The Role of Religion in the Maintenance of Environmental Sustainability.
The Role of Religion in the Maintenance of Environmental Sustainability
As humans, we share a bond with each other, as well as past and future generations. However, we do not only share a bond with our same kind, but with earth and all of its inhabitants as well. Pope Francis states in his encyclical “Laudato Si” that our relationship with earth is extremely vital to both parties. While many groups are speaking up on the wrongdoings we take on earth, Religion has had an extremely forceful role. Although “Laudato Si” and “The Canticle of Creatures by Saint Francis of Assisi are written by people of the Catholic faith, both writing’s purpose is to gather people of all bounds to help. Catholic traditions of sustainability coincide with the idea of creation as man’s most precious gift. Also, all religions play a large part in the efforts of maintaining a stable and healthy ecosystem. Religion’s role on creating and maintaining environmental sustainability lies in the social wide scope it reaches, its economic value to help change, and its responsibility to protect our highly valued planet.
Although religion was not created until billions of years after earth, the relationship between them has reached back far into historical times. Perhaps the oldest record of Catholic thoughts on human relation to earth is directly from the Bible. For example, in the first book of the old testament, Genesis, calls upon remembering that we are infact made up of the earth. The Book of Genesis writes that our entire creation was made by God and we were put upon this planet to take care of it (Genesis 2:7). Pope Francis states that we were created in God’s image, giving us the ability to have compassion and thought and dignity to care for the world we were given (“Laudato Si”, 2). However, the scripture also states that we have disrupted our harmony with both God, each other, and earth. In turn, characterizing our mindset as having power over earth. This possessive thought process has ruptured man’s relationship with God. In the story of Cain and Abel, is said to be the worst crime one can commit (Laudato Si, 70). Other scripture including the prophet Jeremiah explained that in order to create a sustainable relationship with earth, man must first give back all power to God who is “almighty”. Jeremiah explains that God is both the one who “liberates and saves” and is responsible for all creation, while referring to the story of when the people were lead out of Egypt (Laudato Si, 73). This particular story dates back far into ancient times. It reflects on the confidence man held in God, and putting full faith in him. Historically, scriptures have shown that there has been controversy in human actions for as long as the Catholic Religion, as well as others, has been around.
Although Laudato Si comes from Rome, religion spreads throughout the entire world. The article “All About: Religion