REPORT ON FAITH AND ECOLOGY COURSES IN NORTH AMERICAN SEMINARIES
ReportonFaithandEcologyCoursesinNorthAmericanSeminaries
ByTheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopmentJanuary,2016
WearegratefulforthegeneroussupportoftheJuliaBurkeFoundation,whichmadepossibletheresearch,writing,printing,publication,anddistributionofthisreport.
TheReportwasresearched,written,andeditedbyRabbiYonatanNeril,JoyAuciello,LucyAtkinson,AndrewDeutsch,RachelWinner,RickiSilber,JasonDamon,ChelseaRevell,AnnieFortnow,AdinaHeistein,DaliaGladstein,SarahLyons,KarenWolberger,andShirelleWeingarten.
Thisthird,expandedversionoftheReportfollowsversionsreleasedinJuneandSeptember,2015.Secondprinting:December2016.Copyright©2016TheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment.Coverphoto©MarkLeibowitzPhotography,takeninAspen,Colorado.CoverdesignbyChayimMescher
PrintedEcologically:PaperisFSC®(ForestStewardshipCouncil)Certified,SFI®(SustainableForestryInitiative)Certified,SourcingandRainforestAllianceCertified™,with10%postconsumerpaper.ProcessedChlorineFree(PCF)andlignin-freefiber.MadewithTotalChlorineFree(TCF)andElementalChlorineFreeCF)Pre-consumerfibercontent.Manufacturedunderalkaline(acid-free)conditions.
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TableofContents
Report Introduction and Summary of Key Findings......................................................................................3
Report Methodology.................................................................................................................................................6
Highlighting Twenty-Nine Seminaries in Faith and Ecology Curricula.........................................................8
List of Highlighted Seminaries..................................................................................................................................8
List of 58 Seminaries Offering Courses on Faith and Ecology...............................................................................18
Seven Selected Courses on Faith and Ecology..............................................................................................19
Selected Courses on Faith and Ecology..................................................................................................................19
Instructors of Note........................................................................................................................................23
Concentrations in Faith and Ecology............................................................................................................25
Descriptions of 190 Courses on Faith and Ecology.......................................................................................27
Appendix 1 – Pontifical Universities in Rome Offering Courses on Faith and Ecology...............................68
Author Biographical Information.................................................................................................................70
About the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development...........................................................................71
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ReportIntroductionandSummaryofKeyFindings
Researchundertakenforthisreportindicatesthattherearemorethan190coursesonfaithandecologyat58institutionstrainingseminariansintheUnitedStatesandCanada1inthepastnumberofyears,outofmorethan250seminariesinvestigated.2Itisencouragingtoseereligiousinstitutions–inparticularseminaries–increasingeducationabouttheenvironmentalcrisisbasedonfaithteachingsThisreportfollowsthereleaseofPopeFrancis'sEncyclical,LaudatoSi:OnCareforourCommonHome,whichhassignificantlyincreasedglobalawarenessofthestronglinkbetweenfaithandecology.IntheEncyclical,PopeFrancisstates:"AllChristiancommunitieshaveanimportantroletoplayinecologicaleducation.Itismyhopethatourseminariesandhousesofformationwillprovideaneducationinresponsiblesimplicityoflife,ingratefulcontemplationofGod’sworld,andinconcernfortheneedsofthepoorandtheprotectionoftheenvironment."3ThisisthefirstPapalstatementthatcommentsonseminaryeducationandtheenvironment.WhilePopeFrancissinglesoutChristiancommunitiesinthisparticularcalltoaction,theEncyclicalitselfisaddressedtoallpeople.AstheEncyclicalstates,youngpeoplearedemandingchange,4andthetrainingofemergingclergycanhelpcatalyzethe‘ecologicalconversion’forwhichthePopeiscalling.Theencyclicalcallsforattentiontoabroadspectrumofenvironmentalissuesincludingclimatechange.
