Argues that Teilhard de Chardin's evolution-rooted theology constitutes a "mythical materialism" that stresses the spiritual value of materiality, enables viewing the world as an integral whole, and inspired Pope Francis's theology of integral ecology.
Abstract
Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit priest-scientist, played a significant role in important evolutionary discoveries related to human origins. This article argues that his theology, rooted in the concept of evolution, can be seen as a mythical materialism because it strongly emphasizes the spiritual value of materiality. His mystical materialism enables us to view the world as an integral whole. This has inspired Pope Francis’s theology of integral ecology.