A Hermeneutic of Continuity: Pope Francis' Ecology in Context (original) (raw)

Pauline Theology and Recent Papal Teaching on Ecology

PAPER PRESENTED AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE, November, 2016. In 2015, Pope Francis made headlines with Laudato Si’, an encyclical letter focused on ecology. While the document’s teaching on the environment may have been a surprise for some, it was not the first time the topic has appeared in recent papal teaching. Benedict XVI, Francis’ predecessor, explained that ecology was among “the themes I often return to in my discourses,” speaking of it so frequently he became widely known as the “Green Pope” (e.g., Newsweek, Huffington Post). This paper examines the way papal teaching on the environment in the twenty-first century has drawn specifically from the Pauline epistles. Christians, the popes explain, must have an elevated sense of ecological responsibility rooted in the revelation of Jesus Christ as the “firstborn of all creation” (Col 1:15), the one who responds to what Paul describes as creation’s longing to share in the freedom of the sons of God (Rom 8:19–22). Moreover, it looks at specific ecological concerns and initiatives the popes have analyzed and supported in light of Paul’s teaching. To begin with, drawing on Rom 1:20–25, creation is understood as a means by which God reveals himself to humanity. Recognizing this, the popes have called for a “human ecology”, which, among other things, holds that “the natural environment is given by God to everyone, and our use of it entails a personal responsibility toward humanity as a whole, and in particular toward the poor and toward future generations” (Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, no. 48). The destruction of this gift or the hording of its resources is thus understood to be gravely immoral. Rom 2:14–15 is interpreted as speaking of a natural law written on the human heart, explaining why all people recognize in their conscience a duty to protect the environment. Yet Benedict XVI and Francis teach that Christian faith involves an especially profound sense of ecological responsibility since Eph 1:9–10 and Col 1:19–20 reveal that Christ has come to recapitulate God’s plan for all things, including the world. Both popes cite Rom 8:19–22 where Paul shows that the destiny of redeemed humanity is inseparably linked with the world. The earth’s resources, therefore, must not simply be reductively viewed as “raw material” to be consumed. Moreover, those who are themselves a “new creation” in Christ (Gal 6:15) bear unique responsibility since Paul explains to the Corinthians that all things, including the world, belong in a special sense to believers (cf. 1 Cor 3:22–23). The task of ensuring that all justly benefit from the earth’s resources is thus part of the sacrificial worship Christians are to offer God (Rom 12:1). With all of this in mind, the popes apply Pauline theology to specific concerns such as the use and proliferation of nuclear weapons, pollution, as well as the ruinous exploitation and hording of natural resources. In addition, the paper discusses particular organizations and initiatives the popes have supported (e.g., the G8 Summit, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations).