Download or read book In Defense of Nature The Catholic Unity of Environmental Economic and Moral Ecology written by Benjamin Wiker and published by Emmaus Road Publishing. This book was released on 2017-06-01 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecology calls to mind nature “out there”—trees, rivers, oceans, animals, birds, the air, distinct ecosystems. But as Benjamin Wiker argues, an obvious part of nature has been mysteriously left out of the environmental movement: our own nature—human nature, especially its essential moral aspects. In Defense of Nature shows that while both nature and human nature are equally important, there is a significant obstacle threatening the acceptance of this expanded account of ecology. The Left understands the exquisite, delicate harmony of the natural order, and why environmental pollution is harmful. The Right understands the exquisite, delicate harmony of the human moral order, and why moral pollution is harmful. Each side will tell you how very little a deviation it takes to cause disaster to the natural or to the moral order. But each refuses to see the other’s argument. In Defense of Nature allows both the Left and the Right to see what the other sees so clearly, and how it all fits together, from toxic landfills and global warming, to internet addiction and human trafficking.
Download or read book The Eucharistic Vision of Laudato Si written by Lucas Briola and published by CUA Press. This book was released on 2022-12-28 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No other encyclical has generated as much conversation—both Catholic and non-Catholic—as Laudato si’. Often forgotten in these conversations is the theological heart and eucharistic vision of the encyclical and its integral ecology. Even the title of Laudato si’—“Praised be!”—signals the centrality of right praise in caring for our common home. Using Bernard Lonergan’s theology of history, this book unearths the doxological, eucharistic vision that shapes the encyclical’s integral presentation of social and ecological conversion. It offers the first book-length study that recovers the eucharistic nature of Laudato si’. In drawing out the eucharistic vision of Laudato si’, the book accomplishes several feats for the reader. It roots the eucharistic dimensions of the encyclical in the writings of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, showing how Pope Francis develops their thought in notable ways. It introduces Bernard Lonergan’s theology of history, showing how his framework can capture the eucharistic contours of caring for our common home; so too, in light of Laudato si’, does the book expand his theology of history to incorporate both ecological concern and the doxological, eucharistic essence of the church. The book assembles a liturgically shaped, systematic account of the church’s social mission. It joins poles otherwise sundered in a polarized church and world: between worship and justice, between concerns for human life and concerns for the natural world. Realizing the eucharistic vision of Laudato si’ promises much for our contemporary moment. Pope Francis recently observed that the integral ecology of Laudato si’ holds the key for the world’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Catholic Bishops recently launched a Eucharistic Revival that aims to rekindle eucharistic devotion and praxis. The Eucharistic Vision of Laudato Si’: Praise, Conversion, and Integral Ecology supplies a timely study that helps fulfill these intertwined calls.
Download or read book Environmental Justice and Climate Change written by Jame Schaefer and published by Lexington Books. This book was released on 2013-11-21 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During his papacy, Pope Benedict XVI was called ‘the green pope’ because of his ecological commitments in his writings, statements, and practical initiatives. Containing twelve essays by lay, ordained, and religious Catholic theologians and scholars, along with a presentation and a homily by bishops, Environmental Justice and Climate Change: Assessing Pope Benedict XVI's Ecological Vision for the Catholic Church in the United States explores four key areas in connection with Benedict XVI’s teachings: human and natural ecology/human life and dignity; solidarity, justice, poverty and the common good; sacramentality of creation; and our Catholic faith in action. The product of mutual collaboration by bishops, scholars and staff, this anthology provides the most thorough treatment of Benedict XVI’s contributions to ecological teaching and offers fruitful directions for advancing concern among Catholics in the United States about ongoing threats to the integrity of Earth.
Download or read book Ecological Footprints written by Dawn M. Nothwehr and published by Liturgical Press. This book was released on 2012-11-01 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Franciscan Vision offers a powerful antidote to the moral malaise that prevents ordinary Christians from making the necessary choices to live more simply and share the world's goods more equitably. This is the driving conviction behind Ecological Footprints. Dawn M. Nothwehr unfolds the theological, spiritual, and ethical treasure trove of Christianity–especially as it has been developed and lived in Franciscan theology and tradition–as it relates to our efforts to achieve sustainable living. She succeeds admirably in presenting it all in a style that makes this book both accessible and compelling to no specialist readers.
