Pope Benedict XVI and Environmental Concerns - Term Paper Example

? Pope Benedict XVI and Environmental concerns (College) INTRODUCTION Admittedly, Pope Benedict XVI is d for his recent statements related to environment. It seems that he is very interested in the subject because he has spoken and written about environment and human responsibilities in a number of situations. Evidently, the Holy Father’s message expresses the Christian view of environment and ecological coexistence. The Holy Father’s speech on the World Day of Peace indicates that he acknowledges the importance of all ‘creations’; not only humans. He states that ‘creation is the beginning and the foundation of all God’s works and its reservation has now become essential for the pacific co-existence of mankind.’1 Man is to be the savior; not exploiter of the environment Though Christianity holds the view that man is superior to other creations on earth, the Church openly acknowledges through its spiritual leader that the preservation of flora and fauna is very vital for the survival of mankind. Admittedly, the only irony is that still, the leader thinks only about the welfare of the mankind; not about the wellbeing of other species. The spiritual leader thinks that the methods of development adopted by the nations are erroneous and are the reasons behind the present day environmental crises. So, it is claimed by the Pope that there is the need to have a long term review of our ‘models of development’. The situation is warranted due to a number of reasons. Firstly, ‘the ecological health of the planet’ is declining, and secondly, there is severe cultural and moral crisis everywhere in the world2. Another important aspect of the environmental view held by Pope Benedict XVI is the realization of the need to unite irrespective of region and religion. In other words, Pope is calling for the unity of all people, all nations, and all cultures to bring about effective changes in the way we deal with environment. Thus, the spiritual leader claims that only ‘solidarity’ with new rules and forms of engagement can bring about the desired results. Moral decline is linked to environment Being the spiritual leader, Pope considers the present day crisis as the result of moral crises. In other words, the leader claims that all the issues faced by the present-day world are interconnected. To illustrate, the economic, food-related, environmental, and social issues are all the result of moral crises. That means it is high time for the people to adopt a life of ‘sobriety and solidarity’, to adopt such strategies that are useful and to reject the ones that do not work. According to the pope, the present environmental issues arose because humans understood the meaning of god’s command and exploit God’s creation as he wanted to enjoy absolute command over other things in the world. In order to correct this misunderstanding, the pope interpret God’s original command as seen in Genesis, and says that the command does not mean a ‘conferral of authority’. Instead, the pope points out that the command meant a ‘summons to responsibility’. In order to support this position, Pope gives the example of the wisdom of ancients which had recognized the fact that nature is not a ‘heap of scattered refusal which is at our disposal’. Thus, the point the pope wants to put forward is that as Genesis puts it, nature is a gift given by God to man, and he is allowed to ‘till it and keep it’3. Thus, the entire nature belongs to God, and it has its own inbuilt nature. So, the duty of man is to become co-worker of God, not to become tyrants who provoke rebellion in nature. However, as the speech progresses, one can see pope criticizing the unequal distribution of wealth and resources among nations and peoples. Quoting the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, it is pointed out that ‘God has destined the earth and everything it contains for all peoples and nations’4. That means the fruits of the creation are not the property of a few people or nations, but all people around the world have equal rights over the same. The Papal solutions It is acknowledged by the spiritual father that the present level of exploitation as a result of the greed of some has crossed all limits, and hence, many resources are already endangered. So, it is pointed out that the present critical situation calls for a common plan of action which is sustainable. The action plan should acknowledge the centrality of human beings, and there should be great respect for creation, and sharing of common good. Such a new developmental model will realize the need for a changed lifestyle and prudence. In fact, pope has paid adequate attention to the role of individuals, local governments and families in solving the present environmental problems. So, he stated in his address before the angelus prayer in St. Peter’s Square on January 1, 2010 that the decisions of individuals, families, and local administrations also have an important role in the preservation of the environment5. Another significant point from the environmental concerns of Pope Benedict XVI is the importance he gives to education as a solution. According to him, education has a fundamental role in protecting the environment. The rationality behind this claim is that through education, it is possible to teach the new generation to respect the nature. Also, the new buds can be made aware about the importance of protecting other creations for the well-being of the whole planet. Thus, one can see that what Pope Benedict XVI calls for is a combined action of all people at all levels of society, starting from laymen to national and international leaders. Individuals should take wise decisions regarding their lifestyle and purchasing habits, schools should teach to respect environment and creation governments should give up the monopolizing activities and wars and conflicts over resources, and share resources equally. Selfishness and greed as the main reasons However, one can see that pope is highly concerned about the greed of the