A2014surveybythePublicReligionResearchInstituteandtheAmericanAcademyofReligionfoundthat"mostAmericanswhoattendreligiousservicesatleastonceortwiceamonthhearlittlefromtheirclergyleadersabouttheissueofclimatechange.Justoverone-thirdofAmericanssaytheirclergyleadersspeakaboutclimatechangeoften(11%)orsometimes(25%).Morethan6-in-10Americanssaytheirclergyleadersrarely(29%)ornever(33%)referenceclimatechange."Thesurveyalsofoundacorrelationbetweenclergyspeakingaboutclimatechangeandcongregantswhobelievethatclimatechangeisoccurringandhumancaused:"AmericanswhosaytheirclergyleadersspeakatleastoccasionallyaboutclimatechangearemorelikelytobeclimatechangebelieversthanAmericanswhotendnottohearaboutclimatechangeinchurch(49%and36%,respectively).AmericanswhosaytheirclergyleadersspeakatleastoccasionallyaboutclimatechangealsoscorehigherontheClimateChangeConcernIndex."5
ThelowincidenceofAmericanclergyteachingonclimatechange,andbyextension,environmentalissuesingeneral,isreflectedinhowAmericancitizensviewtheissueofclimatechange.AccordingtoarecentpollbyYaleandGeorgeMasonuniversities,asdetailedintheBloomberggraphbelow,thevastmajorityofAmericansdonotviewclimatechangeasamoralorreligiousissue.6
1WhilethisreportfocusesmainlyonNorthAmerica,itisnoteworthythatcoursesonfaithandecologyarealsoofferedatseminariesinRome,Australia,India,Israel,Italy,NewZealand,andelsewhere.2Thereare200-250additionalseminariesinNorthAmericathatwerebeyondthescopeof,orexcludedfromthisstudy,manyofthemwithlowstudentenrollment.3Paragraph214,onlineathttps://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2105301-laudato-si-inglese.html4 Paragraph135"Believers,Sympathizers,andSkeptics:WhyAmericansareConflictedaboutClimateChange,EnvironmentalPolicy,andScience,"Nov.21,2014,onlineathttp://publicreligion.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2014-Climate-Change-FINAL1.pdf6 HowthePopeCouldTurnU.S.ClimatePoliticsUpsideDown,EricRoston,June12,2015,BloombergBusiness.Thearticleisonlineat: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-12/how-the-pope-could-turn-u-s-climate-politics-upside-down
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Whilemanyhavesoughttoaddressclimatechangeandotherglobalenvironmentalchallenges,activistshaveyettosucceedincatalyzingacollectiveglobalresponsecommensuratewiththechallenge.Thisstemsinpartfromthefailuretoengagethosepeoplewiththegreatesttrackrecordofinspiringbehaviorchange:faithleaders,clergy,andteachers.Twenty-fiveyearsago,agroupofprominentscientistswroteanopenlettercallingforfaithcommunitiestosupporttheminaddressingclimatechange:“Problemsofsuchmagnitude…mustberecognizedashavingareligiousaswellasascientificdimension...wescientistsurgentlyappealtotheworldreligiouscommunityinwordanddeed.”7OneoftheearlyresponsestothiscallwasthetenHarvardconferences(1996-1998)andteneditedbooks(1997-2004)examiningviewsofnatureintheworld’sreligions.ThisresultedintheForumonReligionandEcologynowatYale(www.fore.yale.edu).
Muchoftheworld'spopulationisinvolvedwithareligiousorspiritualcommunity.Therefore,itis
7SaganUrgesClericstoJoinToSaveGlobe,PeterSteinfels,January16,1990,TheNewYorkTimes.Thearticleisonlineat: http://www.nytimes.com/1990/01/16/science/sagan-urges-clerics-to-join-to-save-globe.html
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imperativethatemergingclergylearnhowtheirfaithrelatestoenvironmentalbalanceinordertoaidtheircongregationsinthehealingofhumansociety.Seminariesinfluencethereachandimpactoffuturefaithleaders.Manyfaithsunderstandtheecologicalcrisistobeaspiritualcrisis,andtheeducationofemergingclergyinthisareaisthereforecriticallyimportant.Themanymillionsofpeoplewhosufferfromecological,politicalandreligiousconflictsoftenturntotheirfaithforsupport.Heighteningtheskillsoffutureandcurrentreligiousleadersandlinkingthemtogetherwithacommonmoralpurposeandagreaterunderstandingwillinspireactiontowardapeaceful,just,andsustainablefuture.Improvingemergingclergy'secologicalawarenesswillinspirecommunities,congregations,andleadersofothersectorsinimprovinghuman-environmentrelations.