Download or read book The Garden of God written by Pope Benedict and published by Catholic University of America Press + ORM . This book was released on 2014-03-31 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this collection of his writings, Pope Benedict XVI speak to the important relationships between the environment, Catholic social teaching, and theology. During his papacy, Pope Benedict XVI repeatedly drew attention to the environment. He spoke of preserving it, such as his address concerning the Amazon rainforest and his letter regarding the Arctic, and of distributing its vital resources—such as water—more equitably. Benedict led by example when the Vatican became the first carbon-neutral country in the world. This book collects Benedict’s many audiences, addresses, letters, and homilies on a wide range of topics dealing with the world about us. The major themes and connections he explores include creation and the natural world; the environment, science, and technology; and hunger, poverty, and the earth’s resources. In these pages, Benedict insists that if we truly desire peace, we must consciously nurture all of creation. He speaks in favor of alternative energy while speaking out against the spread of nuclear weapons and threats to biodiversity. He urges sustainable development, equitable distribution of food and water, and an end to hunger. In summation, Benedict argues that our love of God should cause us to protect the environment, and that in turn, our heightened appreciation of the natural world will draw us closer to God.
Download or read book Embracing Earth written by Albert J. LaChance and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Embracing Earth brings together original and seminal contributions by contemporary Catholic spiritual and mystical writers who explore the Christian view of nature and our place in it. Their writings address not only theological, philosophical, and spiritual parameters but specific, concrete issues as well.
Download or read book Fragile World written by William T. Cavanaugh and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2018-05-22 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Fragile World: Ecology and the Church, scholars and activists from Christian communities as far-flung as Honduras, the Philippines, Colombia, and Kenya present a global angle on the global ecological crisis—in both its material and spiritual senses—and offer Catholic resources for responding to it. This volume explores the deep interconnections, for better and for worse, between the global North and the global South, and analyzes the relationship among the physical environment, human society, culture, theology, and economics—the “integral ecology” described by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’. Integral ecology demands that we think deeply about humans and the physical environment, but also about the God who both created the world and sustains it in being. At its root, the ecological crisis is a theological crisis, not only in the way that humans regard creation and their place in it, but in the way that humans think about God. For Pope Francis in Laudato Si’, the root of the crisis is that we humans have tried to put ourselves in God’s place. According to Pope Francis, therefore, “A fragile world, entrusted by God to human care, challenges us to devise intelligent ways of directing, developing, and limiting our power.”
Download or read book Diversity and Dominion written by Kyle Schuyler Van Houtan and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2010 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Description: This book records a set of dialogues between scientists, theologians, and philosophers on what can be done to prevent a global slide into ecological collapse. It is a uniquely multidisciplinary book that exemplifies the kinds of cultural and scholarly dialogue urgently needed to address the threat to the earth represented by our super-industrial civilization. The authors debate the conventional account of nature conservation as protection from human activity. In contrast to standard accounts, they argue what is needed is a new relationship between human beings and the earth that recovers a primal respect for all things. This approach seeks to recover forgotten resources in ancient cultures and in the foundational narratives of Western civilization contained in the Bible and in the culture of classical Greece. Endorsements: ""A refreshing critique of both evangelical and liberal North American environmental discourse, a bold exercise in multi-disciplinary conversation, and a welcome retrieval of the virtues of creaturely humility and gratitude."" -Ernst M. Conradie University of the Western Cape, South Africa ""This wonderfully rich book is a model of deep conversation on crucial challenges we face. The most important issues are intrinsically interdisciplinary, yet we often settle for talking 'at' or 'to' one another. This is especially true among the 'environmental' and 'religious' communities. The conversations in this book show that deep interdisciplinary engagements offer opportunities to re-frame the questions and re-describe the challenges in more promising and life-giving ways, transforming participants and the issues alike. A terrific achievement."" -L. Gregory Jones Duke University ""Underlying the environmental movement are a set of mostly undiscussed ethical and theological assumptions about the nature of the world and our relationship to it. In this pioneering volume, scholars from various perspectives engage in a deep exploration of the relationship of ecology, theology, and ethics. The results are often illuminating, sometimes surprising, and uniformly worth engaging."" --Paul Root Wolpe Emory University ""Van Houtan and Northcott engage scientists, ethicists, theologians, and other thinking persons in dialogue, working to re-ligate the torn academic and social fabric, and bringing all to see and respond to the biosphere--the awesome creation that calls for our guardianship and respectful service. They have us join this dialogue, motivating us--guardeners all--toward nurturing the kind of wisdom and humility that brings good news to every creature."" --Calvin DeWitt University of Wisconsin About the Contributor(s): Kyle S. Van Houtan is a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Program in Science and Society and a Research Fellow in the Center for Ethics at Emory University. He has served as a biologist with the Smithsonian Institution and the U.S. Geological Service. Michael S. Northcott is Professor of Ethics in the School of Divinity in the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He is the author of The Environment and Christian Ethics (1996)
