The Gospel of creation and integral ecology: a first reception of the Laudato Si'

The article analyzes some of the crucial nodal points of the relevant Encyclical Laudato Si' in order to emphasize the organic and coherent character of its content. In the first place, the main lines of Laudato Si are scrutinized: gratuitousness as its horizon and hope, as its driving force, a strong appeal to the alliance between the many knowledges, as its intentionality, and the virtuous circle (see, judge and act), as its methodology. The second moment deals with the weaving of the encyclical text itself that revolves around three nodes: the gospel of creation; integral ecology and, finally, the ecological conversion as a condition for an integral conversion. Finally from the pope's insistence on integrity as being the hallmark of the Christian faith and, at the same time, from the possible alternatives to the current crisis, it is concluded that complex challenges require integrative knowledge and practices. Therefore, from the constitutive completeness of their own faith tradition, Christians discern and recognize the inherent complexity of life to which they respond with full proposals and initiatives.