Analyzing My Text's Cultural Setting

The article "Forgive Them, Father" written by Jeff Turrentine from OnEarth was written before the release of Pope Francis' encyclical "Laudato Si'" on June 18th and 5 months before his tour.  I will be analyzing the cultural significance of New York, where Turrentine lives and writes and the faith of Catholicism.

festland "Blessing of Children" acquired via Pixabay
Uploaded February 2015 CC0 Public Domain

1. What values, ideas, norms, beliefs, even laws of the culture play an important role in the text?

It is very unusual for the voice of reason on recognizing climate change to come from the figurehead of Catholicism, due to a fierce divide between the conservative and liberal mindsets.  As Turrentine describes in his article, often an individual's political beliefs are often created through the dislike or even hatred of the flipside of the coin.  This culture has created the idea that beliefs are and will forever be secular of each other.  Thus, because Liberals have been known for a more supportive opinion of the environment and climate change research, a conservative cannot share their values.  The main religious issue at hand is whether or not devout Catholics will deny the Pope, therefore denying a huge portion of trust and belief in their own religion.  Ignoring religion, the core moral and ethical concerns are whether or not the public sees the inherent negative impact humans have on the planet and it's people.  Climate change inherently a global issue, it is not isolated in small communities and cities.  For humans to deny that our habits effect the environment is to damage entire ecosystems and populations.

2. Does the text address these cultural values, beliefs, etc., directly (by directly mentioning and responding to them) or indirectly (by presenting a scenario or narrative that addresses them)?

Yes, the text touches on the religious conflict, the moral and ethical values presented, and the possibility of cultural shift that the Pope has created.  The basis of this article is the idea that the Pope's encyclical and speech tour will have on the world.  He wrote this article before the actual speech tour or encyclical, but the scenario that he has presented is incredibly true to how the media, political world, and public is currently reacting.

3. What is the relationship of the text to the values, beliefs, etc.?  Is it critical of these aspects of the culture?  Is it supportive?  Does it seek to modify these aspects of the culture in a certain way?

This article comes from a newsgroup funded by the Natural Resources Defense Council and writes articles focused on sustainability and critical environmental issues in the world.  They represent the Liberal side of the coin that supports the Pope's efforts to change the cultural ideals on the environment.  They seek recognition from the public of the negative impacts of humanity and the pressing need to change our lifestyles.  I have been focusing on the Pope's impact on America, as it is highest user of energy and resources in the world, but the Pope also touched on the actions and values of the entire world, specifically in his speech to the UN.