Excerpts from Canadian Bishops’ pastoral letter on Ecology, 04 October 2003
The beauty and grandeur of nature touches each one of us. From panoramic vistas to the tiniest living form, nature is a constant source of wonder and awe. It is also a continuing revelation of the divine. Humans live within a vast community of life on earth. In the Jewish and Christian religious traditions, God is first described as the Creator who, as creation proceeded, “saw that it was good.” God’s love for all that exists was wondrously evident then, remains so now, and invites the active response of humankind. […]
Throughout history, each people’s religious beliefs have conditioned their relationship to their environment. Some Christians have developed the ecological acumen of saints. Others seem to have misinterpreted the Genesis account to “subdue” the earth and establish “dominion” over all living things. Pope John Paul II has emphasized the need for “ecological conversion,” and we are encouraged that many Christian traditions are responding actively to the ecological crisis. They have recognized that churches have insufficiently come to grips with how aspects of Christian theology and tradition are implicated in the Western capitalist development model which has led to so much ecological ruin (not to mention the ecological disasters left by communist regimes). Christians are mining biblical and theological resources in order to gain insight into “eco-justice” issues. Others are collaborating by forming new ecumenical and interfaith alliances. The work to highlight a theology of creation that directs us towards the proper relationship between God and the entire earth community is most timely and appreciated, both within the
churches and increasingly among environmental activists.
All spiritual traditions speak of the marvels of the earth: the overwhelming beauty, the vast array of creatures, the complex and interconnected weave of ecosystems. They also teach respect for the earth and call humans to live within its limits. Certainly the Christian tradition has both biblical and theological resources that could deter humans from further ecological ruin. Biblical teachings are rich with ecological guidance and wisdom. The bible has abundant images that connect the earth to God, and teach about God; the wind, water, soil, seeds, trees, birds, sheep. Many passages speak of the need to respect the land, for example. The metaphors of planting and tending, pruning and harvesting are used to speak of God and of life. The magnificent story of Job is a reminder that God loves and tends to all of creation. The rainbow, set by God in the clouds, “recalls the Covenant between myself and you and every living creature of every kind that is found on the earth.”
The bible also teaches about an equitable distribution of resources, including sharing land, animals and water. This insistence on justice is often directed towards distributing the bounty of the earth and providing for those who are marginalized. The profound interconnection between God’s care for humans and care for the environment is noted in Psalm 146, in which The maker of heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them … secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry … sets prisoners free … gives sight to the blind … raises up those who are bowed down … protects the stranger [and] sustains the orphan and the widow.
Ecological problems are enmeshed within social structures that serve the interests of the few at the expense of the many, especially those marginalized and in poverty. […]
All serious solutions to the ecological crisis demand that human beings change our thinking, relationships and behaviours in order to recognize the interconnectedness of all creation. In previous messages, the Social Affairs Commission suggested several pedagogical steps to assist communities to develop social action. Today however, we must imbue this pastoral methodology with ecological sensitivity. For example, while beginning to listen to the experiences of the marginalized in society, we must also be attentive to the cry of the creation that surrounds and sustains them. Whereas we once began by developing critical analysis of economic, political and social structures that cause human suffering, we must now also bring the additional riches of ecological justice to bear on such realities. Our Christian tradition provides us with at least three inter-related forms of active response: the Contemplative, the Ascetic and the Prophetic.
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Canadians are blessed with an abundance of natural resources, but we also are among the planet’s most excessively wasteful inhabitants. Thankfully, there is in our tradition an ascetic response through which we can confidently adjust our lifestyle choices and daily actions to respect ecological limits, attune us to solidarity with vulnerable peoples, as well as encourage the movement of grace in our lives. Rather than an attempt to “flee the world,” a new asceticism would enable us all to enter more deeply into the planetary
rhythms of restraint from the demands of consumerism. To “fast” from actions that pollute, to embrace whatever inconveniences may arise from running a “greener” household, to decrease our use of fossil fuels and to tithe time, treasure and talent to environmental causes may all be aspects of this response. Buying locally produced goods, organic produce and fairly traded merchandise are increasingly realistic options for many Canadians. We can challenge the hold of the marketplace over our lives by conscious efforts to avoid over-consumption and by using our purchasing power to promote earth-friendly enterprises.
All social justice issues have ecological implications: the case of water is a perfect example of this. We can make the links between social and ecological justice more evident in our preaching and community action. The cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are one. Ecological harmony cannot exist in a world of unjust social structures; nor can the extreme social inequalities of our current world order result in
ecological sustainability. But the growing movements for eco-justice can contribute substantially to the necessary solutions for both crises. Christian communities, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi – the friend of the poor who was loved by God’s creatures - should provide positive recognition and support to those environmentalists, farmers, educators and solidarity activists who have begun to show us the way forward.
All of creation is of God, and is as yet unfinished. We are called as co-creators to join God’s work to repair
some of creation’s wounds which have been inflicted due to our ecological sins. We are also called to creative actions of solidarity with those who have less access to the benefits of God’s bountiful creation. The “Lover of Life,” who came so that we all might have life, and have it abundantly, continues to provide us with opportunities to renew the face of the earth. How can we not take up that challenge?
(For full text see: www.cccb.ca/Files/pastoralenvironment.html)