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39 Cath. Law. 353 (1999-2000)
Catholic Tradition, and the New Catholic Theology and Social Teaching on the Environment

handle is hein.journals/cathl39 and id is 361 raw text is: CATHOLIC TRADITION, AND THE NEW CATHOLIC THEOLOGY AND SOCIAL TEACHING ON THE ENVIRONMENT ROBERT W. LANNAN* The world that God created has been entrusted to us, yet our use of it must be directed by God's plan for creation, not simply by our own benefit. Our stewardship of the earth is a kind of participation in God's act of creating and sustaining the world. U.S. Catholic Conference, Faithful Citizenship: Civic Responsibility for a New Millennium, issued October 19, 1999. I. INTRODUCTION As humanity has become more aware of the conditions that threaten the world's environment, and as communities have begun crafting solutions to environmental problems, a nascent body of Catholic theology and social teaching has emerged to address environmental concerns. This theology and teaching can only be understood in light of long-standing Catholic traditions concerning creation, redemption, and the role of humanity in these processes. These traditions show that the resources of our natural environment are important in their own right to the processes of creation and redemption of the universe. Catholic tradition also shows that humanity has a unique set of responsibilities. It is essential, for example, that we respect creation and exercise stewardship over it. Under the Church's new environmental theology and teaching, such reverence and stewardship require that human communities embrace, first, a A.B., Georgetown University; J.D., Georgetown University Law Center; LL.M., Environmental Law, The George Washington University. Robert W. Lannan practices environmental law at McDermott, Will & Emery, in Chicago, Illinois. He previously practiced environmental law for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Mr. Lannan would like to thank Rev. Thomas M. King, S.J. and Rev. Ladislas M. Orsy, S.J. for their assistance with this article.

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