SeminarieshaveembarkedonahostofgreeninginitiativesoncampusesthroughoutNorthAmerica.Partofthisinvolvesgreeningofthephysicalinfrastructureofthecampus–installingrenewableenergygenerationandcomposting;sourcingfoodlocally;andexpandingandrenovatingbuildingswithaLEEDgreen-buildingcertification.Anothersignificantaspectofgreeningseminariespertainstothelevelatwhichecologyandcreationcareisintegratedintocurricula.Thisismanifestedviacoursesthatrelatetofaithandecology,aswellasintegratingecologicalcomponentsintoexistingcoursesonothertopics.Thisreportfocusesprimarilyoncoursesofferedthatrelatetofaithandecology.
Inresearchingthisreport,TheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment(ICSD)examinedmorethan231NorthAmericaneducationalinstitutionsthattrainseminarianstobecomereligiousclergy.Theinstitutionssurveyedincludeabroaddiversityoffaithsanddenominations,includingCatholic,Evangelical,SouthernBaptist,andJewish,amongmanyothers.
ToprovideasummaryofdatafromtheReport:
• 252seminaries,divinityschools,andtheologicalschoolsinNorthAmericaweresurveyed• Withinthissamplegroup,58seminaries,or22%ofthesamplegroup,offeredcoursesonfaithand
ecology.• Amongthese58seminaries,190coursesthatrelatetofaithandecologyhavebeenofferedin
recentyears• Amongthese58seminaries,thisReporthighlights28seminariesthatoffermultiplecourseson
environmentaltheology.
These28institutionswereselectedbasedonthenumberofcoursesonfaithandecologyofferedateachone.Thefollowingtheologicalschoolsrepresentdiversepathstoexcellenceinfaith-basedenvironmentalcourses,withsignificantdifferencesininstitutions’size,resources,andenrollment.Significantly,theschoolsofferingthemostnumberofcoursesinthisareawereindiversegeographicregions,includingConnecticut,NewJersey,Kentucky,Tennessee,andOntario,Canada.Therefore,seminariesofferingcoursesonfaithandecologyisoccurringwithinadiversityofregions,includingtheU.S.South.
Despitetherapidgrowthofsuchcoursesinreligiouseducation,thepercentageofseminariesofferingfaithandecologycoursesremainslow.Furthermore,coursesonfaithandecologystillrepresentonlyasmallfractionofoverallseminaryeducationatmostseminaries.Duringthemulti-yearformationperiodofseminarians,astudentwhoattendsoneofthe22%ofseminariesthatofferacourseonfaithandecologywouldlikelyonlytakeoneortwosuchcoursesduringhisorherformationperiod.
Bycomparison,a2009studybytheAuburnTheologicalSeminaryanalyzedinterfaithexposureand
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courseworkinseminaryeducation.Auburn"found1208academiccoursesaboutotherfaithsbeingofferedbythe150institutionsinthestudy"8;overseventimesmorecoursesthanwerefoundinourreportonfaithandecology.AuburnSeminaryalsohadasmallersamplesizeofseminaries.Bycomparison,multifaitheducationisfarmoreprevalentinNorthAmericanseminariesthanfaithandecologyeducation.TheAuburnreportprovidedamodelforresearchingandwritingthisreportonseminaryeducation,andweacknowledgeDeanRabbiJustusBairdforhisassistance.
ICSDacknowledgesDrewTheologicalSchoolandtheSoutheasternBaptistTheologicalSeminaryfortheirleadershippositionsintheGreenSeminariesInitiative(GSI)andSeminaryStewardshipAlliance(SSI),respectively.Inadditiontobeingleadersinthisfield,theGSIandSSIgenerouslysharedthesyllabiontheirwebsitewithICSDinordertoenabletheexpansionofoursyllabuscollectiononfaithandecology.
ItisanaspirationoftheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopmenttohelpdramaticallyincreasethenumberoffaithandecologycoursesthroughthepublicationofthisreport,whichwillserveasatoolforadvocacyandresourcecirculation.ICSDhasalsocreatedafree,searchablecollectionoffaithandecologysyllabiandreadinglistsonitswebsite,www.interfaithsustain.com,whichservesasaresourceforseminaryinstructorsinterestedinexpandingtheirteachingonfaithandecology.ICSDalsooffersconsultingservicestoseminarydeansandfacultytofacilitateexpandedteachinginthisarea.
