Is there an Anthropocenic Homiletic? : Preaching in the midst of the Anthropocene Event

Preaching in the midst of the Anthropocene Event

Résumé

In geological time, the current age is often considered the Anthropocene, a designation that admits the impact of humanity on the planet. While originally deployed as a geological term, the Anthropocene concept has evolved diversely and is now widely accepted and increasingly serves as a bridging concept across disciplines, including theology. This article juxtaposes the Anthropocene “event” with the liturgical and homiletic arenas. While the Anthropocene is often judged to be a sinister moment as symbolized in the contemporary climate crisis, the larger framework of the human impact on our world and its people can be an analogy for positive human engagement and a parallel positive theological anthropology. In that vein, it is argued that the reforms of Vatican II – particularly the liturgical and homiletical developments – were driven by human concerns. Fully human engagement in worship, and by extension in the homily as an integral part of worship, suggests an “Anthropocene imperative” in Roman Catholic preaching: particularly around a positive theological anthropology and deep respect for the natural world that permeates our eucharistic liturgy. The article concludes with pastoral reflections on the preaching implications of this Anthropocene turn.