Excellent work. One question: you list global warming as an example of a non-definitive teaching of the Magisterium requiring religious submission of intellect and will, since it is referenced in Laudato Si'. But is global warming a matter of faith and morals, or even something habitually taught by the Magisterium as a prudential judgment? It seems to be more a claim of science and one not often discussed in magisterial documents, even ones dealing with environmental issues.
I would say that it’s not a matter of faith and morals per se, but the care for creation that Laudato Si exhorts us to is. Thus, as you say, acknowledgement of global warming is prudential, but the necessary call to care for our home as spoken of in Genesis ought to be given assent of intellect and will. That is why I referenced it as I did as referenced by the document and not according to the scientific consideration.
Makes sense. So global warming as a scientific theory is itself debatable, but not the need to care for our home, since the latter pertains to faith and morals but the former is more prudential.
Yes. To my mind, that is how we should read that document. The church doesn’t bind us to anything within science unless it directly impacts something within faith and morals, think of ensoulment at conception. The moment of conception is a scientific reality but it is defined in conjunction with the teaching on ensoulment and the prohibition against abortion. Global warming is not equal to this.
However the Church views its magisterial authority to interpret Scripture correctly, it doesn’t mean that the rest of us are not allowed to interpret Scripture. If our conscience and spiritual discernment concur with our own interpretation, we must abide by it. The rest of us are also supposed to be protected from error by the Spirit of Truth, and not only those under apostolic succession (see 1John 2:20, 27); and we are all supposed to have spiritual discernment (see 1Corinthians 2:9-16). The hierarchy does not have unlimited authority over us (see 2Corinthians 1:24 and 1Peter 5:3).
Excellent work. One question: you list global warming as an example of a non-definitive teaching of the Magisterium requiring religious submission of intellect and will, since it is referenced in Laudato Si'. But is global warming a matter of faith and morals, or even something habitually taught by the Magisterium as a prudential judgment? It seems to be more a claim of science and one not often discussed in magisterial documents, even ones dealing with environmental issues.
I would say that it’s not a matter of faith and morals per se, but the care for creation that Laudato Si exhorts us to is. Thus, as you say, acknowledgement of global warming is prudential, but the necessary call to care for our home as spoken of in Genesis ought to be given assent of intellect and will. That is why I referenced it as I did as referenced by the document and not according to the scientific consideration.
Does that make sense?
Makes sense. So global warming as a scientific theory is itself debatable, but not the need to care for our home, since the latter pertains to faith and morals but the former is more prudential.
For reference, I changed “global warming” to “care for creation” to avoid confusion. Thanks for bringing that question forward.
Yes. To my mind, that is how we should read that document. The church doesn’t bind us to anything within science unless it directly impacts something within faith and morals, think of ensoulment at conception. The moment of conception is a scientific reality but it is defined in conjunction with the teaching on ensoulment and the prohibition against abortion. Global warming is not equal to this.
However the Church views its magisterial authority to interpret Scripture correctly, it doesn’t mean that the rest of us are not allowed to interpret Scripture. If our conscience and spiritual discernment concur with our own interpretation, we must abide by it. The rest of us are also supposed to be protected from error by the Spirit of Truth, and not only those under apostolic succession (see 1John 2:20, 27); and we are all supposed to have spiritual discernment (see 1Corinthians 2:9-16). The hierarchy does not have unlimited authority over us (see 2Corinthians 1:24 and 1Peter 5:3).