FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:25-30
Transcript
FEAST OF ST. FRANCIS
Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:25-30
ANGLICAN ETHICSEthics and Creation
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Rev. Thomas Malthus (1766-1834) and his “Essay on the Principle of Population”
Sustaining a growing population with limited resources
Americans were less pessimistic in first half of 20th century: no real limits to possibilities of growth and expansionSecond half of 20th century, ecological problems emerged:
SMOG NUCLEAR WASTE ACID RAIN
War, famine, disease are necessary to control population growth
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
In 1962, American marine biologist Rachel Carson published Silent Spring
Explained how environmental problems are caused by synthetic pesticides
Silent Spring led to a nationwide ban on DDT and inspired a grassroots environmental movement, which led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
We have been alerted to the problem, but we have never agreed on the proper approach to its solution
Economic growth is necessary to the well-being of the nation and the world. Without it, we cannot improve conditions of the poor
“Our society has tended to prefer wealth to health” - Robert Paehlke
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
3 closely related factors are involved in ecological crisis
Rapid population growth
Depletion of certain natural resources
Pollution of the natural environment
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Rapid population growth
In 1995, total population was 5.7 billionFour times the population in 19001.3 billion more than population in 1980
The rate of growth has reached its peak and is expected to declineContinued growth at a decelerating rate is anticipated until about 2075If this projected decline does not occur, there may be irreparable damage to the order that sustains life on earth
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Rapid population growthMost densely populated areas are developing nations, which are least capable of producing goods needed to sustain life
The most developed nations, which are most capable of producing goods to sustain life, are more sparsely populatedThe population in America only constitutes less that 5% of the world’s population, yet Americans consume 26% of world’s energy
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Deforestation
Depletion of certain natural resources
The removal of a forest in which the land is converted to non-forest use
About 1/2 of the forests that covered the Earth are now gonePlants and trees in forests absorb carbon dioxide
They also absorb and store water
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Deforestation
Depletion of certain natural resources
disturbs the flow of water, leading to problems like
DROUGHT FLOODING
Loss of nutrients in soil and SOIL EROSION
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Deforestation
Depletion of certain natural resources
also endangers species...Tropical rainforests make up only 6% of Earth’s surface, yet contain 80-90% of all the species in the world
Because of mass deforestation, about 50-100 species of animals are being lost each day
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Farms cultivated in ways that destroy future productivity
Minerals extracted from earth without consideration of impact of mining methods
Oil and coal extracted, processed and used as if supply were inexhaustible
Depletion of certain natural resources
Destruction of wetlands, which sustain certain plants and animals, and which are directly related to health of seas
but they’re not!
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
We are exploring other sources of energy like solar energy and wind power, which we cannot deplete and which do not pollute
Depletion of certain natural resources
But we still give more attention to the development of nuclear energy, which is fraught with tremendous danger
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
After World War II, we began to become aware of the smog that plagued cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and WashingtonToday, gases, dust, soot, smoke and liquid droplets are released directly into the atmosphere by by factories, power plants, cars, construction projects and even natural erosion
This creates a variety of respiratory problems for people while exacerbating other illnesses
Pollution of natural environment
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
There are two major ways that the land is being polluted
Use of certain chemical fertilizers, fungicides and insecticides
Pollution of natural environment
Absorbed in our food and washed into streams, lakesDisposal of waste
We produce more waste than ever before, not only because there are more people but also because each individual produces more waste materials today than in past generations
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Pollution of natural environmentDisposal of waste
Water pollutionCaused by sewage, wastewater, industrial waster, oil pollution, radioactive waste, acid rain, leakage of underground storage
oil spills, oil shipping, oil pumping
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Pollution of natural environmentDisposal of waste
Water pollutionMarine dumping
Cardboard takes 2 weeks to degrade in water
increases aerobic algae, which depletes oxygen from water
Pollution of natural environmentBy releasing certain gases into the atmosphere (like Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Chlorofluorocarbons), we prevent heat from escaping, thus creating “the greenhouse effect”
The “greenhouse effect” traps thermal radiation inside the Earth’s atmosphere, re-radiating in all directions and heating up the atmosphere
The UN concluded that there’s more than a 90 percent probability that human activities over the past 250 years have warmed our planet
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
Pollution of natural environment
The “greenhouse effect” leads to climate change, which leads to Polar Ice Melting
Polar Ice Melting is the melting of large amounts of ice, thus causing sea levels to rise, which destroys habitats for organisms...
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEM
including us...
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
“We know that . . . we are now demanding more than [the earth] is able to provide. Science confirms what we already know: our human footprint is changing the face of the earth and because we come from the earth, it is changing us too. We are engaged in the process of destroying our very being. If we cannot live in harmony with the earth, we will not live in harmony with one another.”
- Anglican Communion Environmental Network
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Environmental ethics are relatively new, but theological background for environmental ethics is not...
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Christians uphold a Doctrine of Creation
God is ultimately responsible for creation
“We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth...”
What are the sources of the Creed?
Holy Bible
Early Christian TheologyReason and prayerful reflection
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Christians uphold a Doctrine of Creation
God is beyond Creation
God is within Creation
God’s Word / Wisdom is the Creative Order, the Order within Creation (which is made incarnate in Christ)
TRANSCENDENCE
IMMANENCE
God’s Spirit is Life-Giver
TRINITY
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Anglican Emphasis: CREATION and INCARNATION are all one process
God cares about what happens to creation
Human beings are meant to encounter God
Atonement takes place within creation
Creation is holy
Creation is not once upon a time, but continuous
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS
Scripture: Source of understanding God, not science
God interacts (not intervenes) with Creation
God gives Creation freedom to develop
Read Psalm 104
Read Romans 8: 18-25
Read Matthew 6: 25-34; 10: 29-31
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS Lambeth Resolutions
Creation as “web of inter-dependent relationships bound together in Covenant”Human beings are
part of creationbridge between God and the rest of creationresponsible for creation
includes willingness to sacrifice in order to care for creation
Church as player“Church can play an informed role in lobbying for ecological justice in both public and private sectors...”
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS 2008 Lambeth and Bishop’s Pastoral Letter
Emphasis on CRISIS
“[We] acknowledge the urgency of the planetary crisis in which we find ourselves”
“Stories shared from bishops around the Communion give a picture of a global crisis”“In developing countries and among Indigenous peoples, notably in the Arctic, safeguarding creation is a day to day activity, not an intellectual exercise”
“[We] take steps...to practice environmental stewardship and justice”
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS overpopulationunsustainable levels of consumption by the rich
poor quality and shortage of water
air pollution
eroded and impoverished soilforest destructionplant and animal extinctionclimate change, greenhouse effect, polar ice melt
What scriptural material is useful in making decisions about this issue? or these issues?
What does tradition say that might be helpful? Are there divergences?
What does our context give us to help with our decision?
