Pope Francis has become something of a media darling since his arrival in Rome, with the media hanging on his every word and making hoopla over any and every statement. Often, these announcements are blown completely out of proportion in their supposed magnitude. For example, when Francis spoke on evolution many in the media made a huge commotion over this, as if Francis has just declared a new, groundbreaking theological stance. Yet, Roman Catholics have long held that evolution (and the Big Bang theory) do not contradict Biblical teaching.
Well, 2015 might be the media’s year: in the upcoming year the Pope will be making various declarations of great magnitude with, hopefully, far-reaching effects. The Guardian recently published an article on Pope Francis’ aggressive plans to address climate change and the need for nations to dramatically reduce their carbon emissions in the upcoming year. 2015 will see Francis release his long-rumored encyclical on climate change and ecology, address the UN general assembly, and call a summit of the world’s religions. The encyclical will not only address the science behind climate change but also the many moral issues behind it. Francis has touched upon these issues before, as the article quotes him saying this past October:
An economic system centred on the god of money needs to plunder nature to sustain the frenetic rhythm of consumption that is inherent to it.
The system continues unchanged, since what dominates are the dynamics of an economy and a finance that are lacking in ethics. It is no longer man who commands, but money. Cash commands.
The monopolising of lands, deforestation, the appropriation of water, inadequate agro-toxics are some of the evils that tear man from the land of his birth. Climate change, the loss of biodiversity and deforestation are already showing their devastating effects in the great cataclysms we witness.
The article discusses the Pope’s plans for 2015 in detail as well as some of the backlash he will face from more conservative circles. Check it out and leave a comment here on what you think about the Pope’s upcoming work to address climate change.
