Christian order flirting with pantheism?

The Sisters of Charity is a Catholic order founded by a disciple of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in the 19th century. The website for the order's Halifax branch indicates a supportive connection with the Centre for Earth and Spirit in Glenairley, British Columbia. A perusal of the latter's website, especially the page titled "About Us," leads one to believe that the Centre's understanding of the work of the "Spirit" brings it perillously close to pantheism. This raises two questions: (1) Shouldn't it be possible to favour the protection of the physical environment without embracing pantheism? The Centre is hardly the only environmental group to fall into this heresy and adopting what is sometimes labelled eco-spirituality. (2) Isn't the Catholic Church against pantheism? That was my impression.

While we're on the subject of ecology, the Acton Institute's Kevin Schmiesing argues that the Kyoto Accord, which has recently come into effect, represents the wrong way to protect the environment. Schmiesing writes: "Where environmental standards must be set through the consensus of a political community, the usual political process can accomplish the task." The Acton Institute tends to be sceptical of most environmental concerns, including global warming.

I have just completed a review of James W. Skillen's latest book, In Pursuit of Justice, for an upcoming issue of Acton's Journal of Markets & Morality. In contrast to Schmiesing, Skillen argues that protection of the environment ought not to be considered just one more issue, subject to the ordinary political and judicial bargaining processes, but must instead be seen as an integral element of our larger calling to be stewards of God’s creation. In our societies, if no one were willing to contend for the physical environment in competition with loggers, defence contractors and many others, it would tend to be left out of consideration altogether in the policy process. As an alternative Skillen argues that "the environment must be taken into consideration at a constitutional level" (p. 124), possibly by the adoption of measures similar to existing local zoning laws. An interesting idea, to be sure.