A draft of a major environmental document by Pope Francis says “the bulk of global warming” is caused by human activity — a perspective aligned with most climate scientists but still highly controversial to some Americans.
In the draft, portions of which were translated by The Washington Post, the pope takes climate change deniers to task and calls on “humanity” to take steps — including changing manufacturing and consumption trends — to turn back the clock on global warming. He backs the science behind climate change, citing “a very considerable consensus that points out we are now facing a worrisome warming of the climate.”
Although he states that there may be some natural reasons for global warming, he blasts those who claim it is unrelated to human activity, saying “plenty of scientific studies point out that the last decades of global warming have been mostly caused by the great concentration of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen oxide and others) especially generated by human action.”
The greatly anticipated encyclical, which surfaced Monday three days before its official release, set off a global scurry by environmentalists, theologians, reporters and others attempting to translate the teachings that many predict will influence policy around poverty and climate change worldwide.
The much awaited papal encyclical clearly blames climate change on human activity. This decree must present quite a dilemma for Catholics world-wide who happen to be climate change deniers. Catholics are taught that the Pope is infallible.
From my point of view, I think it is great that the Church is out there in front of the issue, rather than dragging up the rear and reinforcing that old notion that church in general is secondary culture working 100 years behind the times. This Pope appears to be a man of the 21st century who wants to address current issues, in keeping with the teachings of Christ. This cannot be a bad thing.
Many scientists are delighted that the Pope has spoken out. They have been frustrated with the climate change back burner that exists.
The Pope has been almost poetic:
In often poetic terms, the pope refers to human destruction of the Earth, equating it with sin. Referring to Mother Earth as “sister,” he says, “This sister protests the harm that we cause her. We’ve been raised to think that we were her owners and dominators, that we were entitled to plunder her.”
He also notes the previous statements of popes on the environment, building evidence for his position almost in the way a Supreme Court ruling would cite legal precedent. Francis noted that most recently, “Pope Benedict proposed we should recognize that the natural environment is full of wounds produced by our irresponsible behavior.”
He openly lobbies for renewable energies, and blames global warming in part on “a model of development based on the intensive use of fossil fuels.”
It is unclear how his encyclical will affect people and nations. However, I find it hard to believe that a billion Catholics will ignore their leader.
Far from being infallible on everything he says. A tad more complicated than that.
Is the pope speaking an ‘ex cathedra decree’? I doubt it and thus he can be infallible on this topic. Usually the Catholic church reserves dogma for beliefs that have been around for a long time and there is no appreciable dissent. I don’t think specifics of climate change fit that category although the belief that humans are obligated to be good stewards of the earth would be a safe “infallible” proclamation.
Yea but its something to talk about. Is the Pope fallible on birth control? How about women in the priesthood? Gay marriage? Climate change? Then we have to decide which Pope.
Since when can Catholics pick and choose what they want to adhere to? Wait…I should rephrase that. I think most do. Since when is it kosher for Catholics to pick and chose what rules and dogma to obey?
Assume you mean “fallible on this topic.” That’s it in a nutshell. Catholic Answers on the web has a pretty detailed explanation of papal infallibility.
I like these quotes on the subjet of papal infallibilty:
Benedict XVI: “The Pope is not an oracle; he is infallible in very rare situations, as we know.”
John XXIII: “I am infallible if I speak infallibly but I shall never do that, so I am not infallible.”
This Pope is making things both hard and easy at the same time.
I like those quotes too. Infallibility belongs to the office not the person.
Not a soul called me out on saying the Pope wasn’t kosher. I am disappointed.
It is a shame that the pope has put his prestige on the line for an issue fraught with so much scientific uncertainty. For those paying close attention, the current “pause” has resulted in more emphasis on natural climate variability within the scientific community and a tacit admission that the time scale for significant climate change is on the order of 50-100 years. The pope chose to make a big deal about this just as the scientific community has become noticeably more modest.
But the Pope is kosher. He even wears a yarmulke….
His climate knowledge equals his economic knowledge.
I thought it was funny.
The pope has carefully evaluated the scientific evidence for climate change and has found it persuasive. He is a scientist with a degree in chemistry. Climate change deniers are losing the argument.
This pope is a very interesting man.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/things-didnt-pope/story?id=22840539#
I love the remarks about the “holy hog.”
@Starry flights
Right……that’s why even the warmists are admitting that there is a “pause” and that they can’t explain what is going on now.
I see that the media is already jumping on Republicans of Catholic persuasion about their reactions to the coming papal encyclical on climate change. I shall wait for comparable media questions to Democrats of Catholic persuasion about the Papal declarations that abortion is a mortal sin.
I’m not holding my breath.
Actually, looking at the past, abortion and contraception were on the same level of sindom, according to my husband.
If Catholics want to make those things “mortal sins” for their parishoners, I guess that is up to them. They can leave the rest of us alone. Some overly zealous priests have taken it upon themselves to attempt to deny certain lawmakers communion for simply not outlawing abortion. Not outlawing abortion shouldn’t be a mortal sin.
@Wolve
+1
@Moon-howler
Can’t have your cake and eat it too… just sayin. Love him now; hate him later.
@Moon-howler
If a Catholic supports abortion, which is considered murder under Catholic doctrine, then the Church does have the the authority to discipline a member. Said member has every right to leave the Church.
The point with being a Roman Catholic is recognizing the authority of said Church.
The Church can deny them Communion because they are allegedly in a state of unrepentant sin.
“Supports” abortion isn’t the same thing as refusal to make it illegal.
In that case, it is the Church trying to influence state matters. Shrug…that eternal struggle.
How about providing written support that the church considers abortion murder and lets compare it to the view on contraception.
So if you don’t outlaw contraception, should you be disciplined? How about war? Going to war vs voting to declare war or voting to fund the troops?
I might support your right to free speech but absolutely not support the fact that you burned an American flag in front of the White House.
This all sounds like slippery slope to me. As long as I am not the one out there burning the flag….I can support your right to do something I consider very distasteful.
Ah ha! How about divorce? Isn’t divorce a mortal sin? So if you in any way, as a legislator, condone divorce, then should you not receive the sacriments?
@Moon-howler
Agree Moon. Point well taken. The Catholic Church long ago abdicated its authority to discipline its membership and hold to its own doctrine. As with any secular regulation, rule or law, if one is not willing to enforce it, abandon it as a bad law or doctrine. We are either in or out and in this example are free to go to the Church of Whats Happening Now to find a doctrine that fits ones own political or religous beliefs. Conforming to Church doctrine is not in the eye of the beholder, one is a member or one is not.
@Jackson Bills
Why do I want to hate the Pope? I like the dude.
My mother stopped receiving communion after her divorce.
Decades later, after deep and repeated consultations with various priests, she received communion again.
He “carefully” banned all dissenting opinion from the conference. His science advisor is a known GAIA believer.
Did she get an annulment? My husband went thru all that. I told him I would ask his ex wife to cooperate with the annulment if he wanted one. He said he wasn’t interested and left the church.