Faith Basis

To follow are a series of articles and quotes that illustrate clearly why the environment is and should be a religious concern to each and every one of us.

Why is the Environment a Religious Concern?

“We are gathered here today in the spirit of peace for the good of all human beings and for the care of creation. We are concerned about the negative consequences for humanity and for all creation resulting from the degradation of some basic natural resources such as water, air and land, brought about by an economic and technological progress which does not recognize and take into account its limits.

God has not abandoned the world. It is His will that His design and our hope for it will be realized through our cooperation in restoring its original harmony. In our own time we are witnessing a growth of an ecological awareness which needs to be encouraged, so that it will lead to practical programs and initiatives. An awareness of the relationship between God and humankind brings a fuller sense of the importance of the relationship between human beings and the natural environment, which is God's creation and which God entrusted to us to guard with wisdom and love. (cf. Gen 1:28).

Respect for creation stems from respect for human life and dignity. It is on the basis of our recognition that the world is created by God that we can discern an objective moral order within which to articulate a code of environmental ethics.

The problem is not simply economic and technological; it is moral and spiritual. We therefore invite all men and women of good will to ponder the importance of the following ethical goals:

• To think of the world's children when we reflect on and evaluate our options for action.
• To be open to study the true values based on the natural law that sustain every human culture.
• To use science and technology in a full and constructive way, while recognizing that the findings of science are to be evaluated in the light of the centrality of the human person, of the common good, and of the inner purpose of creation…. It is love for our children that will show us the path that we must follow into the future.
• To be humble regarding the idea of ownership and to be open to the demands of solidarity. We have not been entrusted with unlimited power over creation; we are only stewards of the common heritage.
• To acknowledge the diversity of situations and responsibilities in the work for a better world environment. We do not expect every person and every institution to assume the same burden. Everyone has a part to play, but for the demands of justice and charity to be respected the most affluent societies must carry the greater burden, and from them is demanded a sacrifice greater than can be offered by the poor.
• To promote a peaceful approach to disagreement about how to live on this earth, about how to share it and use it, about what to change and what to leave unchanged.

It is not too late. God's world has incredible healing powers. Within a single generation, we could steer the earth toward our children's future. Let that generation start now, with God's help and blessing.”

Rome, 10 June 2002 ~ For full text, click: www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/jtortca.shtml

~ Care for God’s Creation is grounded in the Bible and Catholic doctrine ~

God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations.”

Gen: 9-12

Pope John Paul II: “I should like to address directly my brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church, in order to remind them of their serious obligation to care for all of creation. The commitment of believers to a healthy environment for everyone stems directly from their belief in God the Creator, from their recognition of the effects of original and personal sin, and from the certainty of having been redeemed by Christ. Respect for life and for the dignity of the human person extends also to the rest of creation.” World Day of Peace, 1990 “Peace With God The Creator, Peace With All Of Creation”.

Catholic Teachings on Care for God's Creation

“In responding to today’s environmental concerns, the Catholic Church draws not only on the Biblical story of creation and redemption, but also on its own distinctive tradition of official social teaching. In its social teachings, the Church has developed a framework of ethical principles, grounded in the Bible and Catholic doctrine, which apply to a wide range of contemporary issues. These principles have been set forth in statements issued by Popes, Bishops, and Church Councils and strongly emphasize respect for human dignity, regard for the common good, and concern for the needs of the poor.”

“As the name of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Environmental Justice program indicates, this ethical framework binds together social justice and environmental stewardship as integral parts of a unified moral perspective.”

National Religious Partnership for the Environment

“The connection between our faith and the environment is addressed very well by the National Religious Partnership for the Environment, an association of independent faith groups across a broad spectrum: the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the National Council of Churches U.S.A., the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life, and the Evangelical Environmental Network.”

“Each partner — in common biblical faith but drawing upon its distinctive traditions — is undertaking scholarship, leadership training, congregational and agency initiative, and public policy education in service to environmental sustainability and justice. Together, they seek to offer resources of religious life and moral vision to a universal effort to protect humankind's common home and well-being on Earth.”

“At the heart of the Partnership is the conviction that what we call “the environment” is fundamentally a religious issue. In fact, “the environment” is only a pale reflection of a much richer word: Creation. Creation is the world in which we daily encounter bread and beauty, majestic mountains and familiar neighborhoods, painful brokenness and solace for the spirit. Creation is where we stand as we hear the divine summons to care for our neighbor and for the earth.”

“At the core of Jewish and Christian ethics are the commandments to love God and one’s neighbor. Can we love the Creator without celebrating and caring for the creation? Can we love our neighbor without protecting the environment on which that neighbor’s life and health depend?” For more information, click www.nrpe.org.

Care of the Earth is one of the Principles of Social Justice

“On a planet conflicted over environmental issues, the Catholic tradition insists that we show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God's creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.”

tinyurl.com/2v98df

Scripture

(Some texts speak of concern for the poor who are most affected by our not caring for the earth.)

Genesis 1:1-31

(Creation story and goodness of creation)

Genesis 2:15

(Stewardship of earth)

Gen. 6:19-21

(Two of all living creatures into the ark)

Genesis: 9: 8-17

(God’s Covenant with Noah and all creation)

Exodus 3:1-5

(The place where you stand is holy ground.)