rich world which often results in the monopolization and unequal distribution of resources. The spiritual leader is of the opinion that the earth has enough resources to support the people everywhere in the world. In the address to the ambassadors of 178 countries accredited to the Holy See, the pope claims ‘the world has enough food for its all inhabitants’, and the very same opinion was expressed in the FAO World Summit on Food Security in 2009.6 So, the pope, based on the concept of equality, claims that proper implementation of the concept of equality will lead to decreased destruction of the environment. So, the leader warns ‘the selfishness’ of some should not lead to ‘hoarding the goods’ which are actually meant for all people. Evidently, the message intends to hurt the confidence and might of the developed world and multinational giants7. Admittedly, Benedict XVI is different from other environment-mongers who love to ignore the purely human-based causes of global warming and other environmental imbalances. Among them, the ‘green pope’ stands apart for his wide view and acceptance of human error. The wide worldview of the pope is not anti-development in nature, but one that calls for a better and more sensitive economic development model. According to the pope, the first step in this connection is the equal distribution of resources. The first step as put forward by the pope in this connection is the ‘world-wide redistribution of energy resources, so that countries lacking those resources can have access to them.’ Again, one can see that the pope is pointing his fingers towards the greed of certain developed nations, which results in total monopoly over certain natural resources. In his opinion, resources are not solely meant for any nation or people, but all people around the world have equal rights over natural resources irrespective of national or geographic boundaries. The claim is that when one tries to amass wealth or resources, one is taking away others’ shares too. So, the first step in reducing the imbalance, according to the spiritual leader, is to change ones own attitude. That is, to give up the greed and be ready to share the wealth one has withheld from others. Lifestyle needs to be changed Yet another point that the Holy Father presents is the need to change the lifestyle of people. He says “moreover, technologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency.” Here, one can see that the spiritual leader is becoming a technological visionary who is well aware about the importance of adopting a simple lifestyle. Admittedly, here one can see a change from the traditional Christian concept that everything in nature has been created for man’s welfare as he is superior to all. Putting an end to this misconception, the spiritual leader points out that superiority does not mean total exploitation or indiscriminate consumption. Instead, man is given the power and responsibility to look after the nature which provides him all the means of living, and protect it, being the ‘co-worker’ of God. Thus, it is clear that what is meant by the pope is the adoption of a sober lifestyle which is conscious about the existence of other creations and the environment as a whole. Putting the lust to possessions aside, man should be ready to use wisely, and share wholeheartedly. Another vital point of consideration is that the church, under the leadership of Benedict, does not abhor science. Instead of giving up science, pope opines, society should try to improve the existing technology so that the amount of energy consumed is reduced and efficiency is improved. Thus, one can see that the ‘green pope’ is set about to change a number of views which were traditionally held by the church. First of all, the church has loosened its claim that man has total control over nature and other creations as man is superior. Moving away from this position, the present claim as propounded by the ‘green pope’ is that man is given superiority not as a right to exploit but as a responsibility to protect. Secondly, there is the straightforward view that the present-day imbalance is the result of the greed of man, and that all issues; ranging from economic, social, and environmental, are interrelated. Thus, to solve the problem, it is necessary for everyone and every nation to act in unity. Yet anther point is that according to Benedict, the present-day crisis occurs mainly as a result of the selfishness exhibited by some to hoard all the resources. In fact, the nature has enough resources for the consumption of all. However, when some try to usurp others’ rightful share; there arises imbalance which leads to crisis. Moreover, one can see that the church has admitted the fact that it is not possible to go back to a world without technology. Instead of taking an adamant view towards science, the pope says that science should try to achieve excellence in efficiency and energy consumption. Furthermore, one can see that Benedict makes the realization that to protect the environment, it is necessary for all the warring fractions to come together and develop such a sustainable policy of development which takes into account the needs of all people, all creations and the environment as a whole; still a well-studied but unlikely proposition. Thinking in a wider perspective One point that makes the pope’s environmental views attractive is his much wider view of the issues than many other leaders and scholars love to have. To illustrate, one can see the spiritual leader saying ‘progressive disarmament and a world free of nuclear weapons’ is an integral part of this change. Admittedly, this claim goes well beyond the understanding of many people as to how disarmament and environmental protection are connected. The connection between environmental issues and disarmament becomes evident only when one understands the way pope wants to protect environment. The view of the green pope is that the nature possesses enough resources for the use of all people. Lack of resources and crisis arise only when some try to exploit