A few weeks ago I wrote about the Catholic bishops’ intervention in the climate change debate. It turns out that they may just be the fore-runners of a big shift in Catholic teaching. Next year, Pope Francis is expected to move decisively on climate change. He is due to address the United Nations on the topic, and a papal encyclical is anticipated in March.
I prefer my religion disorganised, so I tend not to get too excited about latinate proclamations by the men in white hats, but there’s something different about this Pope. He’s put social justice at the heart of his agenda, and he’s not afraid to speak truth to power. He’s earned respect inside and outside the church, and if can use his influence to inject some urgency into climate discussions, that would be very welcome. If it motivates even a fraction of the world’s 1.2 billion catholics, it could be a significant development in a crucial year for the climate.
It will be interesting to see how far the encyclical goes. Will he overturn the church’s deeply unhelpful objections to birth control? Will he appeal to those outside the Catholic church, to streams of Christianity where climate denial is more common? Recent comments in speeches suggest Pope Francis has his sights not just on the climate, but on the economic system that lies behind it:
“An economic system centred on the god of money needs to plunder nature to sustain the frenetic rhythm of consumption that is inherent to it.
The system continues unchanged, since what dominates are the dynamics of an economy and a finance that are lacking in ethics. It is no longer man who commands, but money. Cash commands.
The monopolising of lands, deforestation, the appropriation of water, inadequate agro-toxics are some of the evils that tear man from the land of his birth. Climate change, the loss of biodiversity and deforestation are already showing their devastating effects in the great cataclysms we witness.”
The Earthbound Report 
As you may read Jeremy, the social justice theme with regard to the economy has been rippling around the Catholic church for the last 5 years after Pope Benedict’s Caritas in Veritate.
What they are saying is very familiar
https://www.2degreesnetwork.com/groups/2degrees-community/resources/inclusion-social-business-and-catholic-church/ .
We will be watching this jeremy. As a spiritual leader, Pope Francis has breathed new life into the cause of human rights and stewardship of The Creation. That is reason to be very much gladdened.
I have found Catholic social teaching to be a rich source of thought about how our economic system should work. Best introduction to this is Clifford Longley’s recent “Just Money” report with Theos: http://www.Theos.org.uk
Jenny I’ve never heard of him until now but what he’s thinking has in facr been thought and put into action. It began 19 years ago when the concept of a people-centred form of economics, “measured and calibrated in human terms” was put forward.
The influences were not CST but humanists like Erich Fromm, Rollo May and Carl Rogers.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141112065203-3207079-what-is-the-purpose-of-business
Yes Jeremy, from the little I’ve read of him (probably via you), he sounds like a thoroughly modern and respectable man. Of course love of money (cash ruling man) is a different matter from man ruling procreation, so it’ll be rather a shock to the organised church and many who respect him if he was to be that thoroughly modern, wouldn’t it!