ReportMethodology
Thisreportexaminesmostoftheapproximately250accreditedChristianseminariesinNorthAmericalistedontheAssociationofTheologicalSchools(ATS)website(http://www.ats.edu/).Thereareapproximately100additionalChristianseminaries,mostlynon-ATSinstitutions,onwhichnodatawascollected.9Intotal,252seminarieswereresearchedforthisreport,includingthe39schoolslistedintheGreenSeminariesInitiative(GSI)syllabusproject,the38SeminaryStewardshipAlliance(SSA)memberschoolsandthe50largestUSseminariesbystudentpopulation.WhiletheprimaryfocusofthisreportisChristianseminaries,datafromnineJewish,threeBuddhist,andtwoMuslimschoolsisalsoincluded.
Faithandecologycourseshavebeendefined,intheresearchforthisreport,ascoursesthatareprimarilyfocusedonenvironmental,ecological,creation-careornature-basedthemesandtheirrelationtofaithteachings,asevidentinthecoursedescription.Coursesthatincludeecologyasanancillarytheme–asonelectureamongtenduringasemester-longcourse,forexample–arenotincluded.Somecourseswiththeword'Nature'inthetitle,like'PhilosophyofNature'or'TheologyofNature,'havenotbeenincludedinthisreportifthecoursedescriptiondoesnotindicateanenvironmentalfocus,ascommonlyunderstood,butratherpertainingtoquestionsoftheologyorphilosophy.Coursesthataddressfoodethicsand/oranimalwelfarehavebeenincludedamongthe
8 "BeyondWorldReligions:theStateofMultifaithEducationinAmericanTheologicalSchools,"byDr.LucindaMosherandRabbiJustusBaird,TheAuburnTheologicalSeminaryCenterforMultifaithEducationreport,December20099EstimatesvaryontheprecisenumberofChristianseminariesinNorthAmerica.While300mightbeacloseapproximation,theremaybeasmanyas500.ThenumberofJewishandBuddhistschoolsaresignificantlylowerandthereareonlytwoIslamicclericalschoolscurrentlyinNorthAmerica.ThelargestSeminaryinNorthAmericahasover3,000students;thesmallesthasfewerthan15.
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courseslistedinthereport.
Forthepurposesofthisreport,‘seminaryeducation’isbroadlydefinedtoincludeanyeducationalinstitutionthatinstructsstudentstrainingtobecomeclergyintheirchosenreligion.Theterm‘seminarians’usuallyreferstoallthosestudyingtobeclergy,whetherinseminariesoratreligiouscollegesoruniversities.AsoneCatholicpriest,consultedinthewritingofthisreport,noted,"BishopsofDioceseoftenprefertheirseminarianstostudyinseminaries;religiouscommunitiesoftenhavetheirseminariansstudyatCatholiccollegesoruniversitiesandhavearesidencenearbyfortheirownstudents.”ChristianseminariesincludeschoolsthatawardaMastersorDoctorofDivinitytotheirstudents.Insomecases,aGraduateSchoolofTheologyisapartofalargeruniversity,thelatterofwhichofferscoursesonfaithandtheologythatseminariansintheGraduateSchooldoorlikelyattend.Forotherreligions,thereportfocusesoninstitutionsthatexpresslytrainrabbis,imams,andBuddhistleaders.Christianseminariesofalldenominations,includingRomanCatholic,Mennonite,Episcopal,Evangelical,andMethodist,wereincludedintheresearch.
TheaforementionedAuburnTheologicalSeminaryCenterforMultifaithEducationreportonmultifaitheducationmadeadistinctionaboutinstitutionsthattrainreligiousleaders:"Inamultifaithcontext,nosinglewordorphrasecapturesallsuchinstitutions,whicharevariouslyreferredtoasseminaries,theologicalschools,divinityschools,andrabbinicalschools.Thephrase‘theologicalschool’andtheword‘seminary’willbeusedinterchangeablyinthisreportandareintendedtorefertoinstitutionsthattrainreligiousleaders."Suchisthecaseinthisreportaswell.
Theauthorsrecognizethatgapsexistbetweenpublishedcourseinformationandactualcourseofferings.However,onlinecoursecatalogsrepresentapublicstatementbyaseminaryregardingtheircourseofferingsandserveasanaccesspointforpublicinformation.Infindingoutdatedcourses,ICSDresearchersreachedouttoseminarycontactstoattainupdatedinformationasconsistentlyaspossible.
