Last modified: 2025-10-17
Abstract
At present, many nations are facing an ecological crisis; therefore, every person is called to take part in assuming responsibility for the damage to the integrity of creation. The Catholic Church, through its teachings, continues to renew the world’s moral awareness, as reflected in the Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum. This exhortation is a continuation of Pope Francis’s previous encyclical Laudato Si’. Through this document, humanity is reminded that the moral responsibility to care for the environment is not merely a political duty but also an expression of faith in God the Creator. This study seeks to reinterpret the idea of environmental responsibility within a philosophical-theological framework. The method employed is library research, using textual analysis of Church magisterial documents and philosophical thought relevant to the topic. The Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum serves as the main moral framework of reflection. In addition to Church documents, the study also employs Hans Jonas’s philosophy of responsibility toward the continuity of life. Jonas’s thought provides a conceptual understanding of human action and its impact on the sustainability of existence. From a theological perspective, Laudate Deum guides humanity toward ecological and solidaristic conversion. This research presents a synthesis between ecological responsibility—as an essential dimension of human dignity—and the call to compassion toward all creation. Thus, environmental responsibility ethics is not merely ecological morality but also an expression of faith rooted in the integrity of creation and social justice. This study serves as a bridge for understanding environmental ethics within the context of Catholic social teaching and contributes to the renewal of ecological morality in the postmodern era.