Catholic ecology

In writing my final paper I read a number of papal addresses about the need for treating the environment. A big role model for me is Saint John Paul II, his thoughts on caring for the environment inspired me. I learned more about John Paul II in a biography on him by Jason Evert. Evert wrote about John Paul's greatest five loves, love of the Eucharist, love of the Virgin Mary, and love of the Youth. These three chapters about John Paul changed my life. The fact he viewed these things and everything and person he encounter as a gift. I could not imagine that. As a man in the twentieth century, I found his perception of things as inspiring and beautiful. I wanted to perceive the world like John Paul because he was able to see God and Jesus just about everywhere. This perception was a big part of the class for me. My interaction with the environment and everyone in it can be a way for me to glorify God.

Ecology of Eden

I found my chapter on the over consumption of the land coming from the advancement of agricultural technology, interesting. Through the technology inspired by monks, the agriculture industry grew rapidly which Eisenberg argues caused the black death. The argument is not full proof but interesting. The agriculture advancement appeared to have an impact on the population. The population increased exponentially over a short period of time. Agricultural clearly has a large impact on mankind. The industry is run by man yet, man does not appear to be fully in control. Yet, the greed of man is what appears to be in control. Even today big corporations overrun the agriculture industry and corrupt it. I watched Food Inc. and watching how the corporations in the poultry industry forced people to treat their chickens in terrible ways was heartbreaking. I turn back to the idea of Christians needing to be the beginning of a change in these areas. There was talk of ministries beginning for these problems in Nature to Creation. I love the idea that Christians begin ministering to the agriculture industry, ministering to God's creation. I think ministering to humans is obviously more important but bringing those who need ministering to into these programs is ministering. Additionally, the good effect it would have would be beneficial to a large number of the population. Caring for God's creation with His children!

Nature to Creation

In Nature to Creation, there was a focus on Christians being specially called to stand for change n the treatment of the environment. Because of God's gift of man having dominion over the earth, there is a responsibility of man to the world. As human and especially as Christians the responsibility is because our understanding the gift God gave to us. I love the idea that with this great knowledge of God's gift we have a great responsibility to care for it. Christians have a responsibility to spread the Gospel and a similar but less important responsibility to care for the earth and share their knowledge of why with the world. Through God's Word, Christians know this and through His grace, we can fulfill His command, not perfectly.

Receiving gifts

In Christian tradition, the sacrament of the Last Supper is a remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross. The different denominations do not agree on the theology behind the actual substance of the bread and wine received. As a Catholic, I believe it to be, through the grace of God, the actual Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus being received each time in the Eucharist. The theology behind this can be tough to explain. The point of all this is that as Christians we understand that there are gifts that we receive that can't possibly be imitated. In class, there was a discussion on how consuming food was this great gift. I would not recommend a Sacramental approach to food. I would recommend however that there needs to be a greater care for food and how we consume because of the great gift it is. Christians must once again be at the front of the change in the world's perception of food. It is a gift, not anything we deserve, only through the love of God do we have it.