Political Issues or Moral Issues?
As the date for the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, “Laudato si,” (Be Praised), draws near, one can hear the grinding of teeth and the chant from corporate America and conservative politicians say, “stay out of politics.” This criticism comes before even reading the encyclical. This is in spite of the fact that the church’s environmental message has been articulated for years, though with little coverage in the media. Pope Benedict XVI was called the “green Pope” because he voiced a strong call for environmental responsibility. During his papacy the Vatican installed photovoltaic cells on the roof of its main auditorium, a solar cooling unit for its main cafeteria and joined a reforestation project aimed at offsetting its CO2 emissions. Continue reading →
