ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY

►The Philippines, a beautiful country

gifted with rich natural resources, is
considered among the most
remarkable in the world.
►It has unique topographies teeming
with biodiversity.
►The character of the Philippines
being an archipelagic, volcanic and
tropical country brings about its
distinctive natural features and
vulnerability to natural disasters and
climate change.
►These characteristics need to be
considered in developing and
implementing programs and projects
to obtain optimal use of the
ecosystems and avoid destruction of
biodiversity.
►Environmental problems are prevalent
in the Philippines.
►The destruction of its natural
resources is attributed to and caused
by illegal and highly extractive
activities like logging and mining.
►Although there are laws that cover these
activities, people complain of poor
implementation and monitoring of these
laws.
►This is aggravated by inequity in society,
where some greedy people take
advantage of many poor people.
►Rapid increase in population also
contributes to pollution and increases
demand for resources.
►In this context lies the urgency for
widespread education and immediate
action for ecological integrity.
ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
►ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY refers to the
balance of life and the state of nature as God
created it.
►In Ecology, the study of interactions among
organisms and their environment, this is
described by the principle of homeostasis or
stability despite shifting in the components in
ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
►Despite pollution, extraction, and
damage, the ecosystem has the ability
to revert back to its original state if left
to recover by itself or by assisted
natural regeneration.
ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
►Humans have the capacity and
responsibility to maintain ecological
integrity and sustain the Earth’s natural
resources.
►Human activities, infrastructures,
industries, agriculture, and lifestyles
should follow the natural law of ecology.
ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY
►Ecosystems provide services for
human survival – water, air, food,
medicine and shelter.
The Story of Creation
(Genesis 1- 2)
►The Bible contains insights that can
help form the basis for ecological
integrity.
►Although interpretations may be
different, passages indicate that:
- the Bible affirms the goodness and inherent
value of all living things;
- it points out commonalities and
interconnectedness between human beings
and other living things; and
- it contains the mandate that we treat the
natural world with care and respect.
►Such insights provide powerful
grounds for the promotion of
ecological integrity.
►In its pastoral letter, ‘What is Happening to
our Beautiful Land’ (1988), the Catholic
Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines wrote:
“As we reflect on what is happening in the light
of the Gospel we are convinced that this assault
on creation is sinful and contrary to the
teachings of our faith.
The Bible tells us:
- that God created this world, (Gen 1:1);
- that He loves His world and is pleased with
it (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 and 31); and
- that He created man and woman in His
image and charged them to be stewards of
His creation (Gen 1:27-28).
God, who created our world, loves life and
wishes to share this life with every
creature.
Saint John tells us that Jesus saw His
mission in this light. ‘I have come that they
may have life and have it to the full.’ (Jn
10:10).”
►In the essay entitled, ‘Biblical Views of
Nature: Foundations for an Environmental
Ethic’, Bunge writes:
Genesis 1-11 contains several fundamental ideas
about the natural world and our place in it.
Genesis clearly states that God is the source of
all life and that creation is good.
The ideas:
- that God is the source of all life,
- that creation is good,
- that human beings are connected to the Earth, and
- that God is concerned with all creatures
strongly suggest that we are to value and respect the
Earth and its many forms of life.
If we are to “have dominion over” or “rule”
the Earth, it ought to be humane and
compassionate and it should result in social
justice, prosperity and ecological integrity.
Genesis 1:28, as traditionally interpreted,
does not advocate tyrannical exploitation of
nature, but rather responsible care of it.
►In the light of growing environmental
concerns, we can refer to important
Church documents for foundations of
ecological integrity.
►The integration of Ecology into the fabric of
Catholic social thought are conveyed in the
2004 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of
the Church.
►In particular, Chapter 10 is dedicated to
‘Safeguarding the Environment’ with a
reflection that “the cry of the Earth and the cry
of the poor are one.”
►In the 1990 World Day of Peace message,
‘Peace with God the Creator, Peace with
all of Creation,’ John Paul II states that
“the proper ecological balance will not be
found without directly addressing the
structural forms of poverty that exist
throughout the world.”
►In Laudato Si’, Pope Francis,
- after analyzing the present ecological
situation in the world (LS, 17-61),
- presented a theological reflection of the
phenomenon (LS, 62-162) and
- suggested actions on the structural and
►In his theological reflection, Pope Francis
expounded his theology of creation in three
areas namely,
- the gospel of creation;
- the human roots of the ecological crisis;
and
-
►The second chapter of Laudato Si is
entitled “The Gospel of Creation”.
