Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home

The following are the most pertinent scholarly sources chosen by the fall 2015 REL 345, Issues in Christian Ethics, class regarding Laudato Si. They are separated into categories depending on what type of resource it is.

Videos:

• Duncan, Robert. "Catholicism and the Challenge of Ecology." YouTube. Catholic News Service, 2 June 2015.
  • Ahead of the publication of Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, experts reflect on the history and significance of the church's role in promoting the stewardship of creation.

Journal Article:

• Palmer, A. R. (Pete). "Evaluating Ecological Footprints." Electronic Green Journal (1998)
  • Provides information on the concept of ecological footprints. Human contribution in the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide; Components of the ecological footprint of an average U.S. citizen; Categories of consumption which contribute to ecological footprints.

• Attfield, R. (2009). Mediated Responsibilities, Global Warming, and the Scope of Ethics. Journal Of Social Philosophy

  • The article focuses on the ethical aspects of the association of mediated responsibilities of humanity with global warming. It notes the need to conceptualize the content of ethics to consider the foreseeable impact of the actions of individuals and nations on the biosphere and in distant future. Thus, it cites that framework of actions should be modified to address mediated responsibilities, ones where there is one or another kind of distance or gap between action and foreseeable impacts. It explores the aspects of mediated responsibilities that have strong bearing on global warming including the impacts of current action in the future condition and the cumulative impacts of a single action. Moreover, it demonstrates various kinds of mediated responsibilities and its applications.

• "Church Should Help Build 'Ethical' Perspective on Global Warming." America 209.19 (2013): 8-9.

  • The article discusses the need for churches to promote an ethical perspective on global warming. Topics covered include the challenge to civilization caused by climate change, importance of Catholic social teaching to prevent the event, need for churches to encourage mutual responsibility. Also mentioned are the crisis situation faced by the humanity, the call for reviewing the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• Rocca, Francis and Nakrosis, Stehen. "5 Things to Know About Pope Francis’ Encyclical ‘Laudato Si’." Wall Street Journal (Online), June 19, 2015. 
  • In his much-awaited encyclical on the environment, Pope Francis said that global warming could cause “unprecedented” environmental destruction. Here are five things to know about the document.
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Personal Statements:

• "Bishop Zubik's Statement on Holy Father's Environment Encyclical." Catholic Diocese of Pittsburg Alive. June 18, 2015.

Other:

• PR, Newswire. 2015. "NPC Newsmaker Program: USCCB President Archbishop Kurtz, Washington Cardinal Wuerl To Give U.S. Perspective on Pope's Encyclical on the Environment." PR Newswire US, June 16. Regional Business News
  • Shortly After Pope Francis releases his much-anticipated encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si, on Thursday, June 18, Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and Archbishop of Louisville, KY, and Cardinal Donald Wurel, Archbishop of Washington, will provide reaction from a U.S. Catholic perspective at a National Press Club Newsmakers news conference.

• Scheid, Daniel. "The Communion of Creation: From John Paul II and Benedict to Francis." America Magazine. June 18, 2015.
  • Scheid offers a comparison of John Paul II, Benedict, and Francis on their views on ecology. He also takes us through different documents that these three Pope's have written on the issue.

Here are a number of other sources gathered from the same students. Although these were not the top ranked sources, they are still found to be very useful when conducting research on Laudato Si.

Videos:

• "The Theologians Respond: Laudato Si." YouTube. June 18, 2015.

  • Theologians in the New York area gathered at America Headquarters to discuss Pope Francis’ new encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si. These experts in Catholic social teaching offer an overview of the content and significance of the teachings within the text, as well as background on Catholic engagement on social issues and discuss the possible impact of this text on national and international politics.

• "Nationally-recognized Meteorologist Paul Douglas on Laudato Si' - MNCC." MNCC. September 16, 2015.

  • Minnesota Catholic Conference sat down with nationally-recognized Christian meteorologist Paul Douglas to talk climate change, weather, and Pope Francis's encyclical on natural and human ecology, Laudato Si'.