Download or read book Laudato Si written by Pope Francis and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2015-07-18 with total page 119 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward. Praise be to him!” – Pope Francis, Laudato Si’ In his second encyclical, Laudato Si’: On the Care of Our Common Home, Pope Francis draws all Christians into a dialogue with every person on the planet about our common home. We as human beings are united by the concern for our planet, and every living thing that dwells on it, especially the poorest and most vulnerable. Pope Francis’ letter joins the body of the Church’s social and moral teaching, draws on the best scientific research, providing the foundation for “the ethical and spiritual itinerary that follows.” Laudato Si’ outlines: The current state of our “common home” The Gospel message as seen through creation The human causes of the ecological crisis Ecology and the common good Pope Francis’ call to action for each of us Our Sunday Visitor has included discussion questions, making it perfect for individual or group study, leading all Catholics and Christians into a deeper understanding of the importance of this teaching.
Download or read book Religion and Ecological Crisis written by Todd LeVasseur and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-07-01 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1967, Lynn White, Jr.’s seminal article The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis was published, essentially establishing the academic study of religion and nature. White argues that religions—particularly Western Christianity—are a major cause of worldwide ecological crises. He then asserts that if we are to halt, let alone revert, anthropogenic damages to the environment, we need to radically transform religious cosmologies. White’s hugely influential thesis has been cited thousands of times in a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to religious studies, environmental ethics, history, ecological science, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology. In practical terms, the ecological crisis to which White was responding has only worsened in the decades since the article was published. This collection of original essays by leading scholars in a variety of interdisciplinary settings, including religion and nature, environmental ethics, animal studies, ecofeminism, restoration ecology, and ecotheology, considers the impact of White’s arguments, offering constructive criticism as well as reflections on the ongoing, ever-changing scholarly debate about the way religion and culture contribute to both environmental crises and to their possible solutions. Religion and Ecological Crisis addresses a wide range of topics related to White’s thesis, including its significance for environmental ethics and philosophy, the response from conservative Christians and evangelicals, its importance for Asian religious traditions, ecofeminist interpretations of the article, and which perspectives might have, ultimately, been left out of his analysis. This book is a timely reflection on the legacy and continuing challenge of White’s influential article.
Download or read book On Care for Our Common Home Laudato Si written by Pope Francis and published by Orbis Books. This book was released on 2016-03-08 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Brings together the full text of Laudato Si'with reflections by Sean McDonagh, one of the foremost Catholic proponents of ecological awareness. In addition to an overview of the history of Catholic teaching and the environment, he elaborates on several of the specific themes in the encyclical including climate change, biodiversity, water scarcity, the threats to the ocean, and the crisis of food. He concludes with prescriptions about what must be done to turn the vision of Pope Francis into a program of effective action. Each of us has a role to play. As Pope Francis observes, "All it takes is one good person to restore hope."
Download or read book After Nature s Revolt written by Dieter T. Hessel and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2003-03-27 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Living with the consequences of modern Western abuse of the environment has alerted many to the need to change not simply their habits but also their worldview.A true faith-centered eco-justice ethic, assert the contributors to this volume, will recognize the intrinsic links between social justice questions and environmental ones. It will also demand reassessment of fundamental assumptions - many of them from Christian theology - that stand behind Western social, economic, and technological patterns.Introduced by Hessel's illuminating assessment of specific environmental challenges, the theologians in this volume rethink aspects of Christian doctrines, lifestyle, and spirituality. They tackle key environmental issues. And together they pioneer a theological perspective that moves beyond anthropocentrism to a new center in creation itself.
