Metamorphosis (Formerly Bible Catholic)

        In one of his most controversial paragraphs, Pope Francis writes, "A very solid scientific consensus indicates that we are presently witnessing a disturbing warming of the climatic system...even if a scientifically determinable cause cannot be assigned to each particular phenomenon."        It's necessary to pause right there for a moment. The Pope stated, "a scientifically determinable cause" for every particular instance of identifiable climate change cannot be determined. Therefore, it would be erroneous to argue that Pope Francis is endorsing every proposed political solution to perceived climate change. Pope Francis does clearly say that humanity is "called to recognize the need for  changes of lifestyle, production and consumption , in order to combat this warming or at least the human causes which produce or aggravate it." (No. 23, emphasis added)         But  rather than taking sides...

        Pope Francis has been wrongly characterized by some as a luddite or a socialist. But Francis is neither of these things. Francis does not see capitalism itself as the problem but rather, unbridled capitalism. It is this raw form of capitalism which exploits people and societies for fleeting economic gains that the pope excoriates. (No. 51-52, 106, 128) According to Francis, there is a widespread delusion "of infinite or unlimited growth, which proves so attractive to economists, financiers and experts in technology. It is based on the lie that there is an infinite supply of the earth’s goods, and this leads to the planet being squeezed dry beyond every limit." (No. 106)         Francis does not see science and technology as the problem, but rather a kind of scientism, the refusal to admit there are other ways of arriving at truth--i.e. religion and philosophy--to the realm of fantasy, as a problem. Pope Francis refers to the dangers of ...

      In my previous reflection on Pope Francis' encyclical about caring for the planet earth as our common home, I focused upon the importance of the Genesis accounts of Creation to the Pope's thesis.  Fundamental truths that transcend the literary forms of the first few chapters of Genesis include: Human beings are comprised of the same matter as the earth. Our mortal fates are intertwined with the fate of the earth: "we breathe her air and we receive life and refreshment from her waters," the Pope writes. God proclaimed the universe He created, including every human being, as "very good." (Gen 1:31) Moreover, every man and woman is created out of love and made in God’s image and likeness (cf. Gen 1:26).  And because of this, the Biblical truth is that every human being has "immense dignity" and is "not just something, but someone."               We ascertain the value, beauty, and dignity of Creation fro...

       A recent newspaper column made the comment, regarding the Pope's new encyclical, "Francis knows how to direct the spotlight." With respect to the encyclical, Laudato Si', I would instead point out that Pope Francis puts the spotlight on the question: What is the Lord's will for us?--with respect for this earthly home He has entrusted us with, and with respect to the human nature He has given us?        For insight in answering this question, Francis, no doubt guided by the Holy Spirit, looks to Scripture, Tradition, and the Magisterium. Hopefully, this fact doesn't come as a surprise to Catholics. But a non-Catholic reader of the Pope's lengthy encyclical might overlook this point.       The many Scriptural references made by Pope Francis are worth highlighting. But for this article, I will focus on Genesis. Francis notes that in Genesis, God reveals to us that we are comprised of the "dust of the earth (cf. Gen 2:7); our...

A few days ago, a popular conservative radio host referred to the Pope's new encyclical as "a Marxist rant."  However, in his encyclical, Laudato Si' , Pope Francis repeatedly refers to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He also quotes from all four Gospels, as well as the books of Genesis, Exodus, Wisdom, and 1 Corinthians. The Pope quotes various regional Bishops conferences including, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, the 5th General Conference of Latin American and Caribbean Bishops, the Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, the Bolivian Bishops' Conference, the German Bishops' Conference, and the Bishops of the Patagonia-Comahue Region of Argentina. Pope Francis cites the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and the writings of Pope Benedict. He refers to Mary, the Woman, “clothed in the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a cr...