Exodus 23:10-11

(But the seventh year you shall let the land lie untilled …that the poor and the beasts may eat.)

Leviticus 19:9

(You shall not gather the fallen grapes; you shall leave them for the poor)

Leviticus 25:1-7:

(When you enter the land, the land itself must observe a Sabbath)

Leviticus 25:23-38

(The land is God’s: we should consider ourselves strangers and guests)

Leviticus 26: 3-4,6

(If you follow in my decrees…, I will send you rain in its season and the ground will yield its crops . . and I will grant peace in the land)

Num 14:21

(All the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.”)

Deut 3:74-81

(Let us bless the Lord)

Job 12:7-10

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all humanity.”

Job 37:14

(Stand and consider the wondrous works of God!)

Psalm 8

(The majesty of God)

Psalm 19: 1-4

(The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands )

Psalm 23:1-2

(The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.)

Psalm 24:1-2

(The earth is the Lord's and all it holds)

Psalm 33:5

(The Lord loves justice and right and fills the earth with goodness).

Psalm 50: 10-11

(The creatures of the field belong to me.)

Psalm 65

(Thanksgiving for God’s Blessings)

Psalm 74:16-17

(Yours the day and yours the night; you set the moon and sun in place.)

Psalm 89:12

(Yours are the heavens, yours the earth; You founded the world and everything in it.)

Psalm 95:4-5

(The sea and dry land belong to God, who made them, formed them by hand)

Psalm 96:10–12

(Let the Earth be Glad)

Psalm 104

(Praise for God the Creator)

Psalm 146

(Trust in God Alone)

Psalm 148

(Hymn of All Creation to the Creator)

Proverbs 8:1-2, 22-31

(Wisdom's Part in Creation)

Ezekiel 34: 17, 18

(“Is it not enough for you to drink clear water? Must you also muddy the rest with your feet?”)

Isaiah 11:6-9

(Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, …There shall be no harm or ruin on all my holy mountain)

Isaiah 41:17-20

(“I will not forsake them. I will open up rivers on the bare heights, …That all may see and know, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One has created it.”)

Daniel 3:51-90

(Praise of God: Praise of God’s Creation)

Hosea 4:1-3

(Humans wound the earth)

Mt 4:1-11

(Temptation by the devil)

Mt 6:24-34

(The birds in the sky…they do not sow or reap, yet your heavenly Father feeds them).

Mt 25:31-46

(The Last Judgment: Christ in the poor)

Lk 4:16-21

(Bring glad tidings to the poor, liberty to captives…)

Lk 10:25-37

(Parable of the Good Samaritan: Who is my neighbor?)

Luke 13:18-21

(Mustard seed, tree, and birds of the air)

Lk 16:19-31

(Story of Lazarus and the rich man)

Luke 21:29-30

(Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.)

John 1:1-5

(Through Him All Things Came into Being)

Acts 14:15

(We proclaim to you good news that you should turn to the living God, who made heaven and earth and sea and all that is in them.)

Acts 14:17

(He did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts.)

Romans 1: 18-25

(Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made)

Romans 8:18-39

(All creation awaits redemption

1 Corinthians 11:26

(The earth and its fullness are the Lord's)

Rev 12:1-2

(A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.  She was with child)

Revelations 21:1-5

(New Heavens and New Earth)

To follow are articles and quotes from the Pope and Bishops on Catholic Social Ethics and the Environment

World Day of Peace Message, Peace with God—Peace with all of Creation, Pope John Paul II - 1990

“In our day, there is a growing awareness that world peace is threatened not only by the arms race, regional conflicts and continued injustices among peoples and nations, but also by a lack of due respect for nature, by the plundering of natural resources and by a progressive decline in the quality of life. Faced with the widespread destruction of the environment, people everywhere are coming to understand that we cannot continue to use the goods of the earth as we have in the past… Moreover, a new ecological awareness is beginning to emerge which, rather than being downplayed, ought to be encouraged to develop into concrete programs and initiatives.

Many ethical values, fundamental to the development of a peaceful society, are particularly relevant to the ecological question.

An education in ecological responsibility is urgent. Today the ecological crisis has assumed such proportions as to be the responsibility of everyone. This not only goes hand in hand with efforts to build true peace, but also confirms and reinforces those efforts in a concrete way. When the ecological crisis is set within the broader context of the search for peace within society, we can understand better the importance of giving attention to what the earth and its atmosphere are telling us: namely, that there is an order in the universe which must be respected, and that the human person, endowed with the capability of choosing freely, has a grave responsibility to preserve this order for the well-being of future generations. I wish to repeat that the ecological crisis is a moral issue.” For full text, click: tinyurl.com/23548z

Global Climate Change: A Plea for Dialogue, Prudence, and the Common Good, June 15, 2001. US Catholic Bishops

“As people of faith, we are convinced that 'the earth is the Lord's and all it holds' (Ps 24:1) We believe our response to global climate change should be a sign of our respect for God's creation.

At its core, global climate change is about our human stewardship of God's creation and our responsibility to those who come after us.