Download or read book Green Discipleship written by Tobias L. Winright and published by Anselm Academic Christian Brothers Pub.. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From federal rebates for high-efficiency appliances to bottle deposits to "Meatless Mondays," practices promoting sustainability are now incorporated into our daily lives. Due to the establishment of protection agencies and the efforts of activist groups, the wider public has become more conscious of the impact we humans make on the planet, and what we can do to preserve what we have. Religious communities, long concerned with broad issues of social responsibility and justice, have naturally become full participants in this greening movement. In Green Discipleship: Catholic Theological Ethics, scholars from the fields of theology and the social and hard sciences discuss this development, and consider how a proactive approach to the earth's welfare is, essentially, a moral obligation of Christians, and those of other faiths around the world. Accessible for undergraduate or seminary students, this anchor text: Shows students how saving the earth is ethics in praxis Views theology, ethics, and the environment through a variety of lenses Includes tools such as end-of-chapter questions, glossary, and sidebars Current and relevant, Green Discipleship will prompt students to think more widely about the earth, its stewardship, and how individual action is a fulfillment of duty.
Download or read book Renewing the Earth written by United States Catholic Conference and published by USCCB Publishing. This book was released on 1992 with total page 20 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Environment written by Pope Benedict XVI and published by Our Sunday Visitor. This book was released on 2012-04-25 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "I willingly join in spirit all who are grateful to the Lord for the fruits of the earth and the work of human hands, renewing the pressing invitation to respect the natural environment, a precious resource entrusted to our stewardship" Pope Benedict XVI. (Angelus, November 15, 2009) Pope Benedict has not been shy in regards to issues of the environment. He has spoken frequently about everyone's right to food, right to water and responsible sharing. He has spoken about the real meaning of progress and development and what that means for our planet of limited resources. He has discussed climate change, the connection between science and nature and how the path of cultivating peace is directly linked to protecting creation. An unprecedented collection of excerpts from what Pope Benedict has had to say regarding the environment, this book is a treasure trove of insights and inspiration surrounding the Church and the world in which we live. Preservation of the environment, promotion of sustainable development and particular attention to climate change are matters of grave concern for the entire human family. With increasing clarity, scientific research demonstrates that the impact of human actions in any one place or region can have worldwide effects. -- Pope Benedict XVI, Message for the 2007 World Day of Peace, 8.
Download or read book The Environment and Christian Ethics written by Michael S. Northcott and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1996-09-28 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new approach to environmental ethics from within the Christian tradition.
Download or read book Following St Francis written by Marybeth Lorbiecki and published by Rizzoli Publications. This book was released on 2014-04-01 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first book to present the environmental teachings of this beloved pope—the newly canonized St. John Paul—and the hopeful words of Pope Francis, thoughtfully synthesized into a complete spiritual and practical vision for the future. "The ecological crisis is a moral crisis." So said Pope John Paul II, an unexpected and fierce advocate for ecological responsibility throughout his papacy. Rather than seeing environmental concerns as “earthly” or “political,” he showed that they are in fact at the heart of the covenant between human beings and their Creator. In dozens of addresses, sermons, and encyclicals, Pope John Paul II made specific recommendations on twelve interconnected ecological issues, including climate change, ocean destruction, water scarcity, poverty, the role of women, and war. He showed that each could become a source of spiritual, social, and economic transformation. Following St. Francis integrates Pope John Paul II’s vision with that of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology, and the galvanizing words of Pope Francis. Accessible and illuminating, it speaks to hearts and minds, to nonreligious readers as well as devoted Catholics, incorporating Scripture, current science, and inspiring stories of solutions and restoration. Marybeth Lorbiecki unifies and champions the late, beloved pope’s view that all life issues are related and that all forms of life deserve care. And if we work with God and each other to protect them, we can “renew the face of the earth” (Psalm 104:30).
