W encyklice Laudato si’ papież Franciszek podsumowuje bogaty dorobek swoich poprzedników zawarty w wypowiedziach na temat kwestii ekologicznej. Począwszy od Pawła VI kolejni papieże wielokrotnie odnosili się do tej kwestii, podnosząc ją w różnych kontekstach i aspektach. Stanowisko papieża Franciszka aktywnie włącza wspólnotę Kościoła katolickiego w główny nurt współczesnej debaty ekologicznej, wykazując pełną gotowość do najszerzej rozumianej współpracy w badaniach i działaniach inspirowanych troską o Ziemię – nasz wspólny dom. Możliwość takiej współpracy dostrzega papież w porozumieniu ze wszystkimi ludźmi dobrej woli, którzy podzielają znaczenie wskazanych w niniejszym opracowaniu zagadnień: idea zrównoważonego rozwoju, idea ekologii integralnej, problematyka bioetyczna, kwestia klimatyczna i kwestia eko-sprawiedliwości.

In his teaching John Paul II paid a lot of attention to the subject of environmental protection. His holistic concept incorporates the most important issues that relate to preservation of natural resources that still exist. Among many issues discussed by him the following seem to be of the highest importance. The ecological issue refers to all people irrespective of religious or political views. Natural environment degradation bears negative consequences which apply to everyone, the Pope regards his comments on the natural environment protection as the Church’s support for the peoples’ efforts in overcoming the growing ecological crisis. In John Paul’s II opinion, so-called “anthropological mistake” is the basis for thoughtless degradation of natural environment. A human being who discovers his ability to transform and, to some extent, to create the world through his own work believes he can disobediently rule the Earth and bring it under his absolute control. He acts as if the Earth did not have its own shape nor an intention previously indicated by God. God’s intention for the Earth may indeed be expanded by a human but it should not be fought against. Instead of being God’s co-worker in the act of creation a human tries to replace Him. As a consequence, nature, which is oppressed rather than ruled by a human, protests. Ecological crisis is seen as a consequence of troubled relationship between a human and nature. In this relationship a human is driven only by his own economical needs. He does not take into consideration the specificity of nature’s constituting components: natural resources, plants and animals. Another important reason for the environment crisis is inconsiderate output of natural resources as if they were to last forever. Natural environment exploitation is reprehensible. However, destruction of “human environment” is equally dangerous. Alike with the Earth, which should be used respectfully in accordance with its initial intention, a human ought to value his own “natural and moral construction he was equipped with”. According to the teaching of the Church, God gave the Earth with everything it consists for the use of all the people and nations, this sense of common property also bears common responsibility for the existing goods. Because it is a shared property, it should be of a public concern, therefore , every enterprise that makes use of natural resources is obliged to take care of the environment.

Over the last few decades, we have witnessed a significant change in human mentality and attitudes towards the natural environment and its protection. This change is accompanied by different axiological principles within which we can distinguish: 1) the anthropocentric concept which places man in the centre and grants him a privileged place amongst other species; 2) the anti-anthropocentric concept which stresses the equality of all species and demands a reversal in humanistic orientation consolidated by the European Enlightenment; 3) the moderate anthropocentric concept which underlines human’s caring and a responsible role towards the ecosystem. As disturbances of ecological balance are the result of human actions and the sign of the cultural crisis, the necessity to protect the natural environment should be realised. John Paul II was a supporter of the above. He referred to the integrated ecology, which combines the protection of the natural environment with the concern of the quality of human spirituality. Integrated ecology poses two demands: 1) all actions towards environmental protection should be understood as means of confirming the respect of human personal dignity; 2) those actions which harm the natural environment and threaten man should be given up.

Though death is a universal and real event, large diversity of the attitudes to death are observed. Depending on the culture and historical period, death has been perceivable as distant and horrible, or mysterious and fascinating. In the last years in the area of western civilization the increased interest in this issue occurred. Attempt has been made to consider death as one of the events of human life, which is present in both individual and social consciousness. Relegation of tanatological issues into subconsciousness or passing them over does not eliminate the confrontation with this important existential problem. The analysis of historical attitudes to death can help to avoid in our time mistakes, which in the past were making most often.

Over the last few decades we have witnessed a significant change in human mentality and attitudes towards the natural environment and its protection, this change is accompanied by different axiological principles within which we can distinguish:• anthropocentric concept which places man in the center and grants him a privileged place amongst other species,• anti-anthropocentric concept which stresses the equality of all species and demands a reversal in humanistic orientation consolidated by European Enlightenment,• moderate anthropocentric concept which underlines human’s caring and a responsible role towards the ecosystem.As disturbances of ecological balance are the result of human actions and the sign of the cultural crisis, the necessity to protect the natural environment should be realized.  John Paul II was a supporter of the above. He referred to the integrated ecology, which combines the protection of the natural environment with the concern of the quality of human spirituality. Integrated ecology poses two demands:• all actions towards environmental protection should be understood as a means of confirming the respect of human personal dignity,• those actions which harm the natural environment and threaten man should be given up.