7 CHAPTER TWO The Gospel of Creation: After the first chapter, which examines what exactly is happening to our “common home,” Pope Francis argues in the second chapter of Laudato Si’ that the conviction of our Christian faith can and should motivate Christians to take up their responsibility as caretakers of creation. He seeks to dispel the idea some have that environmental stewardship is somehow secondary to living out their faith. I The Light Offered By Faith No form of wisdom can be left out The solutions needed for global climate issues will not emerge from just one way of interpreting and transforming reality (63). Both science AND Christian faith have a role to play in the conversation about the future of our planet. II The Wisdom of the Biblical Accounts Everything God makes is ‘very good’ Pope Francis reminds us that the great biblical narratives speak about the relationship of human beings with the world (65): God saw everything that he had made, and behold it was very good (Gen 1:31); each person has an immense dignity. He says, We were conceived in the heart of God...Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary (65). Claims to the absolute ownership (67) of land, with no regard for caring, protecting, overseeing and preserving (67) it for future generations is rejected by God in the biblical texts. We must be respectful of the laws of nature and the delicate equilibrium (68) that require us to use the earth’s resources appropriately and to recognise that other living beings have a value of their own in God’s eyes (69), as they give him glory and cause him to rejoice. This respect and recognition is a requirement of living a life of justice and peace, as everything is interconnected...genuine care for our own lives and our relationships with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others (70). Science and religion, with their distinctive approaches to understanding reality, can enter into an intense dialogue fruitful for both (62)
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