ECOLOGICAL CHALLENGE

Consumerism. The global ecological crisis. These are two alarming and related problems that societies, both from the First World and Third World countries, are facing today. The seriousness of these problems has, increasingly, reached the attention and concern of the different sectors in every society. Joint efforts and initiatives from different quarters – governments, churches, non-government organizations, and academic institutions – are being launched to arrest these threatening problems. No less than Pope John Paul II has shown that same great concern. And rightly so, for the survival of our planet is the survival of humankind itself. The irreversible impoverishment of the life-system of the earth would, certainly, deny this generation and the generations to come the richness of life. In one of the Pope’s message for peace, he states:

"In our day, there is a growing awareness that world peace is threatened not only by the arms race, regional conflicts and continued injustices among peoples and nations, but also by a lack of due respect for nature, by the plundering of natural resources and by a progressive decline in the quality of life. The sense of precariouness and insecurity that such a situation engenders is a seedbed for collective selfishness, disregard for others and dishonesty."[1]

‘Collective selfishness’ as an expression of consumerism and ‘the plundering of natural resources’ as the cause of ecological crisis, are not only political and economic questions. The conspiracy of causes is so complex and pervasive in the total life of humankind today, that various disciplines should, in concert, examine the nature of these causes and find solutions for a better and sustainable future. The open and unselfish sharing of insights from various disciplinary perspectives is, therefore, imperative.

[1] Pope John Paul II, “Peace with God the Creator, Peace with all of Creation”, (Australia: St. Paul Publications, February, 1990), p. 2.