and monopolize the same. It is this greed for monopoly and turf that prompts nations to use nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass annihilation. However, as nations realize the need to protect environment, and as the nations become ready to share wealth more justly, weapons become a commodity no more in use. Thus, according to the leader, environmental protection and disarmament are not two unrelated things, but two aspects of the same issue. Admittedly, the pope is not a many of theory, but is practical too. He has already got solar panels installed on the Vatican audience hall, and has promised that Vatican City will be the first carbon-neutral state of Europe. In addition, Pope Benedict’s thoughts and concerns about environment are compiled into a book named “Ten Commandments for the Environment: Pope Benedict XVI Speaks Out for Creation and Justice”. In addition, there are works like “The Environment” and “The Virtues” from Pope Benedict XVI. In ‘The Ecology of Peace’ as a part of the ‘Message for the Celebration for the World Day of Peace’, dated January 1, 2007, the Pope points out in clear terms that the reason behind today’s environmental problems is the destruction of environment and its improper or selfish use. According to Benedict XIV, the violent hoarding of the earth’s resources leads to wars and conflicts. Thus, it becomes evident that the exploitation or resources is the consequence of an inhumane concept of development. Importance of sharing natural resources With this insight, the pope warns the humanity that if this concept of technical-economic development is promoted instead of an integral human development, the result will be a one-sided distortion which is likely to result in unleashing man’s destructive forces. Thus, the claim is that it is not possible for a people or a nation to develop giving no attention to the need of other peoples and environment. When resources are amassed somewhere, it leads to deficiency elsewhere the result of which is conflict and war. In fact, this view is deep-rooted in the teachings of the church. To illustrate, it is seen in the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, it is seen that “water cannot be treated as just another commodity among many, and it must be used rationally and in solidarity with others”8. Also there is the realization that the right to water is not based on quantitative assessment, but is based on the concept of human dignity. Admittedly, one can see that the entire world is moving against this view. To illustrate, while the industrialized world exploits most of the drinkable water for industrial purposes, the poor, undeveloped nations face severe lack of clean water to drink. In the ‘Preservation of the Environment’ in ‘The Environment’, Benedict XIV points out “that highly industrialized countries must share their clean technologies”9 and ensure that their own markets do not sustain demand for those goods the production of which results in high degree of pollution. In fact, this part requires some explanation. One can see that in all the works and speeches of pope Benedict, a lot of stress is given on sharing. In this chapter also, there is the call for sharing. The rich nations are supposed to share their better technologies with the poor ones. The second point is rather more powerful. According to the pope, it is the duty of people to stay away from such products the production of which leads to pollution. Admittedly, this is a highly useful and practical advice as industries will become more and more cautious about their own environmental practices when there is the threat of social rejection. All these viewpoints are visible in the latest encyclical Caritas in Veritate which was released in July 2009. In the letter, the Holy Father states that on earth, there is enough room to accommodate everyone. So, the entire human family must find enough resources for a life of dignity, with the help of nature itself, which is God’s gift to humans. It is necessary to exhibit hard work and creativity in order to find and use these resources in a way that does not harm the equilibrium10. While using the fruits of nature, it is also our duty to realize our duty towards the nature. In fact, it is human duty to protect the earth and to handover it to future generations as a worthy habitat. In order to achieve this goal, the most important challenge facing the economy at present is to control the abuse of natural resources. In other words, it is necessary to develop such economic models which reduce exploitation of nature through more efficiency. An admirable character of the writings and speeches of Pope Benedict in this regard is the mature view he adopts. Instead of moving to both extremes which love to spread the view that humans and nature cannot exist together without harming each other, the green pope is trying to strike a balance between both, reminding people of their duty to protect the nature through wise and reasonable use of resources. Removing the ambiguity, the pope states that it is more important to save humans than to save and care for nature. Thus there is the rejection of the ‘neo-paganism’ which states that nature is more important than humans. Also, the leader does not hesitate to reject the other extreme too. For example, it is stated that ‘it is also necessary to reject the opposite position, which aims at total technical domination over nature’11. The reason is that nature is much more than mere raw material to be manipulated and exploited. Instead, nature is a complex creation by the Creator, which has its own rules and regulations regarding use and return. This system does not support reckless exploitation. Understanding the urgency of the situation In fact, the message linking World Day of Peace on January 1, 2010 from Pope Benedict XVI calls for a total review of the existing economic models and abolition of the existing highly consumerist mentality. The message starts with the acknowledgement that it is no more possible to ‘remain indifferent’ seeing the