Recently Pope Benedict XVI gave an address to an organization called ” Sister Nature”, which focuses specifically on environmental matters. Before getting into the content it is important to keep in mind the Pope’s introductory words, which explain why he decided to give a speech to this apparently small and obscure organization: he wanted to […]
Tag: environment
Nature, not Naturalism
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7n9BUnr1as&feature=player_embedded] In a previous post I have talked about the philosophical tendency towards naturalism. “From the Stoics through the Latins like Lucretius and Cicero there was a strong Naturalistic tendency in Western thought. Augustine, using Plato, rescues the centrality of God and resist this naturalism, while Boethius nails naturalism’s coffin and puts ‘nature in its place’.” In a recent […]
A Jewish Reflection on Harmony in Creation and Viral Videos
A recent viral video of a cute baby sharing Cheerios with a dog has reminded me of a speech by Rabbi Rosen at the Assisi conference, on which I commented recently. While I don’t think the baby and the dog have necessarily overcome a pragmatic peace with “the knowledge of the Lord”, it perhaps can […]
The Buddhist Connection
I have written before about the Dalai Lama and some environmental insights and approaches. In the context of the Assisi meetings this week, of which I will say more about soon, I think it is appropriate to take a look at another set of discussions with the Dalai Lama here. Clearly the buddhist idea of […]
New Interview by Creatio Director on EWTN
Ricardo Simmonds, the director of Creatio, was interviewed this summer for EWTN Catholic television network on Catholic faith and environment. Now the second interview is on you tube as well and you can watch it below. This time the theme is more spiritual, and speaks of the experience of finding God in nature (in Spanish). Enjoy.
Pope Benedict XVI in Germany and the Environment
I apologise for the delay on this post, I have been occupied with my thesis which I defend this week. Yet the Pope’s words in Germany on the environment have a lasting impact, that will transcend the immediacy of the current situation. According to Vatican insider Sandro Magister Pope Benedict XVI’s speech to the German […]
Stones into Bread
Since Lynn White crystallized the idea that Christianity is responsible for environmental problems in the late 60’s, the idea has achieved widespread credence in the context of an increasing agnosticism and atheism. There are two recent, indirect, responses from the Vatican on this issue. The first is a commentary by Pope Benedict XVI on the […]
Jesus of Nazareth II – Holy Week
I have commented before on Pope Benedict’s first private book “Jesus of Nazareth” and the environmentally relevant statements found there. In his second volume, there is less content than the first, but still relevant insights none-the-less. In general it is a book filled with spiritual insight on the inner life of Jesus during his Passion. […]
Environment, freedom and relativism
Recently Pope Benedict XVI received the new ambassador of the UK to the Holy See. In a similar spirit to his speech in England last year, the Pope mentioned the environment as one of the common causes that unites both States. The Pope also mentioned the riots that occurred in England this summer, almost exactly […]
Nature, Nostalgia and Art
Pope Benedict XVI has two recent statements with some interesting connections to the environment. On last week’s catechesis the Pope developed further the “via pulchritudinis” or the “way of beauty” as one of the “channels that can lead us to God and also be helpful in our encounter with Him: It is the way of […]