Review Reports

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

The article addresses the topical issue of sustainable development, which forms part of the broader ecological discourse. Its originality lies in the attempt to link this issue with the increasingly emphasized notion of human dignity. By exploring the question of how the Catholic understanding of human dignity contributes to the conceptualization and promotion of sustainable development in contemporary society, the article makes a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussion on integral ecology—an approach that goes beyond merely seeking technical solutions to environmental problems and instead investigates their deeper causes.

It is worth emphasizing that integral ecology occupies a prominent place in the teaching of the contemporary Church, particularly in the magisterium of Pope Francis. Moreover, the reviewed text convincingly demonstrates that efforts to protect the natural environment should be enriched by elements rooted in various religious traditions, especially Christianity. Such perspectives may provide significant arguments for the protection and harmonious development of the Earth.

In light of the above, I recommend that the article be published in Religions.

Author Response

We thank you for the precise summary and the appreciative evaluation of our methodological approach. We are pleased that the connection between the anthropological category of dignity and the sustainability discourse was clearly recognizable. In the revised version, we plan to elaborate more explicitly on the practical policy implications and further strengthen the bridge between theological and secular language of sustainable development, so that the interdisciplinary potential of the concept of dignity becomes even more evident.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

This article manuscript has a preponderance of merits, but also some shortcomings. On the positive side, the analysis is accurate and works well with the primary sources, albeit in summary fashion (this is probably necessary, since the body of Catholic social teaching (CST) documents is so large that only a summary treatment of the major relevant documents, as occurs on pages 5-8 here, is possible in the space of a journal article). Yes, an article relating the overarching CST theme of human dignity to ecological sustainability is a valuable contribution, even if there is only a modest amount of originality in this article. What the general reader is probably most eager to see is a somewhat more probing and extended treatment of the contents and contributions of Laudato Si', the most relevant of all the church documents on this topic, and it is a bit disappointing to see only a single page or so of analysis of this key document, although what appears here is accurate and insightful as far as it goes. Also  not fully satisfying is the concentration of secondary sources only emanating from authors from Eastern Europe (as best as I can discern from the names of the authors, since there are large and valuable literatures on this topic coming from other parts of the world, which would have been helpful to see more fully represented, and which is more customary in the scholarship on CST. Another slight disappointement is that the promise (stated early on) of building on the legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius in their treatments of human dignity was not adequately delivered by the end of the article. Either don't mention it so prominently in the early paragraphs or devote more space to this topic by the end of the article, I would recommend. A final but small point of criticism: while section 11 ("Results of the Analysis) and 12("Discussion") are accurate, they might be expanded a bit to help the reader perceive the connections between themes and to appreciate what has been accomplished in the course of the article. And the following section ("Conclusion") should be numbered "13" not "12" as currently appears. Overall, this is a good article, but not a fully exceptional or valuable one, and some expansion of the points I raised above would render it better. 

Author Response

We thank you for the careful reading and constructive comments. In the revised version, we have systematically addressed all the points raised. The analysis of Laudato Si’ has been substantially expanded and deepened in order to clarify its contribution within the framework of human dignity and ecological sustainability. We have also added references to relevant international scholarship beyond the Central and Eastern European context to provide a more balanced and globally grounded discourse within Catholic social teaching research.

In response to your observation regarding the reference to Saints Cyril and Methodius, we have revised the text and removed this line of argument entirely to maintain thematic coherence and avoid announcing a motif that is not further developed. The sections “Results of the Analysis” and “Discussion” have been revised and expanded to make the internal links between the themes clearer and to articulate more explicitly the contribution achieved throughout the article. The technical remark regarding the numbering of the final sections has been corrected as suggested.

These revisions were made to ensure that the article goes beyond a summarizing overview and presents a coherent contribution with a clearly articulated added value for the interdisciplinary discussion on dignity and sustainability.

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

 

This is a solid article that reviews the major papal documents related to human dignity is response to the question of world sustainability which has become an international concern, as in the UN 2030 Agenda. It is based on the belief that sustainability is not mainly a technical issue but also a moral question.

This article rightfully mentions the legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the concerns for favorable material conditions in early Christianity and church missions abroad. The review of papal documents culminates the analysis of Laudato Si which has come to be seen as being of world significance, not just a Catholic and papal concern.

I noticed that many sources come from Slovak writers, but all are in English in international journals. This local touch gives the article an international dimension.

I totally favor its publication.

Author Response

We sincerely thank you for your positive assessment and your encouragement for publication. We appreciate that you recognized the intention to highlight the moral and anthropological dimension of sustainability, beyond a purely technical framework. Your acknowledgment of the Central European academic perspective—represented through Slovak authors publishing in international journals—as a meaningful contribution to the global discourse is especially valuable to us.

In the revised version, we have removed the original reference to the legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius to maintain thematic coherence and keep the argumentation focused. However, we have retained the historical-anthropological sensitivity to the development of the concept of dignity within the Christian social tradition. We believe that these adjustments further strengthen the clarity and international accessibility of the article.