Introduction
The planet earth is home to more than 9 billion people. Most of these inhabitants believe in God, in the frameworks of the religions their ancestors professed for thousands of years. Interestingly, all religions, including Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism, offer similar approaches to explaining why people should protect the environment. This paper aims to discuss the connections between the reverence for creation from the Christian perspective and the necessity for social justice, and provide some useful insights regarding the topic from other world religions.
Creation and Social Justice in Christianity
Christianity is a complex religion that has brought together many European and non-European nationalities. Although the Bible is seen as a universal source of wisdom, there are many canonical Christian texts written by canonized saints and prominent figures of the church. For example, the Canticle of Creation written by the Francis of Assisi was widely recognized in the Christian world and subsequently inspired later works, such as an encyclical letter Laudato Si’, written by the Holy Father Francis for his contemporaries.
In this letter, the Holy Father fully explains the vicious circle of environmental pollution in terms of economics and ecology. He also makes references to the Canticle of Creation, written in the early 13th century. In this work, Francis of Assisi lays down the ethical principles of Franciscans. Francis sees God’s world as a universal, unified whole, inspired by the divine spirit. He refers to every element such as the sun, water, air, and fire, to the stars and the moon as brothers and sisters created by God. Francis found peace and tranquility in the contemplation of nature, the world, and the earth as the most enjoyable mystery.
Christianity presents a connection between the ideas from Genesis about the early days of creation, and the responsibility that God’s children bear. According to the Bible, after God created Eden, he offered Adam and Eve dominion over all the living things, which initially meant responsibility, but was later misinterpreted as domination. This responsibility, according to Laudato Si’, should be at the core of Christians’ attitude towards the environment. This concerns responsible consumption, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and the need to create a normal waste cycle that will benefit the entire ecosystem.
Holy Father Francis addressed his contemporaries with an explanation of the truth that all people are equal before God, and poor people suffer the most from the effects of pollution and climate instability. Notably, in the United States, waste disposal companies tend to landfills near the places where African American and Latino communities live, and localization decisions are made primarily based on this factor, which is called environmental racism. Likewise, pollution of the coastal areas and groundwater leads to animal migration and the destruction of plants, forcing communities to move.
Insights on Ecology and Social Justice from other Religions
Religious pluralism is a concept that is accepted by the Christian religion today. However, tolerance towards other religions has not always been a virtue of all Christians, especially considering the massacres committed during the Crusades, by the Inquisition, and during the Holocaust. Therefore, in the Second Vatican Council of 1962-1965, the Declaration on the Relation of the Church to Non-Christian Religions was adopted. This document recognizes all religions as worthy of respect and calls for mutual support and understanding between representatives of religions. The document pays special attention to the relationship between the Christian and Islamic religions and Christianity and Judaism, asking God for forgiveness for the atrocities committed during the Holocaust.
Today, representatives of Islam, and this is 1.6 billion people, signed a petition to participate in the fight to protect the environment. The recognition of the importance of environmental protection is based on the Knowledge of Creation defined in the Qur’an. Notably, one of the most important congresses IFEES / EcoIslam and Islamic Relief World Wide was held in 2014, with the later symposium in Istanbul on August 17-18, 2015. Participation of such Islamic organizations as Islamic Relief Worldwide, and the Climate Action Network marked the forging of partnerships and strengthening dialogue based on mutual respect and commitment to preserving the environment.
Buddhists present insights about the need to protect nature, citing examples from the Buddha’s teachings about the interconnectedness of all phenomena and events. At the same time, Hindus pay particular attention to how technology disrupts harmonious farming, including the use of artificial and unsafe chemical fertilizers and the destruction of the top layers of fertile soil. Hinduism also offers the unique religious concept that Vishnu, the creator god, lives in the human heart, while Shiva, the destructor god, lives in the mind. Using this concept, Hindus warn against trusting only the mind in making decisions, and explain that only through love coming from the heart can humanity establish peace on earth.
Conclusion
Thus, the concepts from the major world religions regarding environmental protection were discussed. Franciscan Christians see nature and the world as the prototype of the Garden of Eden, a place filled with harmony, where all the elements are connected. The creation myth also implies that humans are responsible for protecting God’s created world. Islam also uses the idea of creation as a mystical basis for protecting the environment. Then, Buddhists say that social justice is related to the principle of compassion, and the protection of the harmony of nature follows from understanding the interconnection of all phenomena. At the same time, Hindus emphasize that the creative and preserving divine principle is in the human heart and we must listen to the heart when making decisions.