similarly as a mere ‘space’ into which objects can be thrown with complete indifference”.
92
The
intrinsic dignity of the world is thus compromised. When human beings fail to find their true place in
this world, they misunderstand themselves and end up acting against themselves: “Not only has God
given the earth to man, who must use it with respect for the original good purpose for which it was
given, but, man too is God’s gift to man. He must therefore respect the natural and moral structure
withwhichhe has been endowed”.
93
116. Modernity has been marked by an excessive anthropocentrism which today, under another
guise, continues to stand in the way of shared understanding and of any effort to strengthen social
bonds. The time has come to pay renewed attention to reality and the limits it imposes; this in turn is
the condition for a more sound and fruitful development of individuals and society. An inadequate
presentation of Christian anthropology gave rise to a wrong understanding of the relationship between
human beings and theworld. Often, what was handed onwas a Promethean vision ofmastery over the
world, which gave the impression that the protection of nature was something that only the faint-
hearted cared about. Instead, our “dominion” over the universe should be understoodmore properly in
the sense of responsible stewardship.
94
117. Neglecting tomonitor the harmdone to nature and the environmental impact of our decisions is
only the most striking sign of a disregard for the message contained in the structures of nature itself.
When we fail to acknowledge as part of reality the worth of a poor person, a human embryo, a person
with disabilities – to offer just a few examples – it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself;
everything is connected. Once the human being declares independence from reality and behaves with
absolute dominion, the very foundations of our life begin to crumble, for “instead of carrying out his
role as a cooperator with God in the work of creation, man sets himself up in place of God and thus
ends up provoking a rebellionon the part ofnature”.
95
118. This situationhas led to a constant schizophrenia, wherein a technocracywhich sees no intrinsic
value in lesser beings coexists with the other extreme, which sees no special value in human beings.
92
ROMANOGUARDINI,
DasEndederNeuzeit
, 63 (
TheEndof theModernWorld
, 55).
93
JOHNPAUL II,Encyclical Letter
CentesimusAnnus
(1May1991), 38:AAS 83 (1991), 841.
94
Cf.
Love for Creation. An Asian Response to the Ecological Crisis
, Declaration of the Colloquium sponsored by the
Federation ofAsianBishops’Conferences (Tagatay, 31 January-5February1993), 3.3.2.
95
JOHNPAUL II,Encyclical Letter
CentesimusAnnus
(1May1991), 37:AAS 83 (1991), 840.
