Contemplative Life amidst Mass Extinction: Catholic Revisions of Spirituality, Law, and Multispecies Justice
Journal of Contemplative Studies July 23, 2025 Willis Jenkins
Contemplative ecology—finding spiritual meaning in multispecies relationships—faces two potential injustices: it may prioritize personal spiritual fulfillment over political action to prevent extinctions, and extending justice to nonhuman creatures might undermine efforts to secure equal protection for human dignity. This essay examines how contemplative ecology can contribute to multispecies justice by analyzing Pope Francis's redefinition of human dominion in contemplative terms to address climate and extinction crises. The essay notes that this theological shift accompanies elevations of Indigenous governance rights and rights for nature, though neither is fully or consistently endorsed. These ambiguities illuminate questions about the role of contemplative practice in social and political transformations needed to repair relations with ecological systems.