Posted on 08/26/2002 9:13:06 AM PDT by narses
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Official Catholic teaching on the environment is based on the belief that creation is a gift of God that must be protected, used responsibly and shared equitably, said a new Vatican book.
Under Pope John Paul II the teaching has developed, uniting spirituality with morality and addressing concrete problems, including population growth, access to water, development and the impact of genetic manipulation, said the book, released Aug. 21.
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace published the book, an overview of church teaching on environmental issues, in preparation for the United Nations' Aug. 26-Sept. 4 World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa.
"From Stockholm to Johannesburg: An Historical Overview of the Concern of the Holy See for the Environment," focused on statements from 1972 to 2002, but also traced the beginnings of modern Catholic moral concern for the environment to the Second Vatican Council.
Written by Sacred Heart of Mary Sister Marjorie Keenan, a semi-retired U.S. official of the council, the book also includes major excerpts on environmental issues from 24 papal or Vatican documents.
Pope John Paul, she wrote, has "never hesitated to make explicit the relationship between a creation-based spirituality and care for the environment that is for all of God's creation."
The pope's teaching on environmental issues presents nature as one of the means by which God reveals himself to humanity; and while it clearly places human beings at the center of concern in evaluating the environmental impact of progress, it stresses "the obligation to care for it in all its splendor and beauty, remembering that it was created for all."
The centrality of the human person, in addition, requires respect for the conscience of each individual. While the Catholic Church urges couples to be responsible in their parenthood, it absolutely opposes any government or international organization's efforts to pressure people to have fewer children than they want or can care for responsibly, the book said.
"The contemplation of the wonders of nature has led Pope John Paul II to address an evermore urgent appeal to all to turn toward creation, to see in it the reflection of the creator and to assure that its fruits are for all," she wrote.
The book incorporated several lists of theological and moral concepts and principles from Catholic teaching on environmental issues, including:
-- "All of creation has a value in its own right.
-- "The goods of the earth are a unique patrimony of all of humanity.
-- "Their distribution must be regulated by justice and accompanied by love.
-- "Nature is a mirror reflecting the covenant of all of creation, centered in the human person, with the creator.
-- "The present high rate of consumption and pollution is not tolerable.
-- "Science and technology have contributed much to progress. However, there are moral limits to their use and applications, among which (is) their effect on the environment.
-- "The present destruction of the environment is only one aspect of a profound moral crisis.
-- "The richer countries must take a serious look at their lifestyle, which is consuming an inordinate share of the goods of the earth.
-- "As regards the protection of the environment, the complex and widely diverse question of population growth is one fact among several to be taken into consideration.
-- "Great care must be taken in any form of genetic manipulation, which must be ruled by ethical norms."
END
This is the liberal, Democrat line.
The goods of the earth are not "zero sum." Why doesn't the Vatican ever stress the importance of free-market systems in making a bigger pie, thus affording more for everybody?
Population growth is not a "problem". See how insidiously the zeitgeist infects even the minds of those who should know better?
Because "affording more for everybody" is not an absolute good and end in itself?
Just guessing.
-- "The goods of the earth are a unique patrimony of all of humanity.
-- "Their distribution must be regulated by justice and accompanied by love
-- "The richer countries must take a serious look at their lifestyle, which is consuming an inordinate share of the goods of the earth.
How do these positions differ from the positions of, say, Kofi Anan or Al Gore, or indeed, the ultra-left wing globalist enviro-wackos?
What, REALLY, does a statement that one's posessions or the global distribution of goods must be "REGULATED WITH JUSTICE"... what exactly, does that mean, and what could those words someday be construed to mean down the road? Justice according to whom?
Not in a zero sum universe, to be sure.
Redistribution of wealth only works in a voluntary setting, such as religious communities.
Soviet-style "share the wealth" schemes are colossal failures.
What would be your solution for the "have nots"?
Nor in any other, sinkspur. Man's end is not in material wealth, no mater how it's created.
The Church is not in the business of endorsing or condemning economic systems as such.
No, the real profound moral crisis is the spreading of lies and half-truths that is the main tool of the envirosocialist movement that is apparently infecting the Church as well. I am also saddened that the Church felt it necessary to time a response to the Socialist Summit in the South. I suspect they did so in an attempt to pre-respond to calls for population control, but the rest of the position presented in this brief article will only provide support for more population control.
The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace published the book, an overview of church teaching on environmental issues.
Official Catholic teaching on the environment is based on the belief that creation is a gift of God that must be protected, used responsibly and shared equitably, said a new Vatican book.
Does the utopian Marxism in this book reflect the author, the publisher or the entire Corporation ?
This treatise is founded on the belief that G-d does not exist and this Corporation is in charge!
2Ch. 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble
themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their
wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive
their sin and will heal their land.
chuck <truth@Y'shuaHaMashiach>
That's of course true. But the Church spends significant political capital in chastising the "wealthy" countries for their consumption, yet it is the wealthy countries who distribute millions of dollars in aid every year to the third world.
The Church is not in the business of endorsing or condemning economic systems as such.
Really? John Paul II spent his life condemning and fighting against Marxism.
No poor man was ever helped by condemning a rich man.
It certainly can be and in some places it is a problem.
That some we disapprove of have similar ideas does not render those ideas incorrect. When one sees these statements one must keep in mind the principle of subsidiarity which Anan and Gore prolly haven't even heard of, or, if they have, they would surely reject
Please cite were Marx "never hesitated to make explicit the relationship between a creation-based spirituality and care for the environment that is for all of God's creation."
Your antiCatholicism is boorish
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