Eachseminaryinthisreportwascontacteddirectlytoattainmoreinformationaboutitsfaith-basedecologycourses.Insomecases,ICSDstaffconductedin-personandtelephonemeetingswithseminaryfacultytoascertainwhatcoursesarebeingoffered.Inmanycases,thein-person,telephone,andemailcommunicationsledtoanexpansionandclarificationofthecourselist.However,manyrequestswentunanswered.ICSDintendstoupdatethisreportforfuturecyclesascourseschangeanddevelopeveryyear.Toprovideupdatedcourseandinstitutionalinformationforfutureeditions,pleasecontactICSDatthefollowingemailaddress:[email protected].
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HighlightingTwenty-NineSeminariesinFaithandEcologyCurricula
Thissectionhighlightstwenty-eightseminariesinNorthAmericathatexcelinofferingcoursesonfaithandecology.Theyhavebeenselectedforthislistbasedonthenumberofcoursesofferedinthisarea.Note:StudentpopulationquotedforaseminaryincludesFTE(Full-TimeEquivalent)andnon-FTEstudents.
ListofHighlightedSeminaries
• MethodistTheologicalSchoolinOhio,Delaware,OH
• DrewUniversityTheologicalSchool,Madison,NJ
• YaleDivinitySchool,NewHaven,CT• UnionTheologicalSeminaryoftheCityof
NewYork,NY• TorontoSchoolofTheology,Toronto,ON,
Canada• LexingtonTheologicalSeminary,Lexington,KY• CenterforReligionandEnvironment,
Sewanee:UniversityoftheSouthSchoolofTheology,Sewanee,TN
• GeorgeFoxEvangelicalSeminary,Portland,OR
• WakeForestUniversitySchoolofDivinity,Winston-Salem,NC
• FullerTheologicalSeminary,Pasadena,CA• CatholicUniversityofAmerica:Schoolof
TheologyandReligiousStudies,Washington,DC
• Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminary,Evanston,IL
• AnabaptistMennoniteBiblicalSeminary,Elkhart,IN
• BostonUniversitySchoolofTheology,Boston,MA
• CatholicTheologicalUnion,Chicago,IL• ReconstructionistRabbinicalCollege,
Wyncote,PA• AustinPresbyterianTheologicalSeminary,
Austin,TX• CandlerSchoolofTheology,Atlanta,GA• ChicagoTheologicalSeminary,Chicago,IL• ChristianTheologicalSeminary,Indianapolis
IN• DukeDivinitySchool,Durham,NC• HarvardDivinitySchool,Cambridge,MA• LutheranTheologicalSeminaryatGettysburg,
Gettysburg,PA• MeadvilleLombardTheologicalSchool,
Chicago,IL• ZieglerSchoolofRabbinicStudies,Los
Angeles,CA• SoutheasternBaptistTheologicalSeminary,
WakeForest,NC• ConcordiaSeminary,SaintLouis,MO• DenverSeminary,Littleton,CO• WesleyTheologicalSeminary,Washington,
DC
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MethodistTheologicalSchoolinOhio,Delaware,OH
StudentPopulation:201;Denomination:UnitedMethodistChurch
http://www.mtso.edu/
TheMethodistTheologySchoolinOhio(MTSO)isoneoffourtheologicalschoolsundergoinggreencertificationthroughtheprocessoftheGreenSeminaryInitiative(GSI),andin2017itwilllaunchtheSeminaryEnvironmentalLeadershipInitiative,incollaborationwithGSIandtheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment.
MTSOhasofferedeightdistinctfaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesincluding“ConnectionsinEcologyandReligiousEducation,”“TheOikosofGod:EconomyandEcologyintheGlobalHousehold,”“Worship,EcologyandSocialJustice”and“ResistingBiocide:EnvironmentalEthicsforDiscipleship.”TheyalsoofferedaspecializationinEcologyandSocialJusticefortheirMastersofDivinityprogram.Inthedescriptionforthisspecialization,MTSOstates:
“Outofloveandrespectforfuturegenerations,religiousleadersneedtoprovidethosetheyservewithatheologicalframeworkforresistinggreed,gluttonyandthedestructionofresources.”
