Stay Tuned for News on the Vatican’s April 28 Interfaith Summit on Climate Change
5 thoughts on “Stay Tuned for News on the Vatican’s April 28 Interfaith Summit on Climate Change”
Did you notice the depressing bit at the close of this piece? It says: “The Center for American Progress Action Fund estimates that 169 members of the 114th Congress (or 56 percent) have expressed doubts about the science behind climate change, 35 of whom identify as Catholic.”
However, I believe that international conferences, high profile leadership such as that of Obama and Pope Francis and targeted efforts such as 350 will increase public awareness of the growing threat enough to produce political action to address the causes of global warming..
After reading Merchants of Doubt, I can understand why. Those are the political winds that had been blowing. I think that with the release of the documentary version of that investigation, Pope Francis, and other public campaigns, those winds will be changing come election time. Some commentators are already saying conservatives should get on the right side of history before election year really gets under way.
This morning, I went to an Earth Day celebration in Gulung Palung National Park in Borneo today. As part of the celebration, an Imam recited a prayer for the earth, and said that important to Islam and other religions is caring for our environment. I think some religious leaders have been at the forefront of social justice and environmental issues. While past popes have been conservative, many Catholics have devoted their lives, and sometimes given their lives, for social justice. As with our current US government, the top leaders do not represent all the people. So, I do not agree with the phrase, “no matter how delayed…”
Certain religious leaders have been at the front lines on environmental issues, sure. Many, regardless of their religion, have lost their lives (most of them protecting their own lands and livelihoods). My intention with the statement was to express that most mainstream religious leaders have not lead on this issue, or have not given this aspect of justice the weight it deserves. This is important because while the pope might not represent the views of all Catholics, he does hold a lot more sway than the typical parish priest. My statement examined the balance of all religion. It may have been to broad a generalization, and you can fault it for that, but I would still argue that the true moral strength of religion has not been brought to bear on this issue.
360 by bike 
Did you notice the depressing bit at the close of this piece? It says: “The Center for American Progress Action Fund estimates that 169 members of the 114th Congress (or 56 percent) have expressed doubts about the science behind climate change, 35 of whom identify as Catholic.”
However, I believe that international conferences, high profile leadership such as that of Obama and Pope Francis and targeted efforts such as 350 will increase public awareness of the growing threat enough to produce political action to address the causes of global warming..
LikeLike
After reading Merchants of Doubt, I can understand why. Those are the political winds that had been blowing. I think that with the release of the documentary version of that investigation, Pope Francis, and other public campaigns, those winds will be changing come election time. Some commentators are already saying conservatives should get on the right side of history before election year really gets under way.
LikeLike
This morning, I went to an Earth Day celebration in Gulung Palung National Park in Borneo today. As part of the celebration, an Imam recited a prayer for the earth, and said that important to Islam and other religions is caring for our environment. I think some religious leaders have been at the forefront of social justice and environmental issues. While past popes have been conservative, many Catholics have devoted their lives, and sometimes given their lives, for social justice. As with our current US government, the top leaders do not represent all the people. So, I do not agree with the phrase, “no matter how delayed…”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Certain religious leaders have been at the front lines on environmental issues, sure. Many, regardless of their religion, have lost their lives (most of them protecting their own lands and livelihoods). My intention with the statement was to express that most mainstream religious leaders have not lead on this issue, or have not given this aspect of justice the weight it deserves. This is important because while the pope might not represent the views of all Catholics, he does hold a lot more sway than the typical parish priest. My statement examined the balance of all religion. It may have been to broad a generalization, and you can fault it for that, but I would still argue that the true moral strength of religion has not been brought to bear on this issue.
I hope that is changing now.
LikeLike
Meant to take out the “today.” Incomplete editing!
LikeLike