In responding to today’s environmental concerns, the Catholic Church draws not only on the Biblical story of creation and redemption, but also on its own distinctive tradition of official social teaching. In its social teachings, the Church has developed a framework of ethical principles, grounded in the Bible and Catholic doctrine, which apply to a wide range of contemporary issues. These principles have been set forth in statements issued by Popes, Bishops, and Church Councils and strongly emphasize respect for human dignity, regard for the common good, and concern for the needs of the poor.

As the name of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Environmental Justice program indicates, this ethical framework binds together social justice and environmental stewardship as integral parts of a unified moral perspective.

Biblical and Theological Foundations
Creator and Creation

God, the Source of all that is, is actively present in all creation, but God also surpasses all created things. . . . We can and must care for the earth without mistaking it for the ultimate object of our devotion. We believe that faith in a good and loving God is a compelling source of passionate and enduring care for all creation. The very plants and animals, mountains and oceans, which in their loveliness and sublimity lift our minds to God, by their fragility and perishing likewise cry out, "We have not made ourselves."

God brings them into being and sustains them in existence. (U.S. Catholic Bishops, “Renewing the Earth”)

A Christian responsibility for the environment begins with appreciation of the goodness of all God's creation. In the beginning, "God looked at everything he had made, and he found it very good" (Gn 1:31). The heavens and the earth, the sun and the moon, the earth and the sea, fish and birds, animals and humans — all are good. God's wisdom and power were present in every aspect of the unfolding of creation (see Prv 8:22-31). (U.S. Catholic Bishops, “Renewing the Earth”)

A Sacramental Universe

For many people, the environmental movement has reawakened appreciation of the truth that, through the created gifts of nature, men and women encounter their Creator. The Christian vision of a sacramental universe — a world that discloses the Creator's presence by visible and tangible signs — can contribute to making the earth a home for the human family once again. Pope John Paul II has called for Christians to respect and protect the environment, so that through nature people can "contemplate the mystery of the greatness and love of God." (U.S. Catholic Bishops, “Renewing the Earth”)