Pope Francis’s Integral Ecology Paradigm: An Exploration of Its Theological Foundations and Ethical Implications

Abstract

Integral ecology has arguably received more attention from theologians, ethicists and others compared with other ideas arising out of Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’. In this article I explore what are reasonable alternative ways of understanding what Pope Francis intended in using the language of integral ecology, and critically explore its theological foundations and point to some implications for practice. I trace its development to a theological response in dialectical relationship with his understanding of an alternative technological paradigm. Unlike the latter, integral ecology is grounded in traditional Catholic concepts of creation and resonates with natural law understood to be broadly inclusive rather than narrowly proscriptive. While to a degree plagiarizing on earlier concepts of integral human development, it has its own distinctive message to carry. Moreover, I suggest that without adequate reference to theological foundations integral ecology morphs into much more general notions of multi-disciplinarity and trans-disciplinarity, which, while valuable in themselves, fail to get to the heart of Pope Francis’s intended mission.