Question 3

In his conclusion, Evan Berry reaffirms the idea that, although not always obviously, religion and environmentalism have been connected since the latter’s inception.  Throughout the conclusion, Berry restates all the ways that religion, especially 19^th century Protestantism, has influenced the American environmentalist movement. However, Berry also discusses how the environmentalist movement has become exclusionary. Berry counts Christianity among the many groups that the American environmentalist movement has marginalized throughout its history, such as women and people of color. Despite its roots in Protestantism, the American environmentalist movement has pushed away from Christianity all together. Berry argues that in order to create policies and lasting environmental changes, everyone, including Christians, must work together to enact environmental change, rather than excluding certain groups and tearing each other down.

            Berry’s argument for togetherness is mirrored in the teachings of Pope Francis. One of Pope Francis’ encyclicals, Laudato si’, calls for Catholics and humanity as a whole to reexamine our commitment to protecting the environment and all of humanity. The encyclical names humanity and greed as the main causes of the degradation of the environment. He urges Catholics to see environmentalism as a part of their Catholic duty to God. Pope Francis has also been a very vocal proponent of the Paris Agreement, a 2017 global agreement to work to reduce the effects of global warming. Pope Francis has also become a vocal critic of President Trump’s environmental policies.  After Trump threatened to pull the United States from the Paris Agreement, Pope Francis criticized the president and also urged the United States, not just Catholics, to continue to work towards environmental change.