Fracking – do Fracking – do Christians have a Christians have a distinctive view?distinctive view?

StewardshipStewardshipCare of CreationCare of Creation

Catholic Christian Social Catholic Christian Social TeachingTeaching

“Please, I would like to ask all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: Let us be protectors of Creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and the environment. …. Be protectors of God’s gifts!” Pope Francis’ inaugural Mass 19/3/2013

“Living in a way that honours rather than threatens the planet is living out what it means to be made in the image of God. We do justice to what we are as human beings when we seek to do justice to the diversity of life around us”

Rowan Williams: 2009 Operation Noah Annual Lecture

The common good requires respect of “the universal

destination of goods”.Animals, plants and

inanimate goods are by nature destined for the

common good of … humanity.

Man’s dominion granted by the Creator is not absolute, but limited by the quality of

life of his neighbour.

Catechism of the Catholic Church (para 2450 – 2456)

“Man has specific responsibility towards the environment in which he lives, towards the creation which God has put atthe service of his personal dignity, of his life, not only for the present but also for future generations”

Pope John Paul II 1995 Encyclical “The Gospel of Life”

“If Christians believe in Jesus they must recognise that concern for climate

change is not an optional extra but a core matter of faith. Wilful destruction of the environment is a sin.”

Bishop GEORGE BROWNING (Canberra):Chair of the worldwide Anglican

Communion Environmental Network (ACEN).

“It’s not just a question of finding [technologies] that can prevent environmental harms, even if it is important to find alternative sources of energy and so on.

But all this won’t be enough if we ourselves don’t find a new style of life, a discipline which is made up in part of renunciations….

… a discipline of recognition of others, to whom Creation belongs just as much as those of us who can make use of it more easily; a discipline of responsibility to the future for others and for ourselves.

It’s a question of responsibility before Our Lord who is our Judge, and as Judge our Redeemer, but nonetheless our Judge.”

Pope Benedict (in answer to a priest’s question about the environment)

"The present challenges of environment and economy, of human development and global poverty, can

only be faced with extraordinary Christ-liberated courage.”

Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

God saw everything He had made, and indeed it was very

good. (Genesis 1:31)

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden to till it

and keep it (Genesis 2:15)

The rainbow…is the sign of the covenant I make between me

and you and every living creature for all future

generations (Genesis 9:12)

When you send forth your spirit they are created and you renew the face of the earth (Psalm 104:

30)

Let the field exult and everything in it (Psalm 96:12).

The mountains and hills before you shall burst into song (Isaiah

55:12)

The earth lies polluted under its inhabitants…for they have

violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant (Isaiah

24: 5)

Jesus points to the lilies of the field and the birds of the air as beautiful in their own right but also as revealing the care

of God for all things (Matthew 6:26-30)

The Creator’s “eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the

things he has made” (Romans 1:20)

Our present life already participates in the life to come. “The kingdom of God is

among you” (Luke 17:21)

The cry of creation prompts us all to ask: “What then should we do?” (Luke

3:10)

Where your treasure is, there will be your heart too.

(Matthew 6:21)

Well done good and trustworthy servant. (Matthew 25:21)

“An economic system centred on the god of money also needs to plunder nature to sustain the

frenetic rhythm of consumption that is inherent to it. ….

Brothers and sisters: creation is not a property, which we can

dispose of at will; much less so is it the property of some, of a few: creation is a gift, it is a present, a wonderful gift that God has given us to take care of and to use for

the benefit of all, always with respect and gratitude.

Pope Francis 28/10/14

“It is our profound conviction that the future of the human family

depends also on how we safeguard – both prudently and

compassionately, with justice and fairness – the gift of creation that our Creator has entrusted to us. Therefore, we acknowledge in

repentance the wrongful mistreatment of our planet, which

is tantamount to sin before the eyes of God.

…..

We reaffirm our responsibility and obligation to foster a sense of

humility and moderation so that all may feel the need to respect creation and to safeguard it with

care. Together, we pledge our commitment to raising awareness about the stewardship of creation; we appeal to all people of goodwill

to consider ways of living less wastefully and more frugally,

manifesting less greed and more generosity for the protection of

God’s world and the benefit of His people.”

Common Declaration of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I and Pope Francis,

in the Holy Land25th May 2014

Five Christian Principles from CSTFive Christian Principles from CSTThink about:Think about:•The Common Good – everyone, The Common Good – everyone, everywhere everywhere should flourish should flourish

•Solidarity between generations Solidarity between generations

•Choose the least harm – damage Choose the least harm – damage limitationlimitation

•Live simply – avoid waste and excess Live simply – avoid waste and excess consumption consumption

•Responsible stewardshipResponsible stewardship