Most of the early comment on the Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ Encyclical on the environment, has rightly focused on its political impact. But to appreciate its reach it is helpful also to read it within the context of Catholic reflection on ethical issues.
The distinctive contribution of the Encyclical is to make respect for the environment a priority in Catholic life, and to justify that place by making it centrally in Catholic reflection on the human condition.
Encyclicals, which are addressed directly to the Catholic Bishops, always set their themes within the Catholic tradition, and particularly within the context of recent Papal teaching.
So Laudato Si summarises the reflection of Popes John XXIII, Paul VI, John-Paul II and Benedict XVI on the environment. Pope Francis quotes Benedict frequently throughout the document, thus incidentally forestalling any attempt to put a wedge between the two men.
His immediate argument for giving a central place to ecology in Catholic life rests on the conviction that the world faces a crisis caused by global warming and the dire consequences that will follow if it is not addressed by concerted action. The evidence he offers reflects the general consensus of scientists who have studied the matter carefully. Not all Catholics will agree with him, but this has now become the Catholic default position.
In giving ecology a central place within Christian faith, his critical move is to emphasise the interdependence of human beings with one another and with the natural world. We do not have an environment but are part of the environment.
This approach differs from the conventional Catholic approach to moral issues, which begins with individuals and their unique dignity, moves to personal relationships, their relationships to society, and then to the natural world as an outrider.
Pope Francis considers human beings in the network of relationships that constitute human life. These relationships include centrally the non-human world. Because of this interdependence we cannot speak adequately of any dimension of human life without considering our relationships with all other beings. We must treat them with a respect analogous to that we owe to other human beings. St Francis of Assisi, much referred to in the Encyclical, could speak of Brother Sun and Sister Moon.
Of course the Encyclical addresses the environment from the human perspective – he is writing to change human attitudes – but the corollary of his approach is that all ethical reflection must consider the environmental aspects.
The interdependence