Nobody imagined that a Jesuit from South American would be elected pope or that he would cop the name of a twelfth century environmentalist.
Many religious fundamentalists preach that only God has the power to affect the heavens and the earth, and that man-made climate change is a hoax. Last month Pope Francis pulled the pin and threw a grenade into that raging debate.
He challenged the gospel according to Exxon, Chevron, Phillips and BP by citing peer-reviewed warnings from ninety percent, or more, of the world’s leading environmental scientists.
In his encyclical, “Laudito Si*,” Francis teaches that: “Humanity is called to recognize the need for changes of lifestyle, production and consumption…”
He goes on to quote Patriarch Bartholomew of the Eastern Roman Orthodox Church: “…to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God.”
Religion and science have long had their doubts about each other. But the pope and Galileo were seen having coffee the other day. “Let’s let bygones be bygones.” Frank said to the astronomer, as he picked up the check.
* “Praise be to you, my Lord”