The global climate change debate cannot become just another opportunity for some groups—usually affluent advocates from the developed nations—to blame the problem on population growth in poor countries. Historically, the industrialized countries have emitted more greenhouse gases that warm the climate than have the developing countries.

Working for the common good requires us to promote the flourishing of all human life and all of God's creation. In a special way, the common good requires solidarity with the poor who are often without the resources to face many problems, including the potential impacts of climate change.

Each of us should carefully consider our choices and lifestyles. We need to ask about ways we can conserve energy, prevent pollution, and live more simply.

As people of religious faith, we bishops believe the atmosphere that supports life on earth is a God-given gift, one we must respect and protect. It unites us as one human family. If we harm the atmosphere, we dishonor our Creator and the gift of creation. The values of our faith call us to humility, sacrifice, and a respect for life and the natural gifts God has provided.”

For complete text, click: www.nccbuscc.org/sdwp/international/globalclimate.htm

Sharing Catholic Social Teaching: Challenges and Directions
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1998.

The bishops present a compelling explanation of how Catholic social teaching is central to keeping the Church strong and true to the gospel demand "to bring glad tidings to the poor." The work highlights the seven major themes of Catholic social teaching-from life and dignity of the human person to care for God's creation-and provides workable recommendations for incorporating the themes into all forms of Catholic education and formation.

Care for God's Creation

“On a planet conflicted over environmental issues, the Catholic tradition insists that we show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. Care for the earth is not just an Earth Day slogan, it is a requirement of our faith. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God's creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions that cannot be ignored.”

For full text, click: www.usccb.org/sdwp/projects/socialteaching/contents.shtml

Let the Earth Bless the Lord: God’s Creation and Our Responsibility: A Catholic Approach to the Environment, United States Catholic Conference, 1996.

Moral Content of Environmental Issues

The Church has as one of its primary functions the educative role of helping believers and other people of good will form their consciences so they can see environmental issues as having moral content.

The Church is obliged to deal with global issues like the environment and has the institutional and community capacity to do so.” From Let the Earth Bless the Lord - USCCB

Renewing the Earth: An Invitation to Reflection and Action on Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching, Pastoral letter of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, November, 1991.

“At its core, the environmental crisis is a moral challenge.  It calls us to examine how we use and share the goods of the earth, what we pass on to future generations, and how we live in harmony with God's creation

The option for the poor embedded in the Gospel and the Church's teaching makes us aware that the poor suffer most directly from environmental decline and have the least access to relief from their suffering.

But in most countries today, including our own, it is the poor and the powerless who most directly bear the burden of current environmental carelessness…

To ensure the survival of a healthy planet, then, we must not only establish a sustainable economy but must also labor for justice both within and among nations.  We must seek a society where economic life and environmental commitment work together to protect and to enhance life on this planet.

A just and sustainable society and world are not an optional ideal, but a moral and practical necessity. Without justice, a sustainable economy will be beyond reach. Without an ecologically responsible world economy, justice will be unachievable. Hope is the virtue at the heart of a Christian environmental ethic.…We can proceed with hope because, as at the dawn of creation, so today the Holy Spirit breathes new life into all earth's creatures. Today, we pray with new conviction and concern for all God's creation: Send forth thy Spirit, Lord and renew the face of the earth.”

For complete text, click www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/bishopsstatement.htm

Economic Justice for All: A Pastoral Letter on Catholic Social Teaching and the U.S. Economy, Pastoral letter of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, 1986.

“All people on this globe share a common ecological environment that is under increasing pressure. The resources of the earth have been created by God for the benefit of all, and we who are alive today hold them in trust. This is a challenge to develop a new ecological ethic that will help shape a future that is both just and sustainable.

All of us must examine our way of living in light of the needs of the poor. Christian faith and the norms of justice impose distinct limits on what we consume and how we view material goods. The great wealth of the United States can easily blind us to the poverty that exists in this nation and the destitution of hundreds of millions of people in other parts of the world. Americans are challenged today as never before to develop the inner freedom to resist the temptation constantly to seek more.

All members of society have a special obligation to the poor and vulnerable. From the Scriptures and church teaching, we learn that the justice of a society is tested by the treatment of the poor.” For complete text, click: www.osjspm.org/economic_justice_for_all.aspx

Catholic Social Teaching and Environmental Ethics
United States Catholic Conference

“The tradition of Catholic social teaching offers a developing and distinctive perspective on environmental issues. We believe the following themes drawn from this tradition are integral dimensions of ecological responsibility:

• God-centered and sacramental view of the universe, which grounds human accountability for the fate of the earth;
• consistent respect for human life, which extends to respect for all creation;
• world view affirming the ethical significance of global interdependence and the common good;
• an ethics of solidarity promoting cooperation and a just structure of sharing in the world community;
• an understanding of the universal purpose of created things, which requires equitable use of the earth's resources;
• an option for the poor, which gives passion to the quest for an equitable and sustainable world;
• a conception of authentic development, which offers a direction for progress that respects human dignity and the limits of material growth.”

To read the entire paper, please click: www.webofcreation.org/DenominationalStatements/catholic.htm