Theological Ethics of Ecological Care

In the light of global environmental degradation and the Church's increased attention to challenges facing the natural world, not least in the publication of the papal encyclical Laudato Si, the exigence for Christians to respond faithfully to the ecological crisis is ever increasing. This course will investigate the relationship between theology and ecology in order to articulate an ethic of ecological care and address the following questions: • What is nature/creation and what is its relationship to humanity? • What does theology have to do with caring for the natural world? • How does a theological conception of nature affect behaviour, ethics, and culture? • What should be our ethical response to environmental abuse? • Can the dignity of human persons be upheld in a way that does not presume a dominion over nature? The goal of this course is to give students a foundation in theological ethics from which to form a faithful response to the ecological crisis facing "our common home." It will introduce principles and perspectives for environmental ethics from a theological viewpoint. Special attention will be given to the resources of the Catholic tradition, but this course will integrate other theological perspectives, as well as materials from art and literature.