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“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.”
- National Conference of Catholic
Bishops, Renewing the Earth: An Invitation to Reflection
and Action on Environment in Light of Catholic Social Teaching,
p.1
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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.
~
“We show our
respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation.” Good
stewardship of the earth and of all its creatures (including human
beings) is a complex challenge. Humans are part of creation itself,
and whatever we do to the earth we ultimately do to ourselves. We
must live in harmony with the rest of creation and preserve it for
future generations.
~
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“The dominion
granted to man by the Creator is not an absolute power, nor can one
speak of a freedom to ‘use and misuse,’or to dispose of things as one
pleases. The limitation imposed from the beginning by the Creator
himself . . . shows clearly enough that, when it comes to the natural
world, we are subject not only to biological laws but also to moral
ones, which cannot be violated with impunity.”
- Pope John Paul II, On Social
Concern (Sollicitudo Rei Socialis), no 34
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Our faith calls
us to be good stewards of the earth and all its creatures.
- Genesis 1:31
(goodness of creation)
- Genesis 2:15
(stewardship of earth)
- Daniel 3:74-81
(all the earth blesses God)
- Hosea 4:1-3
(humans wound the earth)
- Romans 8:18-25
(all creation awaits redemption)
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