One of the major ideas that has shaped western civilization is the Judeo-Christian concept that man has God-given dominion over the earth. But western man has interpreted too literally the biblical command, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it." ^{Gen. 1:28;} For centuries he has viewed the earth as existing solely for mankind's benefit and use and has actively sought to subjugate the planet.

The results of this world view seem mixed. On one side, we see considerable control of nature by science and technology and a higher standard of living for more people than at any time in history. On the other side, we see the ravishing of the land and oceans, destruction of wildlife, and environmental pollution. Because of these problems, many people feel it's time to discard the Judeo-Christian concept of man having privileged dominion over the earth. But what is really needed is a more enlightened vision of man and his role in the universe, one that reveals the true significance of that verse from Genesis.

The human mind and the physical senses cannot give us the vision of man we need. This vision must be a revelation from outside matter or materialistic reasoning, a view quite above the space-time continuum. Why? Because matter's attempt at self-understanding, alias intelligent matter or the brain, is futile. Matter cannot transcend the limitations inherent in itself to learn what the universe or man really is.

Consider material science's quest so far to learn the origin of matter. In Until the Sun Dies Robert Jastrow explains: ".... a careful study of the stars has proven, as well as anything can be proven in science, that all matter in the Universe was compressed into an infinitely dense and hot mass when the world began; and in the searing heat of that holocaust, the evidence needed for a scientific study of the cause of creation was destroyed." Later he says, "The Universe, and everything that has happened in it since the beginning of time, are a grand effect without a known cause." ^{Until the Sun Dies (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., 1977), pp. 20–21;} And in the study to find out what this matter itself is, physical science has come to this conclusion: "A piece of matter ... no longer stands for something absolutely solid, nor something that keeps an identity, nor even 'a hypothetical thing-in-itself known only through its effects.' It is the 'effects' themselves. We really do not know what makes electrons or protons or photons do whatever they do. We only know their effects. To us the effects are the electrons and protons and photons: the matter." ^{Guy Murchie, Music of the Spheres: The Material Universe—From Atom to Quasar, Simply Explained, Vol. II (New York: Dover Publications, Inc. 1967), p. 497;}

It seems clear that if we are ever to understand the ultimate nature of reality and ultimate cause, something outside matter and our material sense of things must show us what man is. This "something" is God. He is the only real cause, but not of matter. He is infinite Spirit, and is continually expressing Himself in infinite spiritual manifestation. Though in reality the divine manifestation is ever present, just as God is ever present, to human sense it seems to appear, or come; and this appearing or coming to human thought of the divine manifestation is Christ.

Christ Jesus, of all men, best expressed Christ. But Christ itself is universal, not limited to one person, time, or place. So God's divine manifestation is continuing to break in on the finity of the human mind's belief in a matter-universe, revealing space-time's unreal nature and the allness of God and His expression. This coming awakens in us a sense that man is not material but is, spiritually perceived, divine Mind's idea, whose substance is Spirit and whose extension is infinite. And most important, Christ awakens us to the fact that the spiritual man is us, our true selfhood in Spirit.

It is in the first chapter of Genesis that God commands the ideal man to be "fruitful, and multiply" and to "replenish the earth, and subdue it." Christian Science, or the Science of Christ, explains that this chapter describes a spiritual, not a material, creation. Thus, the command in verse twenty-eight must be spiritually understood if we are to discover for ourselves the real nature of man's God-given dominion. Our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, gives this interpretation of the verse: "Divine Love blesses its own ideas, and causes them to multiply,—to manifest His power. Man is not made to till the soil. His birthright is dominion, not subjection. He is lord of the belief in earth and heaven,—himself subordinate alone to his Maker. This is the Science of being." ^{Science and Health, pp. 517–518;}

In the Science of being, man is the highest phenomenon, or idea, of the one and only divine Mind. Man has dominion because God has all power and has no equal or competitor. Man is the full expression of infinite Mind, "himself subordinate alone to his Maker." Reflecting Mind's government, man has dominion over all that Mind knows. As Christ Jesus said of the Son, "All things that the Father hath are mine." ^{John 16:15;}

The nature of man's dominion is not that of causation or origination but of reflection—his consciousness of what constitutes himself as man, the full representation of God. Man's power is the power of the Son, the reflected power to know the Father Mind and express Him fully and obediently. "The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do," Christ Jesus said, "for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." ^5:19;

This exalted vision of man's sonship with God, when understood and utilized as the truth of being, gives us divine power. To the extent we claim our sonship, we are "lord of the belief in earth and heaven," and, therefore, master of our human experience. All the limitations of space-time and matter will eventually be overcome. This doesn't mean we have the divine right to run rampant over the earth or other people. The Son's power is not that of a despot or exploiter.

In truth, the only control God's man has is self-control, that is, reflection of God's control. As we strive to express more of His control, this can only help our fellowman and our environment, including the creatures of the earth. Of course, until people can multiply the loaves and fishes as Christ Jesus did and not be affected by the elements, the earth—expressive of God's bounty—will continue to serve mankind, giving him food, shelter, and other necessities. But through the impetus of the Science of being, mankind can express more divine intelligence so that humanity replenishes and protects the earth while meeting legitimate needs and aspirations.

Not one of the problems facing humanity is greater than the power of the Son and, therefore, the power of the individual imbued with Christ; the Son. "Christ," Mrs. Eddy writes, "illustrates that blending with God, his divine Principle, which gives man dominion over all the earth." ^{Science and Health, p. 316;} Every earthly problem—including pollution, overpopulation, food and energy shortages, political tyranny, the dehumanization of life by technology—must ultimately yield to the Christlike understanding of spiritual reality.

But first, the Christ-idea must leaven human thought. It must pour in and permeate human consciousness and change the base of reasoning from matter to Spirit. Improved beliefs must replace depraved beliefs. Love of good must replace love of evil. Morality must replace immorality. All trust in matter must be superseded by total trust in Spirit. This is an immense work, requiring fundamental changes in the way people think. It won't happen overnight. Mortal mind does not give up its belief in itself without a struggle. The apparent reality of matter is not theorized away but must be destroyed by our literally living Spirit.

This is the individual's Christly task. Mankind's salvation comes one by one, that is, by individual recognition of sonship with God. There is no mass salvation. And yet, as you and I begin to shine with the light of Christ, we help enlighten the world and diminish the darkness of mortal belief. This helps others see the light, proving that in the unity of good, the good we do for ourselves we do for others.

Paul says, as translated in The New English Bible: "The created universe waits with eager expectation for God's sons to be revealed... The universe itself is to be freed from the shackles of mortality and enter upon the liberty and splendour of the children of God." ^{Rom. 8:19, 21.} Think of it. The universe—the whole body of human thought—is waiting "with eager expectation" to be redeemed by our seeing ourselves as we truly are. Through the dominion of the Son—the power to know all things as they are in divine Mind—we must labor daily to transform "the created universe," bringing it into conformation to the true idea of God.