Finally, Sanity on Francis' Encyclical

After a barrage of articles attacking Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, which has not yet been issued, here is a thoughtful analysis at The Jesuit Post of some of the themes we can anticipate when the letter is finally released. I think items #4 and #5 are especially important: Look for the pope to link concern for the environment with concern for the poor and, as well, to treat the issues of human and natural ecology as a whole. This last will doubtless be the most controversial part of the encyclical. I anticipate both libertarian leaning economic conservatives and libertarian leaning lifestyle liberals to be making common cause, trying to divert what the pope says into arguments about economics and population control that both groups enjoy having. I will make one prediction: Our very smart, very theologically incisive pope will make it very hard for both groups to try and baptize their positions as in anyway consonant with the Catholic faith.