►The goal of Chapter 2 is stated in #62 –
“Why should this document addressed to
all people of good will, include a chapter
dealing with the convictions of believers?
I am well aware that in the areas of politics and
philosophy there are those who firmly reject the
idea of a Creator, or consider it irrelevant…
Nonetheless, science and religion, with their
distinctive approaches to understanding reality,
can enter into an intense dialogue fruitful for
both.”
►Chapter 2 includes the following
topics:
- the light offered by faith;
- the wisdom of the Biblical accounts;
- the mystery of the universe;
►Chapter 2 includes the following topics:
- the message of each creature in the
harmony of creation;
- a universal communion;
- the common destination of goods; and
- the gaze of Jesus.
►The message of Chapter 2 is found in
#67 –
“We are not God.
The earth was before us and it has been
given to us…
Although it is true that we Christians have
at times incorrectly interpreted the
Scriptures, nowadays we must forcefully
reject the notion that being created in
God’s image and given dominion over the
earth justifies absolute domination over
other creatures.
The biblical texts are to be read in their
context, with an appropriate hermeneutic,
recognizing that they tell us to ‘till and keep’
the garden o0f the world (cf. Genesis 2:15).
‘Tilling’ refers to cultivating, ploughing or
working, while ‘keeping’ means caring,
protecting, overseeing and preserving.
This implies a relationship of mutual
responsibility between human beings and
nature.
Each community can take from the bounty of
the earth whatever it needs for subsistence, but
it also has the duty to protect the earth and to
ensure its fruitfulness for coming generations.”
►The third chapter of Laudato Si is entitled
“The Human Roots of the Ecological
Crisis”.
►The goal of Chapter 3 is stated in #101 –
“It would hardly be helpful to describe
symptoms without acknowledging the human
origins of the ecological crisis.
A certain way of understanding human
life and activity has gone awry, to the
serious detriment of the world around
us.
Should we not pause and consider this?
At this stage, I propose that we focus on
the dominant technocratic (efficiency,
production, and wealth accumulation)
paradigm and the place of human
beings and of human action in the
world.”
►Chapter 3 includes the following
topics:
- technology – creativity and power;
- the globalization of the technocratic
paradigm; and
►Chapter 3 includes the following topics:
- the crisis and effects of modern
anthropocentrism
- practical relativism,
- the need to protect employment and
- new biological technologies
►The message of Chapter 3 is found in #107 –
“It can be said that many problems of today’s
world stem from the tendency, at times
unconscious, to make the method and aims of
science and technology an epistemological
paradigm which shapes the lives of
individuals and the workings of society.
The effects of imposing this model on
reality as a whole, human and social,
are seen in the deterioration of the
environment, but this is just one sign of
a reductionism which affects every
aspect of human and social life.
We have to accept that technological
products are not neutral, for they create a
framework which ends up conditioning
lifestyles and shaping social possibilities
along the lines dictated by the interests of
certain powerful groups.”
►The fourth chapter of Laudato Si is entitled “Integral
Ecology”.
►The goal of Chapter 4 is stated in #137 –
“Since everything is closely interrelated, and today’s
problems call for a vision capable of taking into account
every aspect of the global crisis, I suggest that we not
consider some elements of an integral ecology, one
which clearly respects its human and social
►Chapter 4 includes the following
topics:
- environmental, economic and social
ecology;
- cultural ecology;
- ecology of daily life;
►Chapter 4 includes the following
topics:
- the principle of common good; and
- justice between generations.
►The message of Chapter 4 is found in
#141 –
“We urgently need a humanism capable of
bringing together the different fields of
knowledge, including economics, in the
service of a more integral and integrating
vision.
Today, the analysis of environmental
problems cannot be separated from the
analysis of human, family, work related
and urban contexts, not from how
individuals relate to themselves, which
leads in turn to how they relate to others
and to the environment.”
►The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of
the Philippines, in its 1988 Pastoral
Letter on Ecology What is Happening to
Our Beautiful Land, recommends some
measures which we, as individuals, can
do to promote ecological integrity.
1. Be aware of what is happening in your
area.
2. Do not remain silent when you see your
environment being destroyed.
3. Use your influence within your family
and community to develop this
4.Avoid a fatalistic attitude. We are
people of hope, who believe that
together we can change the course of
events.
5.Organize people around local
ecological issues.
6. Support public officials who are
sensitive to environmental issues.
7. Become involved in some concrete
action. There is much that can be
done by individuals to reforest bald
hills and prevent soil erosion.