Caring for the environment has emerged as one of humanity's greatest advancements in the last 30 years, with widespread consensus on the path forward. But does the Church have anything additional to contribute, or is its voice merely another case of 'too little, too late' to make any significant progress in environmental protection?
From a single sentence in 1961 to an entire encyclical in 2015, the Church has provided consistent guidance regarding a Christian perspective on the environmental crisis and the appropriate ways to address it. In 1961, St. John XXIII wrote in 'Mater et Magistra' (# 197) that God commanded us to care for the earth. Addressing the consequences of failing to follow that commandment requires more than just simplistic habits or dogmatic attitudes.
Environmental issues are critical global concerns, and thus no local solution will be entirely satisfactory. Humanity needs to confront the environmental crisis collectively and in solidarity, which requires agreement on both the diagnosis and the treatment. This, in turn, necessitates a serious commitment to dialogue. Like with any other global issue, we need an authentic reform of our information and response systems, potentially extending to a spiritual conversion.
The environmental crisis is intricately linked to historical developments, including the evolution of certain attitudes and the technology that enabled them. Consequently, the solution cannot be limited to merely banning certain technologies or products. Simply vilifying plastics and fossil fuels is not sufficient. Nor is it helpful to adopt a pessimistic view of humanity as a villain whose only contribution should be to extricate itself from nature. The Church advocates for a spiritual conversion — a renewed perspective on our relationship with the environment, wherein we rediscover our true place and role on this planet. God created us as part of nature, not to be separate from it.