problems associated with climate change, desertification, the deterioration and loss of productivity in vast agricultural areas, pollution of water sources, loss of biodiversity, and increasing natural catastrophes. According to the Holy Father, the first way to achieve the required change is to give up the consumerist attitude and promote such agricultural and industrial productions which are capable of meeting the basic needs of all people. There are two points which deserve attention at this juncture; firstly, the leader says the production should meet the needs of ‘all people’. Secondly, the developments should only be aimed at meeting the basic needs. Thus, the meaning becomes clear: there are enough resources in nature to support its all inhabitants. Man should not take from it more than what he wants. In fact, pope gives explicit guidelines as to how the resources should be used. According to him, natural resources should be used ‘in such a way that immediate benefits do not have a negative impact on living creatures, present and future’12. In addition, pope expresses his concern over the excessive amassing of private property. It is reminded that ‘the protection of private property does not conflict with the universal destination of goods’13. As one gains the insight that the pope is rather accurate in his view of the issue, there is another solution he puts forward in order to reduce the existing deadlock between the wealthy countries and the poor ones regarding their responsibilities. While the rich claims that the poor is responsible for the pollution and imbalance because of their rudimentary technology, the poor alleges that the rich is responsible for the imbalance as they consume natural resources and burn fossil fuels recklessly. Bringing the issue to a solution, the pope opines that ‘the present ecological crisis is the historical responsibility of the industrialized countries.’14 However, the Holy Father does not spare the poor ones of their responsibility to create and adopt effective environmental measures. As the spiritual leader points out, the ‘self-interest’ of nations is the main reason behind the present issues and imbalances. So, only a voluntary change from the part of nations can solve the problem. Even the church is not exempted from the responsibility to protect the earth. Pope says the church must ‘protect earth, water and air as gifts of God the Creator’. 15Along with this, the spiritual leader reminds the people that the resources are ‘meant for everyone’ and the protection of the same is meant to ‘save the mankind from the danger of self-destruction.’16 Thus, in total, there are a number of points that become evident from the environmental thoughts of Pope Benedict XIV. First of all, pope does not consider environmental issues different from other social and economic issues. According to him, all the present-day crises are interrelated, and the reason behind all the problems is the selfishness of people. So, according to the pope, the first step in protecting the environment is to adopt a life where the people are ready to share resources among the fellow human beings. There is enough wealth and space on the earth to keep all the humans and other creations alive. So, when this wealth is shared equally, there is no imbalance; social, economic or environmental. The third important point is the adoption of a much sober lifestyle and giving up the consumerist attitude. People should be watchful about their own consumption patterns and should consume as less as possible. Otherwise, there is wastage of precious resources which we have the responsibility to preserve for the future generations. Also, there is the realization that when people and nations give up their selfishness and the desire to hoard resources, it is will be possible to introduce disarmament and demilitarization. So, to ensure that the world remains in peace and equality, it is necessary to ensure a world without arms, especially nuclear weapons. Moreover, technology should be used wisely to reduce emission and improve consumption. In order to achieve the same, technology should be more effective and efficient. The developed countries have the responsibility to develop and share clean technology with the poor nations, and the poor nations have the responsibility to use their creativity and develop and implement better strategies to deal with the environmental problems. In addition, education too has its own role in improving the situation. It is reminded by the pope that schools should act as places where children get proper awareness about man’s duties in nature. The children should be taught how important it is to preserve the nature for the survival of all species, and how important it is to share the resources among everyone on earth. Finally, there is the realization that it is possible for one section of the society to develop by amassing resources. When one amasses resources, there will be imbalance in nature, and other sections will face scarcity of resources. When this happens, there will be conflicts and wars, thus forcing people to unleash evils. The role of the church in protecting the environment In the homily during the Inaugural Mass on 24th April 2005, the pope points out that “the external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. Therefore, the earth’s treasures no longer serve to build God’s garden for all to live in, but they have been made to serve the powers of exploitation and destruction. The church as a whole and all her pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the one who gives us life, and life in abundance17.” Evidently, the pope believes that it is the duty of the Church to take care of the ‘internal deserts’ because the reason behind the ‘external deserts’ is ‘internal deserts’. For those who do not understand what is meant by ‘internal deserts’, it becomes necessary to look into the Message to Archbishop Geraldo Lyrio Rocha of Mariana (9 March 2011)18 in connection with the Fraternity Campaign. In the message, the pope points out that