Papal conclave: Will cardinals elect another 'green pope'?

Pope Benedict XVI espoused environmental justice and renewable energy in his nearly eight years as pontiff. Will the cardinals choose another 'green pope' to follow Pope Benedict XVI?

|
Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Members of the faithful wait during the conclave in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican Tuesday. For some, the environmentalism of Pope Benedict XVI was less an adaptation to modern trends and more a reflection of traditional Catholic concern for the poor.

Pope Benedict XVI made environmentalism a central theme of his nearly eight years as Bishop of Rome, earning him the nickname "the green pope." With the conclave underway, it's possible that legacy will have some sway over the 115 red-robed cardinals charged with choosing a new pope.

Cardinal Óscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga of Honduras could further Catholic environmentalism if elected Pope, Mother Jones notes. Cardinal Rodríguez has called climate change a "faith issue," and has advocated for a global treaty to reduce worldwide carbon emissions.

For some, the greening of the church would be less an adaptation to modern trends, and more a reflection of traditional Christian values.

"It's not unlike the realization a few decades ago that social justice isn't a side issue for Christianity but a central aspect of it that flows out of our relationship to a loving God concerned for all people," wrote Robin Gottfried, director of the University of the South's Center for Religion and Environment in Sewanee, Tenn., in an e-mail. "[B]ecause many young people are greatly concerned about the environment and sustainability – by addressing these concerns the church also will position itself to address the youth and help stanch the flow of youth out of the church."

There's a connection between a concern for natural resources and Catholicism's "long-standing, centuries-old" critique of consumerism and materialism, Randolph Haluza-DeLay, an editor of the forthcoming book "How the World’s Religions are Responding to Climate Change," said in a telephone interview.

Benedict, along with Pope John Paul II before him, emphasized that connection.

"The fact that some States, power groups and companies hoard non-renewable energy resources represents a grave obstacle to development in poor countries," Benedict wrote in a 2009 encyclical letter. "Those countries lack the economic means either to gain access to existing sources of non-renewable energy or to finance research into new alternatives.

"The technologically advanced societies can and must lower their domestic energy consumption, either through an evolution in manufacturing methods or through greater ecological sensitivity among their citizens," he added. "It should be added that at present it is possible to achieve improved energy efficiency while at the same time encouraging research into alternative forms of energy." 

Benedict aimed to transform the Vatican into the first carbon-neutral state. Plans to plant a carbon-offsetting forest in Hungary ultimately fizzled, but in 2008, the Vatican installed $1.5 million in solar panels on the roof of the Paul VI auditorium. The 2,700 solar panels produce enough energy to light, heat, and cool the 6,000-seat hall. 

Last September, French car company Renault presented Benedict with a customized electric version of its Renault Kangoo to use at the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo.

For an organization that counts some 1.2 billion members among its ranks, these gestures can be far-reaching. It is a unique environmental perspective – originating from an institution that doesn't frequently align with progressive interests.

"He sort of detangled the issue of the environment as a liberal issue and said, 'No, it’s everybody’s issue. It’s really central to who we are as humans,'" said Mr. Haluza-DeLay, also an associate professor of sociology at The King’s University College in Edmonton, Alberta.  

It's unclear whether the connection between faith and the environment resonates among Catholics generally. Only 6 percent of churchgoers said that their religious beliefs have had the biggest influence on what they think about tougher environmental rules, according to a September 2010 Pew study.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
What is the Monitor difference? Tackling the tough headlines – with humanity. Listening to sources – with respect. Seeing the story that others are missing by reporting what so often gets overlooked: the values that connect us. That’s Monitor reporting – news that changes how you see the world.

Dear Reader,

About a year ago, I happened upon this statement about the Monitor in the Harvard Business Review – under the charming heading of “do things that don’t interest you”:

“Many things that end up” being meaningful, writes social scientist Joseph Grenny, “have come from conference workshops, articles, or online videos that began as a chore and ended with an insight. My work in Kenya, for example, was heavily influenced by a Christian Science Monitor article I had forced myself to read 10 years earlier. Sometimes, we call things ‘boring’ simply because they lie outside the box we are currently in.”

If you were to come up with a punchline to a joke about the Monitor, that would probably be it. We’re seen as being global, fair, insightful, and perhaps a bit too earnest. We’re the bran muffin of journalism.

But you know what? We change lives. And I’m going to argue that we change lives precisely because we force open that too-small box that most human beings think they live in.

The Monitor is a peculiar little publication that’s hard for the world to figure out. We’re run by a church, but we’re not only for church members and we’re not about converting people. We’re known as being fair even as the world becomes as polarized as at any time since the newspaper’s founding in 1908.

We have a mission beyond circulation, we want to bridge divides. We’re about kicking down the door of thought everywhere and saying, “You are bigger and more capable than you realize. And we can prove it.”

If you’re looking for bran muffin journalism, you can subscribe to the Monitor for $15. You’ll get the Monitor Weekly magazine, the Monitor Daily email, and unlimited access to CSMonitor.com.

QR Code to Papal conclave: Will cardinals elect another 'green pope'?
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2013/0312/Papal-conclave-Will-cardinals-elect-another-green-pope
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe