Farmer-poet Wendell Berry’s environmental ethics were deeply rooted in his Christian faith and belief in caring for creation

Wendell Berry was a farmer, poet, and writer who lived for 92 years, from 1934 to 2026, on his family's homestead in Henry County, Kentucky. He practiced sustainable farming methods, such as using draft horses instead of diesel tractors and employing crop rotation and manure fertilizer to nourish his fields. Berry was widely respected for his passionate writing about rural American life and humanity's responsibility to care for the land. His beliefs were deeply influenced by his Christian Baptist faith, which shaped his environmental ethics and advocacy for environmental stewardship. This ethic is now known as creation care, a concept that emphasizes the responsibility to care for the Earth and all its creatures.

Berry's environmental ethics were rooted in his interpretation of the Bible, particularly the Book of Genesis. He believed that humans are not owners of the Earth but are called to be caregivers, as stated in Genesis 2:15 with the phrase ‘Keep it.’ This contrasts with a dominionist view, which interprets Genesis 1:8 as giving humans the right to subdue and exploit the Earth. Berry opposed environmentally destructive practices like mountaintop-removal coal mining, which destroyed streams and forests in his native Kentucky. In 2011, he participated in a protest against these mining practices, stating his intention to remain involved as long as he was able. His beliefs aligned with the modern creation care movement, which emerged in the 1980s and 1990s among Christian evangelicals who saw Genesis as instructing humans to care for all of God’s creations.

Berry was a vocal critic of industrial agriculture, which he referred to as agripower. He argued that this system showed little regard for soil fertility, the health of farming communities, or the principles of wisdom, thrift, and stewardship. His critiques were detailed in his 1977 book The Unsettling of America, where he also criticized America’s consumeristic culture and its throwaway mentality. Berry admired the Amish lifestyle, which prioritizes simple farm living focused on God, family, and community over modern conveniences. He believed in a Christian agriculture that respects the Creation as a unique and irreplaceable gift, to be used with humility, respect, and skill. His writings often advocated for consuming less and living more communally.

A central idea in Berry’s philosophy was the concept of ‘enough,’ which he argued was alien to capitalism. He believed that modern society often prioritizes wants over needs, leading to overconsumption and environmental harm. Berry encouraged people to question technology’s impact on the environment and human lives, much like the Amish do. He wanted individuals to develop a mindset of intentionality and reflection in their thoughts, words, and actions. His 1977 text The Unsettling of America and other works, such as Standing by Words, emphasized the importance of recognizing limits and living within them. Berry’s ideas resonated with the growing creation care movement, which calls for environmental stewardship and repairing harm done to the planet.