July 15, 2009

Catholic group offers balance to often polarized environmental debate

Creatio is a Catholic nonprofit organization that promotes reconciliation between humans and creation as a response to environmental problems.

The organization is sponsoring an Aug. 17-19 conference titled “Faith and the Environment: Questions and Challenges” at St. Malo Retreat Center in Allenspark. What follows is an interview the Denver Catholic Register recently did with Creatio founder Ricardo Simmonds, who is pursuing a doctorate in environmental philosophy.

Q: We live in a world where those who shout the loudest get the most media attention.  What are your thoughts about those environmentalists who say, “The sky is falling?”

A: The environment is not the first arena where alarmists and apocalyptic discourses can be found. On another issue, technology for example, we also find several alarmists and doomsayers, predicting imminent destruction and chaos. We must notice however, that usually alarmists are met with skeptics who fill the opposite role as deniers of any and all dangers, and these can be as much out of focus as alarmists. As with technology, the environment is an issue in which the Church needs to steer away from the polarized views and find the truth. That means taking whatever is valuable from the enviro-philes (alarmists) and the enviro-phobes (skeptics), and constructing a more accurate picture of reality. Lately it seems that alarmists have been getting more attention, but that must be countered with truth, not with mere skepticism.

Q: Can you comment on the science that is used by those who present the environmental situation of our planet as a “doomsday scenario”?

A: I think here you allude to what is more specifically referred to as “climate change,” since it is the foremost issue that leads to doomsday scenarios. One reason that the climate change issue lends itself to these alarmist positions is precisely because we have so little accurate information. Navigating the science on it is almost a nightmare, and unless it is your area of expertise, I would say being well educated on the matter is almost impossible. Information and studies are updated by the week, and it is very hard to navigate through the maze of good versus bad science, who funds who, what ideologies guide different studies, etc. Because of my work I try to follow the issue carefully but am very careful with making authoritative assertions, and there are very few people who I think can do so. Of what I understand so far, the most conclusive information points toward the affirmation that: we know very, very little about climate change. We cannot affirm one way or the other about the dimension and reality of anthropogenic (human caused) affects, and whether these will be positive or negative implies much speculation. Models and predictions have proved to be very unreliable and will require decades to show moderate trends. The complexity of the issue really raises the uncertainty of climate change to very high levels. So I am very suspicious of authoritarian doomsayers. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that we should not take action at all, as if holding a grudge. There are many environmentally conscious actions that could reduce emissions that should be part of our life anyway. Simplicity, austerity, and a spirit of sacrifice should be lived as a lifestyle by every Catholic, and if the environment and society push us for doing so, that is a blessing.

Q: Education and action, which you call “civic environmentalism,” would be advocated by both camps.  How does Creatio use the teachings of the Catholic faith to attain the goal of solving environmental problems?

A: Providing a consistent and articulate Catholic education on environmental issues is perhaps the greatest challenge. I have not yet seen an organic teaching on this issue. The wealth of Church teachings, along with recent developments of the magisterium since Vatican II, and the prolific teachings of John Paul II and more recently Pope Benedict XVI provide abundant material for teachings on environmental matters. But this is certainly something that needs to be fleshed out, organized and developed in a systematic way. Until this is available, the teachings of recent popes and the magisterium provide many directions and intuitions on which to build. Creatio also bases much of its approach on a theology of reconciliation.

Q: The conference: Who is invited, what will take place and what is the goal of the conference?

A: The conference, “Faith and Environment: Questions and Challenges,” seeks to address environmental issues from a Catholic perspective. The goal is twofold: to generate dialogue and communion between different people of good faith who are seriously trying to care for creation and to start developing a Catholic position on environmental matters. At this stage the focus will be on identifying the issues, questions and challenges and setting an ordered frame for discussion. For this, the knowledge and experience of people from different faiths and professions will be a great contribution. Renowned and international speakers will be presenting on different themes related to the environment such as theology, philosophy, science, law and stewardship. The conference is intentionally small in order to promote dialogue and reflection, but anyone interested in participating can contact rsimmonds@creatioweb.org, there are still a few spots available.

Faith and Environment: Questions and Challenges

What: Aug. 17-19 conference
Where: St. Malo Retreat Center, 10758 Highway 7, Allenspark
Information: contact rsimmonds@creatioweb.org; call 303-141-0201 Ext. 350