A model for integrating spirituality in social development in Latin America: Exploring Pope Francis encyclical letter Laudato Si (on care for our common home), the ecology of liberation and the ancestral wisdom of the South American people

Abstract

This article intends to assess the importance and the impact of the Encyclical Letter "Laudato Si" of Pope Francis (2015) in Latin America. Based on St. Francis of Assisi's prayers, the encyclical letter intends to generate a change in the perception of and a consciousness of Mother Earth, bringing the following three essential aspects together: the scientific knowledge, the spirituality, and the indigenous knowledge. Pope Francis' message states that the voices of indigenous peoples all over the world must be at the center of discussions and actions concerning climate change. This article proposes that out of the elements of the triad, the indigenous knowledge (Suma Kausay) is the most fundamental to operate the complete encyclical message in Latin America. Moreover, the article argues that there is a correspondence between the encyclical and the Ecology of liberation's views. We argue that, in order to better understand the Pope's message, it is important to look for aspects that this message and the systemic indigenous understanding, knowledge, and wisdom, developed over the millennia in the ancient cultures of South America, have in common. We believe that all actions that impair the quality of life on our planet should be of personal concern to all of us, as human beings living on Earth. We argue that the common good can be achieved when a systemic vision of these two (encyclical and ecological) voices blends into one, which focuses on the search for a spiritual and healthy relationship between human beings and their environment abandoning our claim to be the owner and themaster of the Earth. We present amodel of spirituality-in-development, which constitutes a new paradigm that systematically interrelates the vision of Pope Francis, the ideas of the ecology of liberation and the ancestral wisdom of the South American people.