Journal Article:

• Sjödin, Christer. 2010. "Psychoanalytic Reflections on Global Warming and its Relation to Human Omnipotence and Ethical Responsibility." International Forum Of Psychoanalysis 19, no. 2: 78-83.

  • Global Warming - reality or fantasy? Certainly, global warming is a dystopia linked to other catastrophes in human history, such as the Flood and Noah's Ark. Noah's belief in God saved his life and the life of his family. In our time, we need to sustain our belief in the human capacity to cooperate and survive. This is a necessary background when thinking of the future and analysing the border between fantasy and reality, between fear and paranoia, and in the process in which a new worldview takes form.

• Watling, Tony. 2014. "Religion, Ecology, Science, and Wisdom: Constructive Dialogue on the Environment." Journal For The Study Of Religion, Nature And Culture 8, no. 3: 352-367.
  • Review of three different books/papers dealing with the new field of study mixing nature and religon.
• Rowlands, Anna. "Laudato Si': Rethinking Politics." Political Theology 16.5 (2015): 418-420.
  • The author reflects on the disagreement of climate scientists that their science represents politics based on the Laudato Si. Topics discussed include climate scientists who were called as lobbyists by climate denialists when they were simply working on climate models and data, catholic social teaching (CST), and secular philosophy based on Eastern Orthodox sources.

• Buchanan, John M. 2015. "Religion and Politics Do Mix." Christian Century 132, no. 16: 3.

  • The article discusses the relation of religion and politics in relation to Roman Catholic Pope Francis's encyclical "Laudato Si'." Topics include the opinion of U.S. presidential candidate Jeb Bush on religion and politics, the views of ethicist William Schweiker on the Pope's views on climate change, and the U.S. separation of church and state.

Personal Statements:

• Kurtz, Joseph. "Archbishop Kurtz Welcomes Pope Francis' Encyclical Laudato Si'" June 18, 2015.

• Camosy, Charles. "Abortion, Down Syndrome and the Throwaway Culture: Why the Left Has to Grapple with Pope Francis." Washington Post. June 25, 2015.

• Roseman, Artur. "Capitalists Should Be Nervous: A Response to Fr. Robert Barron on Laudato Si’." Cosmos The In Lost. July 17, 2015.

Periodicals:

• DAVENPORT, CORAL. 2015. "Championing Environment, Francis Takes Aim at Global Capitalism." New York Times, June 19

  • The article reports that the 184-page papal encyclical on climate change and environmental degradation issued by Pope Francis has criticized the issue of modern capitalism, market force skepticism and consumerism.

• Hale, Christopher J. "The 5 Most Important Points Of Pope Francis’S Climate Change Encyclical." Time.Com (2015)
  •   Here are the top five points in what Francis describes as a “dialogue with all people about our common home".
• 'CONNELL, GERARD. 2015. "Encyclical From Pope Francis Welcomed as Global Call to Arms." America 213, no. 1: 9-10. 
  • The article discusses the June 18, 2015 encyclical "Laudato Si" by Roman Catholic Pope Francis in relation to climate change. Topics include Francis' background of having lived in Latin America, the spirituality of St. Francis relation to the environment, and the view of humanity and technology held by Pope Francis.

Other:

• Carter, Joe. "A Guide to Laudato Si: A Section-By-Section Summary of Pope Francis' Encyclical on the Environment | Acton PowerBlog." Acton Institute PowerBlog. June 18, 2015.

  • Chapter by chapter explanation of precisely what Pope Francis means in his encyclical.

• Hoops, Micaela. "Local Catholics Respond to Pope's Recent Environmental Message." Herald Democrat. September 24, 2015. 
  • Hoops sets down with lay Catholics to discuss their opinions on Laudato Si. They express their support, confusion, and misunderstanding of the encyclical.

• "Hope from the Pope." Nature 522.7557 (2015): 391.

  • The author reflects on Pope Francis's encyclical letter on climate and the environment. Topics include Cardinal Peter Turkson on need to make efforts to reduce global greenhouse emissions, impact of climate change on ecosystems and human societies, and Pope Francis' climate policies agenda for UN General Assembly in September 2015.