the human being will be able to respect other creatures only when he understands the full meaning of life in his own heart. When he fails to do so, he starts despising himself and others around him, and starts showing disrespect to all including the environment and the creation19. Thus, the first area to be considered is ‘human ecology’, which starts from defending human life from conception till natural death. This will include giving special attention to those societies which are excluded and marginalized. At this juncture, one might doubt whether it is vital to take care of the ‘social ecology’ in order to protect the natural ecology. According to Pope John Paul II, as he wrote in the Encyclical Letter Centesimus Annus20, experience proves that there is a connection between human ecology and natural ecology. In other words, those who disregard the environment always harm human coexistence, and those who harm human coexistence disregard the environment21. Pope Benedict XVI further elaborates on the concept of the ‘ecology of peace’ in his message on the World Day of Peace 200722. In order to show this connection, the Pope introduces the example of energy supplies. As more and more nations eagerly adopted industrialization, there is a rising demand for energy. Thus, all the nations are in the race to find and monopolize energy resources. However, the painful fact is that some regions are far behind others in the race. As the competition leads to further rise in energy price, the backward ones are put more into trouble. Thus, one gains the insight that showing respect to nature and natural resources is not different from establishing relationships among nations and people so that the basic and authentic needs of all people are met by respecting the dignity of everyone and by sharing resources reasonably. Thus, one gains the insight that the improper use natural resources can give birth to issues in two ways; firstly, it will cause an imbalance in nature, resulting in various natural calamities like global warming; and secondly, it will lead to conflicts and wars. Thus, an inhumane model of development is the reason behind all the imbalances. Thus, the pope manages to prove that without taking care of the ‘internal deserts’, it is impossible to green the ‘external deserts’. The pope talks about the responsibility of the Church in Caritas in Veritate. According to him, the main role of the church lies asserting the responsibility of man in the public sphere. Pope points out that first of all, the church should defend all natural resources, including earth, water and air because they are necessary for the survival of everyone. However, the most important duty of the church, according to Pope Benedict XVI, lies in protecting mankind from self-destruction. Thus, following the path laid by Pope John Paul II, the Pope proves that when ‘human ecology’ is respected in a society, the ‘environment ecology’ will benefit23. Thus, the pope is of the opinion that in order to protect nature, the church, at first, has to look into the moral tenor o the society. If the society lacks in respect for the right to life and to a natural death, and if conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, and if human embryos are used to conduct research, the morality of humans goes down, and in such an eventuality, it will not be possible for education and laws to help humans respect each other and other creatures. In fact, according to the pope, the book of nature cannot be divided. Everything on earth including all human activities like marriage, sexuality, family, and all other forms of social relations are only a part of the book of nature. Thus, any effort to see these activities as different from the laws of nature or as not linked to nature will not survive. In other words, changes in any of these human activities will have an impact on other things in nature. In total, the point where the pope reaches is that humans cannot think about protecting the environment without thinking about protecting fellow humans. In simple terms, it is not possible to think about or uphold just one human duty and forget the rest. In total, the pope shows that the first thing to be taken care of is the ‘internal desert’. Bibliography Centesimus Annus. 1991. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_01051991_centesimus-annus_en.html (Accessed 9 July 2012). Environmental Statements by Pope Benedict XVI. Message to Archbishop Geraldo Lyrio Rocha of Mariana, 9 March 2011. http://conservation.catholic.org/pope_benedict_xvi.htm (Accessed July 9, 2012). FAO Headquarter, Rome, “Address of his holiness Benedict XVI to FAO on the occasion on the world summit on food security”. November 16, 2009 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/speeches/2009/november/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20091116_fao_en.html (accessed July 9 2012). “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation”. http://www.michaeljournal.org/peacecreation.htm (accessed July 9, 2012). Message of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, World Day of Peace, Jan 2010. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/peace/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20091208_xliii-world-day-peace_en.html (accessed July 9, 2012). Pope John Pau II. “Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church”, http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html (accessed July 9, 2012). Pope Benedict XVI, The Environment, Vatican: OUR SUNDAY VISITOR Incorporated 2012. Pope Benedict, Angelus, January 1, 2010 http://www.piercedhearts.org/benedict_xvi/angelus/jan_01_10.htm (accessed July 9, 2012) Pope Benedict XVI, “Caritas in Veritate”, July 2009 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html (accessed July 2012). Thavis, J. “If you want to cultivate peace, protect creation. Catholic News Service. Posted Dec 15 2009 http://cnsblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/15/if-you-want-to-cultivate-peace-protect-creation/ (Accessed July 9, 2012). Read More