Last week in Thursday’s post I mentioned that I would like to return to comment on certain sections of the pope’s message for the celebration of the World Day of Peace. Therefore, today I want to begin by taking a closer look at the document. However, more than just providing my commentary on an already well-expressed message, what I would like to offer is concrete direction on how we might work to make a difference as well as just to reflect on the subject with greater depth.
The first thing I’d like to do is direct you to the website of the Catholic Climate Covenant. On it you’ll find additional information and ways to promote and be involved in peacemaking through environmental awareness and protection. In investigating and promoting such efforts we are following through with informing ourselves in “ecological awareness,” which “needs to be helped to develop and mature, and find fitting expression in concrete programs and initiatives.” (See section 3 of the World Day of Peace message)
In order to better understand the need to protect the environment I often turn to my own personal experience and apply it to reason. It makes good sense to be pro-environment, but we who hold this may have come to it from different backgrounds and for different reasons. My experience of ecology has long been one that includes the understanding that nature is sacred. I believe that my realization of this fact first came about at a time in my life when I began to understand and acknowledge the hand of God in all things—it came about through my experience of conversion.
As a young man growing up in east Texas I had ample opportunities to experience the power and awe of nature first hand. I saw it as the work of God and I understood nature as a way in which God was communicating with me. There was a connection made that I have never lost. In the years to come I began better to understand the role of human beings as stewards of the environment. The link that has always been clear to me is that of our having a shared responsibility for future generations. This, of course, is what the pope means when he speaks of intergenerational solidarity. (See section 8)
It is my strong conviction that I should live in such a way that respects all living things to the highest degree possible. I see in all created things a connection and interdependency that demands respect and greater understanding. Furthermore, I truly do believe that respect for creation is the foundation of bringing peace to the world.
An important point to keep in mind, which is expressed in the pope’s message, is that being concerned with protecting creation, and thus bringing about peace through it, does not mean putting the environment—ideologically—above the human person. To be an environmentalist does not necessarily entail a philosophical position of ecocentrism or biocentrism, which would make the claim that nature in itself is the highest good while ignoring the centrality of humanity as God’s creation. Nor does it mean embracing pantheism, or even a form of neo-paganism which makes a god of nature and refuses to address the issues of planetary ecology from the viewpoint of true reason.
I reflect on this keeping in mind that I just saw the movie Avatar this weekend, which I immensely enjoyed watching in 3-D. What Avatar has to do with my reflection today is that as a society we tend to listen closely to what film and other media presents. Undoubtedly Avatar expresses a strong theme of respect for nature, but it also has a strong underlying theme of pantheism and neo-paganism based on nature worship. While I believe the film presents a good message on the importance of being opposed to environmental exploitation, it unfortunately plays too heavily on militaristic stereotypes, demonizes humanity, and is rather pessimistic concerning the future of the human race overall. In the end it comes off as little more than an epic sci-fi tale of cowboys and Indians.
On more than one occasion in the pope’s message on the World Day of Peace he calls for sober lifestyles in response to the need to show greater respect for the environment. This is something that all of us can consider. I believe that we must also take on strong convictions that support legislation in favor of both protecting natural resources and making resources such as water and clean energy available to developing nations. In our ecological sentiment we must move beyond ideas that are merely fantasy, such as those presented in science fiction, or even the unrealistic or seemingly romantic ideals associated with ecological efforts. In multiple ways the survival of humanity depends on our ability to convince the world to stop destroying the air, water, climate and other resources on which life depends. In other words we have to get real, which I believe also means abandoning any pet political ideologies that are opposed to environmentalism or that deny the real existence of ecological issues such as planetary warming.
The pope goes on to say (in section 11) that concern for the environment calls for a global vision that moves beyond nationalistic interests. Indeed this is where true peace lies. We truly move toward obtaining the ideal of world peace when we are able to put the interests and well being of the whole world ahead of nationalistic and self-interested motives. A global vision is also a vision of a world in which there is a renewed earth and a human society that has learned to protect its greatest gift, a gift that is the handiwork of the Creator, a gift that we were given to be its responsible stewards.
At a later date I’ll be back with more discussion on the World Day of Peace message, until then I want to offer the following suggestions, which are provided by the USCCB website and may be downloaded in pdf format for bulletin inserts:
5 Ways You Can Cultivate Peace by Protecting Creation
Catholics Confront Global Poverty Web site: http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/globalpoverty/
• Take the St. Francis Pledge to Care for Creation and the Poor at the Catholic Climate Covenant
Web site: http://catholicclimatecovenant.org/
• Take action to ensure that climate change policies protect poor and vulnerable people, and sign up to receive the most recent legislative updates/action alerts at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/takeaction.shtml
• Join with family, friends, or fellow parishioners to pray for solutions that care for creation and care for the poor! Access USCCB prayer resources at http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/ejp/climate/
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