Christian Response to the Ecological Challenges in the Globalised World
Rev. Dr. A.S. John Peter
Albert Einstein once said “If humans by their foolishness destroy nature and nature too will destroy humans by its foolishness.” Prof. Fenner said “We fly to the moon, but we are too stupid for this”. The Church too cautions the human family of the atrocities against nature and warns the serious effects of such misuse of the natural resources. Pope Francis beautifully reminds us that the earth is “our common home (who) is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us.” (Laudato si no. 1) This article is an effort to see the ecological crises in the light of the teachings of the Church and inspire the reader to make this earth our common home.
Ecological Challenges in Modern Times
1. Culture of irresponsibility
Culture is the mirror of a society. Today modern society irrespective of nations has developed a culture of irresponsibility towards nature. In the past human persons with great sense of responsibility used to depend on nature but times have changed that humans have become so irresponsible that they do not care for what happens to the nature. This culture of irresponsibility is revealed in the way we pollute the nature, handle wastes, and consumerism known as throwaway culture.
2. Commodification of Mother Nature
Mother nature is a gift of God for all beings. But greed has filled in the mind of modern generation and it resulted in seeing nature as a profit making commodity. People especially politicians and traders try to exploit nature mercilessly. Therefore, nature is not seen as life sustaining mechanism rather money minting machine. It is a great danger for the future generation.
3. Urbanisation: Pope Francis rightly states in Laudato Si that the disproportionate and unduly growth of many cities have caused toxic emissions, poor transportation, and visual pollution, noise and insufficient green space. It is cautioned that we are not meant to be inundated by cement, asphalt, glass and metal, and deprived of physical contact with nature. (Laudato si no. 44. Hereafter cited as LS)
4. Global Inequality: Citing the Bolivian Bishop’s pastoral letter Pope Francis says “Both everyday experience and scientific research show that the gravest effects of all attacks on the environment are suffered by the poorest”. (LS 48.) The poor become poorer by losing their livelihood.
5. Weak Response: One of the most dangerous aspects of ecology is world leaders’ insensitivity towards eco issues and problems. The pope says “We lack the culture needed to confront this crisis. We lack leadership capable of striking out on new paths meeting the needs of the present with concern for all and without prejudice towards coming generations.” (LS 53).
Christian Response to the Ecological Crises
1. Ecological wisdom of different Cultures
The complexity of the ecological crises is so dense that not just one particular thing could give a solution to the crises. Rather the Pope is quite reasonable and open to say that respect should be shown for the various cultural riches of different peoples, their art and poetry, their interior life and spirituality. Tantamount the wisdom and science of all religions and culture should be adapted in addressing the ecological crises.
2. Faith and Commitment to Nature
Caring for the nature is one of the key features of one’s faith. The Pope while inviting people of all faith he very precisely reminds the Christian faithful that they should “realize their responsibility within creation, and their duty towards nature and the Creator, are part of their faith.” (LS 64)
3. The Wisdom of the Bible
Instead of the anthropocentric, the theocosmoanthropocentric approach envisages better understanding of the creative narrative. Pope Francis affirms the latter approach in Laudato Si. Primarily the earth does not belong to human beings but “the earth is the Lord’s (Ps 24:1); to him belongs “the earth with all that is within it” (Deut 10:14). Thus God rejects every claim to absolute ownership: “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with me” (Lev 25:23) (LS 67). Animals should be protected at all levels. (Cf. Dt 22:4,6) The Pope is categorical to say that the Bible has no place for a tyrannical anthropocentrism unconcerned for the other creatures. (LS 68).
4. Intrinsic Value of Creatures
People usually believe that only humans have intrinsic value and respect or inherent value that nobody can take away. But the Church says “by their mere existence they (creatures) bless him and give him glory” (CCC 2416) and indeed, “he rejoices in all his works” (Ps 104:31). The Catechism of the Catholic Church clearly affirms the inherent value of creatures. “Each creature possesses its own particular goodness and perfection… Each of the various creatures, willed in its own being, reflects in its own way a ray of God’s infinite wisdom and goodness. Man must therefore respect the particular goodness of every creature, to avoid any disordered use of things.” (CCC. 339)
5. Key Elements of Eco-Consciousness
Ecological Education
People need the awareness to understand the gravity of today’s cultural and ecological crises. But modern mind has grown up in a milieu of extreme consumerism and affluence that do not permit them to have alternative view. They lack proper ecological education. Pope Francis says that ecological education not information is so vital for the change of mind of human persons. Ecological education imbibes in individual a sense of solidarity, responsibility and compassionate care. It creates in humans an ecological habit or an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Eco-Spirituality
The techno-economic paradigm affects individuals. People think new gadgets are part of their life. It becomes one’s life style. The emptier a person’s heart is, the more he or she needs things to buy, own and consume. We not only should worry about the environmental disorder but the attitude of persons. The Pope calls everyone for a change of lifestyle from selfishness to the other centred. Eco-spirituality is nothing other than seeing nature as a gift of God to use with maximum sense of respect not exploiting with narcissistic attitude.
Eco — Conversion
“The external deserts in the world are growing because the internal deserts have become so vast”. Pope Francis citing the words of Pope Benedict XVI says ecological conversion is a great need for ecological protection. The Pope says the effects of one’s encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in one’s relationship with the world around him/her. (LS 217) The Australian Bishops said “To achieve such reconciliation, we must examine our lives and acknowledge the ways in which we have harmed God’s creation through our actions and our failure to act. We need to experience a conversion or change of heart”. (LS 218)
Conclusion
Pope Francis by his generous reflection affirmed that the earth belongs not simply to humans but to every creature on the earth. The earth is the common home belonging to all. Humans cannot claim to be its sole proprietors. Therefore they need to be responsible and respectful in handling the common home, the earth. The encyclical letter by Pope Francis Laudato Si is a great inspiration to all irrespective religion or nationality. People have more information about the ecological crisis but need political will to convert themselves. Unless we speak out and change the way we live the nature will take its own course of action to set things right. It is our moral responsibility to save nature for the future generation. The future generation should not blame us for having left them with polluted nature or nothing at all. Saving nature is serving God, humanity, and creatures.
About the Author:
Rev.Dr. A. S. John Peter is from the diocese of Thanjavur. He completed his doctoral studies in Rome. He taught Moral Theology in St. Paul’s seminary and at present he is the parish priest of Maraneri. His passion is to preserve nature and talk on behalf of it to people.
