Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ emphasizes the critical role of agriculture in sustaining human life while also highlighting the environmental damage caused by industrial agriculture. It calls for a shift towards an agricultural model that respects and works with ecological principles and processes, aligning closely with the approach of agroecology.

This new report by Dr Matthew Whelan (Baylor University) explores how Laudato Si’ builds upon the theological foundations laid out in the Catholic social teaching tradition. It also considers how agroecology offers us a practical model for this approach.

This report will be of interest to theologians, philosophers and ethicists, and those interested in an integral ecology approach to agriculture and farming.