INTEGRAL ECOLOGY AND MEDIA IN LAUDATO SI:SAVING PLANET THROUGH MEDIA

Abstract

‘Praised Be: On the Care of Our Common Home’ (Laudato Si')[1] is an encyclical letter issued by Pope Francis in 2015, focusing on environmental and ecological concerns from a moral and religious perspective while calling for a new ecological consciousness and sense of interconnectedness. The encyclical is variously lauded for reframing the environmental discourse on the critique of capitalism and consumerism,[2] for birthing ecological spirituality paving the way for an evolution of Catholic Social Teaching,[3] for being rich in interfaith perspectives thereby fostering interreligious dialogue and cooperation on environmental issues,[4] for using gender-inclusive language on environmental care,[5] and for its alignment with the critique of overly optimistic environmental narratives.[6] LS calls for dialogue with the environment at all levels of decision-making, politics, economy, religion and science. Less emphasized or neglected in scholarly commentaries is the role of the media in LS. Using the media ecological approach, this paper explores the power of the media both as a medium and message in saving the environment.