Ecology is no more an exclusive question reserved only to a few. Everybody, whether he is rich or poor, mystic or state level planner, feels the punch of eco-problems in their daily life. The facts are explicit; man’s inability to value matter in appropriate ways, lack of communitarian aspect in his world view as to include trees, birds, animals in it. Instead of being an antidote to the present day of approach to science and technology, man moves hand-in-hand with them without any consideration of its consequences.
At this extreme environmental distress, we turn to the tradition for assistance. It is true that our predecessors had different questions, different concerns, and to some extent they were slaves to their own time and culture. At the same time one cannot deny that there were some aspects of tradition that might prove useful in our ecological concerns. thus one is led to the creation mysticism of the medieval Franciscan tradition. Francis of Assisi is seen as the epitome of the Franciscan tradition. How can a medieval saint’s world view be an antidote to the modern world view? Is Francis truly an answer to our present ecological issues?
As we understand today, Francis may not be an ecologist in the strict sense of the term. Every body who approaches Francis, should know that he is not the solution of modern ecological crisis. But he is a great help to understand our relationship with the earth. He will also stand as an inspiration to relate to the earth in ways that are proper to our understanding of true ecology. This will in turn lead us to act on behalf of the planet. Francis is to be seen and understood as one who is able to value matter in an appropriate way – a way of giving intrinsic dignity to all the inanimate things, rather than instrumental value. The modern man lacks this. And here lies the originality and creativity of Francis.
Today people look at the world as some objects which can be made use for his development and for his style of life rooted in greed and selfish. All the creatures are instruments for him to be used. In his outlook earth and its resources are something that can be tamed, abused and subdued. And due to this worldview of modern man, the balance of whole environment is broken; water, air, soil and the whole atmosphere is polluted, suffering from different diseases. It is at this situation that we need to turn to Francis. The way Francis looked at the world is quite different from that of today. He could recognize all creatures with their intrinsic worth. His ecological outlook is surely an inspiration for the modern man in thee sense that it emphasizes reverence and respect to all creatures and universal brotherhood and sisterhood. This attitude of Francis realizing the intrinsic value and dignity of all creatures is what we need today... thus we need a shift from our present attitude of looking at the nature. Hence this study is relating to the ecological concerns of Francis is very important. Because, the inspiration which we draw from him, can only solve the present ecological crisis.
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