The rules of social life in the context of environmental threats

Damian Cieślik

Faculty of Theology of the University of Opole

Abstract

The encyclical letter Laudato si’ is the first pontifical document, that comprehensively discusses issues related to ecology. Although Pope Francis devoted a lot of space to descriptions of contemporary environmental degradation, the encyclical letter contains a rich amount of theological content. The present article concerns the problem of the application of the principles of social life in efforts related to ecology. The Pope dedicated a lot of attention in the fifth chapter of the encyclical letter to principles of: common good, solidarity and subsidiarity. Due to the fact that this is the first encyclical letter to deal so extensively with the issues of ecology, it certainly takes an important place among the social documents of the Church.

Keywords:

Pope Francis, the encyclical letter Laudato si’, ecology, principles of social life