Nature is one and indivisible

IT’S good that we study the words of the Holy Father. If we go by what Christ told Peter, “Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven, whatever you loose on earth is also loosed in heaven,” then what the Pope says, being the successor of Peter, must be what heaven says.

Besides, you can be sure that the words of the Pope are truly well studied, meditated upon, consulted. They possess a kind of interdisciplinary quality, giving due respect to all fields of sciences involved in a particular topic or issue.

His avoid the extremes of fideism (all faith no science) and scientism (all science no faith). Faith and reason blend exquisitely in his words. Thus they are a good reference point especially now when we are often pushed and pulled by the forces of these dangerous and erroneous attitudes.

In his latest encyclical, Caritas in veritate (Charity in the truth), he tackles several issues related to our current world affairs, and there’s one segment dedicated to the environment. I thought it’s a very relevant point he’s making as he encourages us to expand our understanding of the ecological question.

I’ll quote parts of point no. 51, interspersing them with some comments. But I eagerly encourage you to read the document. Whatever nosebleed it causes is all worth it. Here it goes:

“There is need for what might be called a human ecology, correctly understood. The deterioration of nature is in fact closely connected to the culture that shapes human coexitence: when ‘human ecology’ is respected within society, environmental ecology also benefits.”

Here the Pope obviously makes a connection between our nature and culture, between environmental ecology and human ecology. This is a point often presumed but badly understood. He continues:

“In order to protect nature, it is not enough to intervene with economic incentives or deterrents; not even an apposite education is sufficient. These are important steps, but the decisive issue is the overall moral tenor of society.”

Here the Holy Father highlights the role of morality in protecting nature. This is a delicate issue, because there are now powerful sectors who tend to redefine morality strictly in terms of economics, sociology and politics. No mention of a transcendent God, spiritual and supernatural, is made. Only the sciences are made God.

“If there is a lack of respect for the right to life and to a natural death, if human conception, gestation and birth are made artificial, if human embryos are sacrificed to research, the conscience of society ends up losing the concept of human ecology and, along with it, that of environmental ecology.”

Thus, I find it surprising that there are people so vociferous in their advocacy for protection of nature, making all sorts of fervent declarations based on human sciences alone, yet supporting abortion, contraception, euthanasia, etc., not knowing that there is a blatant inconsistency in their position.

“It is contradictory to insist that future generations respect the natural environment when our educational systems and laws do not help them to respect themselves.

“The book of nature is one and indivisible: it takes in not only the environment but also life, sexuality, marriage, the family, social relations: in a word, integral human development. Our duties towards the environment are linked to our duties towards the human person, considered in himself and in relation to others.

“It would be wrong to uphold one set of duties while trampling on the other. Herein lies a grave contradiction in our mentality and practice today—one which demeans the person, disrupts the environment and damages society.”

I think we need to savor these words of the Pope and then start to do anything that would correct our present predicament insofar as our attitude toward the environment is concerned.

His words make us think that our typhoons and other calamities are not just purely natural and physical phenomena. They might by physical phenomena but they too do have some spiritual conditioning, since nature includes our spiritual and moral dimensions.

Another corollary we can derive from this “nature-is-one-and-indivisible” principle is that whatever we do even in the most hidden way will always have an effect on others and the environment. If it’s good, then the effect is good. If bad, then the effect is also bad.

We don’t have to do extraordinary things to contribute to a good or bad environment. Our daily actions can already take care of that.