Is the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines Turning Dark Green? Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines’ Environmentalism from Anti-Mining to Climate Crisis Response

Abstract

Abstract The article examines whether the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has become “dark green.” It explores CBCP’s pastoral letters on environmental issues from 1988 to 2019. Using the framework outlined by Bron Taylor in Dark Green Religion: Nature, Spirituality, and the Planetary Future, I argue that there are shifts in the environmental consciousness of the Catholic Bishops, as evident in the pastoral letters. Since 1988, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has exhibited a reliable commitment to environmentalism and its prophetic mission amidst various environmental challenges.