GIFT: RevelationGIFT: RevelationOctober 14 & 17th, 2012

IntroductionIntroduction

This session on Catholic Social Teaching explores Care for God’s Creation. As the Catholic Bishops of the United States explain: “The world that God created has been entrusted to us. Our use of it must be directed by God’s plan for creation, not simply for our own benefit…

…Our stewardship of the Earth is a form of participation in God’s act of creating and sustaining the world. In our use of creation, we must be guided by a concern for generations to come. We show our respect for the Creator by our care for creation.” (Faithful Citizenship, USCCB, 15)

Format for this Gathering…Format for this Gathering…

• Introduction

• Opening Prayer

• Break Out Groups – K-8th with Catechists– H.S. and Adults with Fr. Craig

• Return for Summary and Closing Prayer

• Dismissal – Home kits

Opening PrayerOpening Prayer

• The Story of Creation: Genesis 1:1-31

• Reader #1 In the Beginning…– People bring lighted candles to prayer space

• Reader #2 And God said…– People bring pitchers of water

• Reader #3 And God said…– People bring plants, fruits, vegetables

• Reader #4 And God said…– People bring pictures of the sun and moon

• Reader #5 And God said…– People bring stuffed animals

• Reader #6 Then God said…– People come to the prayer table

• Reader #7 God blessed them…– All return to their seats

And we pray…And we pray…

We join with God’s creation and with each other. To bring new life to the land

To restore the waters

To refresh the air

We join with God’s creation and with each other. To renew the forests

To care for the plants

To protect the creatures

We join with God’s creation and with each other. To celebrate the seas

To rejoice in the sunlight

To sing the song of the stars

We join with God’s creation and with each other. To recreated the human community

To promote justice and peace

To remember our children

We celebrate God’s creation. Amen.

Break out GroupsBreak out Groups

Group Sunday Catechist Wednesday Catechist

Kindergarteners Ms. Sharon

1st Graders Ms. Gigi and Nicole Ms. Gigi

2nd Graders Ms. Jenny & Ms. Susan

3rd Graders Ms. Amy Ms. Debbie B.

4th Graders Ms. Laura Mr. Michael

5-8th Graders Ms. Sabrina, Ms. Sandy, Ms. Debbie G., Mrs. Rose

H.S. /Adults Fr. Craig

ADULT/HIGH SCHOOL SESSION W/FR. CRAIGADULT/HIGH SCHOOL SESSION W/FR. CRAIG

Catholic Ethical Teachings-

Environmental Ethics

Catholic Ethical Teachings-

Environmental Ethics

EthicsEthics

• Ethics are the explicit reflection on moral beliefs and practices.

• Its purpose is to clarify what is right and what is wrong and what human beings should freely do or refrain from doing

Christian Ethical SystemsChristian Ethical Systems• Informing the individuals conscience on what is right and what is

wrong in relation to the environment is varied in Christianity, because of the differing approaches to ethics amongst the variants.

• The Protestant variants focus their ethical decision making on the literal interpretation of the Bible, whereas the Catholic and Orthodox variants base their ethical decisions on what the authorities in the church decide and on Natural Law.

• Christian Natural Law is a belief that God implants in creation a moral law that can be detected by human intelligence apart from God’s direct revelation (the Bible). That is, there are further sources for guidance other than the Bible (i.e. logic and reason)

Environmental EthicsEnvironmental Ethics• Environmental ethics is the part of

environmental philosophy which considers the ethical relationship between human beings and the natural environment.

• Interestingly, both Science and Religion have only recently begun to explicitly address moral issues related to the environment.

• The Contemporary Environmental Movement is often attributed to a biologist named Rachel Carson, who wrote a book in 1962 called “Silent Springs”. This book changed the world view of many as Carson questioned the world view of scientific progress and the often negative effect humans have on the natural world.

• The important point here, is that explicit environmental ethics is a recent phenomena both in the secular and religious world.

Christian Environmental EthicsChristian Environmental Ethics

Two World ViewsAnthropocentric

Biocentric

AnthropocentricHuman CenteredJesus-1500 a.d.

AnthropocentricHuman CenteredJesus-1500 a.d.

•Christians placed human concerns at the centre of ethical considerations and the earth was for humans to do with what they like.•The source of this viewpoint was that Christians believed that the earth and everything on it was given by God to man to rule over and subdue because Genesis 1:28 states:

And God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth'" (Genesis 1:28).

• Throughout its history, many Christians literally interpreted this to mean that “man” could do what “he” liked to the environment as God gave DOMINION to “him”.

