-theology curricula integrating creation care with faith formation, and that church leaders publicly model environmentally responsible behaviour as a witness to biblical stewardship values.

Keywords: biblical stewardship, environmental responsibility, creation care, Ogun State, eco-theology