Falling in Love with the Earth: Francis' Faithful Ecology

[cbayer]

http://religiondispatches.org/falling-in-love-with-the-earth-francis-faithful-ecology/

BY JACOB J. ERICKSON JUNE 19, 2015


"Earth Blood" by flickr user ArTeTeTrA via Creative Commons

In a brief article in an unassuming 1967 edition of Science, a medieval historian from the University of California argued a now infamous thesis in my own field of religion and ecology.

“Christianity, “ Lynn White wrote, “is the most anthropocentric religion the world has seen.” The notion of “dominion,” he argued, allowed human beings to exploit the ecological world in unprecedented ways.

White’s argument set off a decades-long firestorm, engaging activists, environmental ethicists, and Christian theologians alike.

But what most people generally forget about that now-canonical article is in the final eight paragraphs. After charging the cultural influence of Western Christian thought, White then argues for an equally religious response. “Possibly,” he offers, “we should ponder the greatest radical in Christian history since Christ: Saint Francis of Assisi.” The 13th century saint, who preached to birds and wolves, who referred to cosmic and elemental entities like fire as “Sister” might serve as a model, White argued, for a different kind of Christianity, a kind that can care for the earth seriously, in humility.

more at link

[Yorktown]

1. The latest disgusting encyclical by Frankie Pope is 'faithful ecology'? Is it a joke?

Real ecology would have addressed the question of the world human population.

Which would have led to the question of world retirement schemes allowing birth control.

Birth control? Oops. It's not even in Frankie's 'faithful ecology' landscape.

Denouncing same sex couples is.

Roman Catholic logic, I suppose.

[safeinOhio]

2. Saint Francis of Assisi.

It would help if some of these folks would read up on him and St. Clare.

[cbayer]

3. I had the great fortune of touring many of the St. Francis

sanctuaries last summer. I had not previously known that much about him and quickly fell in love.

He would be very much in line with this pope and very much opposed to those that continue to be in denial.

[safeinOhio]

4. I also toured Assisi and was very impressed

with Basilica of St Francis. I happened to check out some of the marble in the church and found it to be faked, painted wood. Asked about it, I was told that is very typical of Fransicans as they wish to see more of the Church's wealth go to the poor. Pope Francis has start to follow this with his showers for the poor in Rome, inviting the poor to meals, washing their feet and embarrassing the ill.

[cbayer]

7. He escaped from Assisi because he despised the focus on money and power

that infested the church.

The Basilica is beautiful, but he would have found it ostentatious, imo.

The sanctuaries are quite the opposite - barren and stark. He slept on dirt floors in tiny spaces and would stay in caves for months at a time.

[pinto]

5. I think he was one of the best examples of what a faith based community could be.

Cool that you took the opportunity to visit the sanctuaries.

[cbayer]

6. There is a trail that he walked after he got out of Assisi that many people hike.

He lived at the various sanctuaries at different points and each is magical in it's own way.

I hope you get the chance to see them some day.