• Another aspect was that Christianity was also heavily influenced by Greek philosophy which saw the world ordered hierarchically with nature being very low on the hierarchy.

• Science was to adopt a very similar position as early science was heavily influenced by Christianity.

Biocentric-Environment focusBiocentric-Environment focus

• The Biocentric view places the environment at the centre of concern.

• Extreme versions of a Biocentric world view,, place the environment on equal or higher importance than human needs. Very few Christians adopt this stance.

• e.g. Shark Fin Soup

• Current views on environmental ethics within Christianity are still based on these two view points.

Human centred based on Dominion principal.

Influenced by literal Interpretation of Bible to guide ethical decision making

Environment centred based on all life on Earth was created equally by God.

Combination where human needs are important, but need to look after God’s creation “Stewardship Principle

Anthropocentric Biocentric

Creation Theology/Ethics (Green Theology)

Creation Theology/Ethics (Green Theology)

• As a result of Christians re-evaluating their position on the environment there has been a push towards a Creation Centred Theology

• Creation Theology is concerned with the cherishing of all life and all people, as gifts from God. Creation Theology (or Green Theology) is influencing the Christian position on the environment as it encourages Christians to focus on God’s creative power and for them to appreciate that this is important. By valuing God’s creative power we as humans would not purposely destroy the environment.

• There are many examples of Creation Theology playing a key role in our Catholic Church

• If You Want to Cultivate Peace, Protect Creation (Pope Benedict XVI, 2010)

• Renewing the Earth – USCCB (1991)• This Land Is Home to Me (Catholic Bishops of Appalachia, 1975)

Sources for Ethical teachings on the Environment in Christianity

Sources for Ethical teachings on the Environment in Christianity

• Creation theologists have pointed out that even though a literal interpretation of the Bible has been used to have an anthropocentric view of the environment, they have shown that the Bible also does reveal to its followers that care for the environment was mandated by God.

Hebrew ScripturesHebrew Scriptures

• Genesis 2:15 Stewardship

• Deuteronomy 20:19 Care for Earth

• Leviticus 25: 5-6 Responsible Agricultural Practice

• Leviticus 22: 28 Sustainability

• Deuteronomy 22:6 Biodiversity/Sustainability

Christian ScripturesChristian Scriptures

• Even though Jesus did not explicitly address environmental ethics, Creation Theologists say it was through his actions and parables that Jesus showed his followers that he had concern for the environment. This was shown in two different ways:

• Natural surroundings. • A close look at Jesus’ public life, he

preached mainly in natural surroundings. Some key moments in Jesus’ ministry are in nature

• Parables and nature• Jesus used nature on many occasions

as a theme in his parables demonstrating to Christians God’s creation is important.

Historical ExamplesHistorical Examples• While Christian history as a whole has not

been conducive to the importance of environmental ethics there have been significant individuals who have made important contributions to environmental awareness.

Francis of Assisi(Patron Saint of the Environment)

Francis of Assisi(Patron Saint of the Environment)

• Francis of Assisi was born in the 12th century into a wealthy family of Italian nobility. He rejected wealth and power to live in harmony with nature. Francis celebrated nature as vision of God and is famous for his prayers and meditations on the beauty of creation as well as his practical concern for all of God's creation.

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon;where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;and where there is sadness, joy.O Divine Master,grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to

console;to be understood, as to understand;to be loved, as to love;for it is in giving that we receive,it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.Amen.

Hildegard of Bingen• Hildegard of Bingen was a leader of a monastic

community in the 12th century. She was a famous student of nature who investigated and made use of the healing qualities of nature and taught of the need to respect nature and learn from it. Her writings, music and art all reflect a profound sense of oneness with creation and an immense respect for the work of the creator.

The EndThe End

SummarySummary• Think of everything that we have done in this session to learn about

the environment, the message of the Scriptures and the Church on caring for God’s creation, and the ways we can live in harmony with God’s creation.

• What is the most important “lesson” you have learned today?

• What do you think caring for God’s creation and living an environmentally-friendly lifestyle are so important for us as Catholics?

Closing PrayerClosing Prayer

Gather

Response:

All creation reveals God’s glory and greatness.

Listen

Genesis 9:8-17

ReflectionFrom Bread for the Journey, by Henri Nouwen,

New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1997

DismissalDismissal

• Please make sure you pick up a copy of the People of Faith Generations magazine to take home and continue learning!

• Check out our newly designed parish website: www.stmatthiasparish.org