Laudato Si': Home Page

Summary: This Laudato Si' Project provides commentary that interprets and extends the Papal Encyclical, injecting material developed for my undergraduate and graduate courses in World Sustainability; Ecology, Economics and Ethics; and Economics of Sustainability. The author holds the title of Emeritus Professor of Sustainability from Ramapo College of New Jersey, having retired July 1, 2015 --- just as Laudato Si was published.

The Holy See web site has placed Laudato Si online as a complete html document. My interpretation of the inherent logic of the Papal Encyclical is:

The Logos of Laudato Si': Creation ---> Oikos --> Crisis --> Renewal --> Noosphere as fulfillment.

LSi TOC | Intro | Creation | Oikos | Crisis | Renewal | Support

Introduction

I base my interpretation and extension of LSi on ten years of classroom teaching about world sustainability and political economy within an exposure to Social Ecology over a 40 year career at Ramapo College. My 12-year experience as a labor union president and my decade serving as a Commissioner of Economic Development in Jersey City, NJ, leavened my theoretical background with a working grasp of practice. My forte was policy analysis and strategy. This site captures much of who I am to assist aspiring Sustainers, such as undergraduate students confronting sustainability for the first time and graduate students seeking depth and breadth. Together, we strove to understand the scope of a timely and burgeoning field of study and practice.

Why LSi? The imprimatur and gravitas of Pope Francis provide an authoritative spiritual and ethical basis for sustainability, including its ethical connatations. Alas, academic curricula often fail to adequately confront the moral implications of the emerging global crisis, especially the spiritual elements. Pope Francis unapologetically calls for a spiritual conversion around Integral Ecology, a holistic response emanating from the human soul engaged with the gift of Creation. The audacity and scope of the challenge posed by LSi demands to be fully articulated by a number of voices. I feel compelled to be among them.

Readers should know that the impending crises may overwhelm the gathering response. A sober look into the intergenerational time horizon may provide some clues as to how to respond while living a fulfilling life. My succinct assessment is carried by my Statement of Concern.