For this study, let's look into several signs of times which took place in the last 20 years.
Firstly, during the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2000 and 2002, avian influenza or bird flu in 2004, and BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) and ...
For this study, let's look into several signs of times which took place in the last 20 years.
Firstly, during the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2000 and 2002, avian influenza or bird flu in 2004, and BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) and mad cow disease in 2008, it was observed that Korean churches showed an ambiguous attitude to burying groups of animals alive. There is no 'ethical language' for the animals' wellbeing in our church.
Secondly, the on-line emergency news has continuously stated that the Catholic priests have held masses to protest against the construction of a naval base at Gangjeong village in Jejudo and that people held united struggles against the construction of the power-transmission towers in Milyang. A few priests have devoted their lives so as not to construct nuclear power plants in Samcheok City and Yeongdeok County. However, it has been observed that some other priests showed opposite attitudes about 'the confrontational situation' of the construction of nuclear power plants in Samcheok City and Yeongdeok County.
Especially, thirdly, the episcopate announced its stance about 'Life and 4-Rivers Project' in 2010. However, different opinions from the episcopate have confused believers about what ecological justice is. In the same year, though 'A Guide on the Environment from the Korean Catholic Episcopate' was announced, the guidance didn't become effective on the church scene in the sense of 'ecological education and solidary practice.'
Lately, after the nuclear disaster caused by the earthquake in Fukusima, Japan in May, 201I, countries in East Asia, especially Korea, feel scared of food contaminated by radioactivity because of close location from Japan. However, it is difficult to find 'the leadership from the episcopate of Korea and Japan' in order to take a step towards solutions for alternative energy. From the several cases mentioned above, the church does not take 'the ecological responsibility' quickly.
In this study, it was discussed about how ecological movements shaped up and were embodied in 1990s, the daybreak of the Catholic movements for the eco-evangelization. By looking for pioneer-activitists who devoted themselves to our sustainable environment, our potential foundation for ecology will be discussed and cases and tasks for the ecological movements will be explored.
There have been integrated instruction, ecological heritage and various voices about ecology from Pope John Paul Ⅱ in 1990 to Pope Benedictus XⅥ in 2010 for 20 years. In spite of that, each diocese and each church was not able to incorporate the above instructions into their religious life and did not practice the instructions. This study intends to reflect on the reason why they were not practiced.
The 20 years in this study is the same period of the dawn and reclamation period of the Korean Catholic Eco-movement of which I took the initiative. I was in charge of the representative of the Korean National Priests' Environmental Association and the representative of the Korean Priests' National Preservation of Creation Order. I also made several other attempts for ecological evangelization.
I developed theology and spirituality to have people realize the importance of farming through direct transactions between farmers and urban buyers and to ground the basic foundation of eco-movements. I demonstrated that church can have an eco-motif to Koreans by the efforts for the conservation of the Dong River and the protest of the construction of 4-Rivers Project. I created a model of an eco-church in Daegu and was evaluated to open up a new horizon of eco-evangelization. I established a nature school and an alternative eco-school for children for a sustainable future and I incorporated new and various ecological thoughts into the curriculum of the school.
In this study, it was revealed that our actions without reflection on the past repeat the same trials and errors. If we retranslate the concentrational movements, heritage of the church, and the hands-on experiences for the last 20 years and if we integrate them with modern eco-vision, our church will be able to give shape to our hope for 'the Era of Peace-Ecology' of Pope Benedict XVI.
Hopefully, this study will be dedicated to the 'great work' to preserve the Earth and to find a new eco-gospelization model as Thomas Berry already mentioned. In the 21st century, to change from the era of devastation to the era of mutually reciprocal relationships, it is essential to examine the eco-direction of the Catholic church and to create the alternative model for practice. Thus, it will become 'the great work' to open up 'the ecozoic-era' as Thomas Berry said.