Laudato Si’ and Transgenic Crops: Elements for a Theological Ethics Assessment of their Development in South America

Abstract

The article seeks to fill a gap in theological reflection, which is the theological ethics analysis of transgenic crops, a topic addressed summarily by Pope Francis in Laudato Si’. Being a very relevant reality of agriculture in South America, the text critically analyzes, develops, and expands the discernment criteria proposed by Francis for transgenic crops and provides elements for their application to the reality of the subcontinent. The argument concludes by showing that many of these criteria have not been adequately applied or explored in the analysis of these agricultural practices and that, therefore, it is essential to deepen the ethical (theological) analysis of this kind of agriculture due to its enormous transcendence and impact in South America, using the technocratic paradigm proposed by the Pontiff as a framework.

KEYWORDS: GMOs. Ethics of technology. Vegetal biotechnologies.