教宗本篤十六世對聖經
詮釋將左右環境未來
根據路透社的一則新聞報導（2005/04/20）：新任教宗本篤十六世對聖經的詮釋方式－－人類對大自然的開發利用或保護，將對環境的未來影響甚鉅。
環境學者表示，聖經教義的詮釋結果，其影響力涵蓋一切，無論是基督徒間的衝突及修和，或是從石油和天然氣的開採到全球森林的保護，無不例外。
美國北德州大學哲學暨宗教研究所柯倍德（Baird Callicott）教授指出，宗教能夠對緩和環境濫用發揮極大的影響力，然而，已故教宗若望保祿二世對此著墨不多；像西藏宗教領袖達賴喇嘛，始終強調人類應與大自然和諧共處。柯倍德指出，若望保祿二世經常批評人類對地球資源的濫用，諸如在2002年提及整個世界已陷入「環境非常時刻」；卻鮮少將環境保護視為首要工作，引導全球十億天主教徒保護大自然，充分發揮普世教會對環境的影響力。
聖經有幾處章節指出，人類可自由的支配地球並利用其資源；但也在其他章節中特別強調要善盡保護地球的責任。美國北卡州立大學社會學教授Eric Woodrum指出，對聖經的詮釋可能存在著互相衝突的地方，而教宗本篤十六世的詮釋取向，對日後的環境將有重大影響。Woodrum指出，對於人的支配權的論辯上，在創世記第九章第三節記載著上主對諾亞和他的兒子們的一段話：「凡會走動的活物都將成為你們的食物，正如我已賜給了你們青翠的蔬菜一樣，現在我要將這一切都賜給你們。」
諾亞促成生物的多樣性
不過，其他的鋪陳則是表達對創造物的尊敬和關注。在創世記每一發展階段的創造物，天主都說「好」，祂同時為保存物種的多樣化，吩咐諾亞要由一切有氣息血肉的生物中，每種各選雌雄一對，帶到方舟裡，躲避洪水，保全性命。
「以若望保祿二世為例，儘管他曾多次發表環境保護的聲明，但他反對生育控制的立場，卻與抑制人口成長以保護環境的見解是相互衝突的。」《宗教與自然百科大全》編輯、佛州大學研究員Bron
Taylor如此表示。
2002年聯合國地球高峰會在約翰尼斯堡舉行，開啟了十年間的環境保護行動及相關討論，但天主教會對此並沒有重大的表現。Taylor同時也表示，其他的基督宗派在環境議題上，確實要比羅馬天主教會來的出眾。於1997年成為世界主要基督宗派之首，引領三億信徒的東方禮天主教會（東正教會）君士坦丁宗主教巴爾多祿茂（Bartholomew），譴責破壞環境的行為是一種「罪殲」（sin）。人們給巴爾多祿茂起了個綽號－－「綠色宗主教」。
美國一些環境保護論的基督徒指責小布希總統持人是「支配者」的論調，好大喜功，而忽視環境保護的重要性。Woodrum教授指出，這樣的說法過於簡單化，相較於其他宗教（包括伊斯蘭教、佛教、道教、印度教），猶太基督宗教的傳統對環境有更多的尊重。在某些環境正義的行動和社會運動便是由基督徒號召的。
修會會長聯合會正義和平組提供／譚莉達編譯
New
Pope Could Swing Bible Debate on Environment
Story by Alister Doyle and
Ed Stoddard
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE, 2005/04/20
The new pope may
have a huge impact on the environment depending upon which side he favours
in the centuries-old Biblical debate about whether humans should exploit
or safeguard nature, experts say.
The outcome of that tussle among Christians might influence everything
from the pace of exploitation of oil and gas to the level of protection
for the world's forests, they say.
"The potential for world religions ... as well as indigenous religions,
to contribute to the mitigation of environmental abuse is tremendous,"
said Baird Callicott, a professor of philosophy and religion studies at
North Texas University.
"The late Pope did little in that regard. One world religion leader,
the Dalai Lama of Tibet, has done much more," he said. The Buddhist
Dalai Lama stresses that humans should live in harmony with nature.
Pope John Paul II often criticised human abuse of the planet, saying for
instance in 2002 that the world was living in an "environmental emergency".
But he rarely made the environment a top issue for the world's more than
one billion Catholics.
Cardinals elected conservative German prelate Joseph Ratzinger on Tuesday
as the new leader of the Roman Catholic church.
The Bible has passages that suggest humans have free rein to dominate
the earth and exploit its resources. But others stress a responsibility
to safeguard the planet.
"There is a contradictory basis for interpreting the scripture and
the choice of the new pope has profound implications," said Eric
Woodrum, a professor of sociology at North Carolina State University.
The argument for human dominion lies in passages like God's words to Noah
and his sons in Genesis (9:3): "Everything that lives and moves will
be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."
NOAH HELPS BIODIVERSITY
But other sacred texts lay down respect for creation. At each stage of
creation in Genesis, for instance, God declares it "good". He
also ensures biodiversity by telling Noah to take two of each creature
aboard the Ark to survive the Flood.
"Despite some pronouncements on protecting the environment, this
does not seem to have been a high priority for the previous Pope,"
said Bron Taylor, editor of the Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature and
a scholar at the University of Florida.
He said Pope John Paul's opposition to birth control had damaged the environment
by spurring population growth.
At a 2002 UN Earth Summit in Johannesburg -- setting the tone for environmental
protection and debate for a decade -- Taylor said there was no major presence
of Roman Catholics.
Taylor also said that some other Christians had done more to champion
the environment than Roman Catholics.
The head of the world's 300 million Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew, in 1997 became the first head of a major Christian Church
to label environmentally damaging behaviour a "sin", Taylor
said.
Bartholomew is sometimes dubbed the "Green Patriarch".
Some US environmentalist Christians say President George W. Bush is on
the side of the human "dominion" argument, accusing him of favouring
big businesses and opposing some environmental controls.
But Woodrum said it was simplistic to say Judeo-Christian traditions were
more responsible for environmental degradation compared to other religions
including Islam, Buddhism, Taoism or Hinduism.
In some ways, campaigns for environmental justice were inspired by Christians,
he said.