A new dawn? The Roman Catholic Church and environmental issues

Abstract

This is a PDF version of an article published in New Blackfriars© 1997. The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com.

This article discusses the stance of the Roman Catholic Church on environmental issues and argues that the Church tends to stay on the fringe rather than get involved. Some of the ways in which Roman Catholic theologians have incorporated environmental issues into theological reflection is discussed, as are environmental challenges facing the Church in Britain (conservation, resources, biodiversity, animal welfare, biotechnology, cooperate/individual ethics, environmental justice, economics/policy development, and global issues).