Maybe you heard? Pope Francis was making the rounds last week in DC, New York, and Philly. The buzz has been hard to miss.
It’s no wonder. The Pope is the “faith boss” of every practicing Catholic on earth: 1.2 billion Roman Catholics worldwide and at least 70 million Catholics in the US—that’s the largest denomination by far, 22 percent of the American population. (Interestingly, the second-largest US “faith” group is former Catholics.)
But it’s not just his flock that’s paying attention these days; the crowd-pleasing Pope has mostly everybody’s ear. And he’s talking about climate change—a lot.
Environmental protection—or creation care—is based on long-standing Catholic teaching, as old as Genesis, grounded in the New Testament, and reflected in the life of the Pope Francis’ chosen namesake, St. Francis of Assisi, protector of the poor and patron saint of the environment. The last two Popes, both considered very conservative in many ways, were solid environmentalists in both word and deed. But Pope Francis is taking on climate change specifically, he’s talking about it in powerful new ways, and he’s going to great lengths to deliver his message far beyond the Catholic Church.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis issued an encyclical that defines Church doctrine about climate change. Unlike other encyclicals which are official papal letters directed only to all bishops, Francis addressed this one to “all people of good will in the world.” Yep, it’s a letter to the whole world. And he’s been busy driving the message home. You could say he’s lobbying for God—and on behalf of “the least of these”-–urging action on climate as world leaders prepare to meet yet again to discuss an international agreement in Paris later this fall.
So, how is Pope Francis reshaping the conversation about climate change?
- For one, Pope Francis walks the talk, living simply and humbly, rejecting material trappings, connecting with “regular” people…driving in a tiny Fiat. He is the Pope, so whatever he says naturally carries enormous moral authority. But living by example gives his words extra heft.
- He’s denounced consumerism, greed, and waste, and critiqued capitalism. Pope Francis doesn’t mince his words: Economic systems that uphold profit over human and natural well-being are sinful.
- Perhaps as a signal to other faith leaders, Pope Francis takes special care to dismantle the false dichotomy between science and faith. In Catholic teaching, the natural world is a gift from God and science is one way of understanding and honoring that gift. Faith and science are complementary ways of coming to know the complexity of Creation.
- He’s updating the conventional understanding of human dominion over nature to one of interconnectedness. Pope Francis stresses that we cannot separate people and planet, the world’s poor from our treatment of “our common home.” If one is destroyed, so is the other. If one is protected and cared for, it will uphold the other. And people are interconnected too, across the globe and within the global economy.
- Perhaps most importantly, Pope Francis connects environmental destruction with global poverty and wealth inequality, squarely framing climate action as an urgent social justice matter and a top priority for people of faith.
- Pope Francis balances a message of urgency about the climate crisis with hope and optimism about our ability to work together and find solutions.
- And he doesn’t seem to mind getting political. He has applauded specific climate policy efforts. In his encyclical and in his addresses to Congress and the United Nations, Pope Francis elevated the need for cooperation and underscored the role of government and the calling of elected officials to find solutions for the common good.
So, how can people of faith—and all people of good faith—amplify Pope Francis’ powerful message now that he’s back in Rome?
Here are his key talking points—gathered from the encyclical and his speeches over the past few days:
Original Sightline Institute graphic, available under our free use policy. Data Source: Resource Dimensions.
Jessie Dye is the Program and Outreach Director at Earth Ministry/Washington Interfaith Power and Light.
Laura Baumgartner
Thanks for pointing out the many connections between science and faith in the pope’s message. Francis is a great role model for living out the message of the gospel in the world, and not just for Catholics.
Jessica Zimmerle
This is fantastic, and such an important message to share. It’s rather inspiring to see the Pope practicing what he preaches and using his influence to spur progress for all people and creation. I adore this Pope and I’m not even Catholic!
Anna Fahey
If you’d like the quotes in a format that can be cut and pasted, here they are:
Pope Francis’ Climate Talking Points
Any harm done to the environment is harm done to humanity. The climate is a common good, belonging to all & meant for all.
We are not faced with two separate crises, one environmental & the other social, but one crisis which is both social & environmental. The poor & the earth are crying out.
There is an urgent need for policies that drastically reduce coal, oil & gas and replace them with renewable energy.
We are one single human family. We have a shared responsibility for our common home. What kind of world do we want to leave to children who are now growing up?
What is at stake is our own dignity. Climate change dramatically affects us, for it has to do with the ultimate meaning of our earthly sojourn.
I call for a courageous effort to redirect our steps.
Now is the time for an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded & at the same time protecting nature.
I am convinced that we can make a difference. I am confident we can find a solution.
The Rev. Sally Bingham
This is a really accurate accounting of the Pope’s message. The US population is hungry for authenticity and honesty which we got from Papa Francesco. I know, Jesse, I was there and this critic sounds like you were, too. good job
Janet Robinson
Pope Francis is inspiring, especially in his message regarding the importance of addressing global climate change. BUT, he has the power to change the lives of women and girls living in poverty throughout the world, but he is blind to their plight. And we can see that large numbers of women in poverty mean large numbers of children in poverty. Birth control, women’s health, respecting an expanded role of women in the Catholic church — none of these are on his agenda. And so, nothing much changes for half of the population who disproportionately bear the burdens of sexual abuse, incest, rape, arranged marriages (to child brides), medical issues relating to insufficient feminine hygiene products available to girls to allow them to go to school. Simply not on the Pope’s agenda. Opposition to birth control combined with opposition to abortion???? Is this rational? Get real.
John McCoy
Well done! Succinct, passionate, and provocative. Great synopsis of the encyclical with helpful links for digging deeper.
Kory Molchan
Another argument being pushed by climate deniers ahead of the papal visit is that Pope Francis has been misinformed about climate change, and, as George Will put it, is engaging “fact-free flamboyance.” “As the world spurns his church’s teachings about abortion, contraception, divorce, same-sex marriage and other matters, Francis jauntily makes his church congruent with the secular religion of ‘sustainability,’” Will wrote last week .