MTSOhasaSustainabilityandLandInitiative,whichincludesSeminaryHillFarm,acertifiedorganicfarmthatincorporatesenvironmentallearningintostudentlife.ThisfarmfeaturesheavilyintheEcologyandSocialJusticespecialization.TheSustainabilityandLandInitiativeseekstofurthertheMTSOaspirationto“prepareandinvigoratetransformationalleaderstoengagethechurchandtheworldinleadershipandservice”bycreatinga“sustainablecampusplanwhichestablishesamodelfortheologicaleducationthroughthecultivationofsustainableteachingandlearningcommunitiesonourland.”
DrewUniversityTheologicalSchool,Madison,NJ
StudentPopulation:435;Denomination:UnitedMethodistChurch
http://www.drew.edu/theological/
Inadditiontothefourteencoursesfromfivedifferentprofessorsonfaith-basedenvironmentaleducation,DrewoffersaconcentrationinEcologyandReligion,whichisconsideredamajordrawforstudents.Drewcourseshaveincluded:“TheTheologyandEcologyofCommonGround,”“Nature,God,andtheNewCosmology,”“SpiritualFoundationsforSustainableandEcologicalInitiatives,”and“ReligiousIdentityandSocialAction.”Dr.LaurelD.Kearns,AssociateProfessorofSociologyofReligionandEnvironmentalStudies,wrotetoICSDaboutfaith-basedenvironmentaleducationatDrew:"OvertheyearswehaveofferedcoursesonEco-Justice,Eco-Spirituality,ReligionandAnimals,EnvironmentalJustice,ReligionandClimateChange,Salim:AnAsianPost-colonialEcofeminism.StudentscandointernshipsatGreenFaith,orsuperviseministrywith‘green’churches."
DrewTheologicalstudentscantakeEnvironmentalStudiescoursesatDrewUniversity,resultinginover90%ofgraduatestakingagraduationpledgeofsocialandenvironmentalresponsibility.
AsDrewnotesaboutitsworkinthisarea,“Facultyandstudentsfromtheschoolhavebeenpartofthe
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sustainabilityeffortsoftheuniversitysincetheearly1990s,including…anefforttonaturalizethecampusandplantnativespecies,integratedpestmanagement,sociallyresponsibleinvesting,signingtheUniversityPresident'sclimatechangecommitment,andasubsequent20%reductionofgreenhouseemissionsrelatedtoenergyefficiency.”Furthermore,DrewTheologicalSeminaryisaleaderandhostoftheGreenSeminariesInitiative,which“fosterseffortsbytheologicalschoolsandseminariestoincorporatecareforcreationintotheidentityandmissionoftheinstitution.”(http://www.greenseminaries.org).
UnionTheologicalSeminary,Manhattan,NY
StudentPopulation:232;Denomination:MultiDenominational
https://utsnyc.edu/
UnionTheologicalSeminaryhasofferedatleastfourcoursesinrecentyearsonfaithandecology,including"IdolMeatandVegetables:TowardsaNewTestamentTheologyofFood;""IndigenousVoicesonColonization,EcologyandSpirituality;""BeyondGDP:Ethics,SpiritualityandtheNewUNDevelopment;"and"Eco-FeminismandEarthSpiritualityaroundtheWorld."ThesecoursesareofferedincollaborationwiththeCenterforEarthEthicsatUnion,whichisdirectedbyKarennaGore.Throughthesecourses,studentsexploretherootcausesofecologicaldestructioninconsumerismanddisregardofplace-basedspiritualities,aswellasdivingdeeplyintoaspectsofeco-systemssuchasfoodandwater.UnionalsohasprofessorsofChurchHistory,Bible,PracticalTheology,Inter-religiousDialogueandSocialEthicsincorporateecologicalthemesinthemajorcoursestheyalreadyteach,especiallytherequiredones.
YaleDivinitySchool,NewHaven,CT
StudentPopulation:398;Denomination:MultiDenominational
http://divinity.yale.edu/
YaleDivinitySchoolhasoffered13coursesinreligionandecology,including“IntroductiontoReligionandEcology,”WesternReligionsandEcology,”“ChristianityandEcology,““ChristianityandEnvironmentalEthics,”“EastAsianReligionsandEcology,”“SouthAsianReligionsandEcology”,“IndigenousReligionsandEcology,”“AmericanIndianReligionsandEcology,”“Law,Environment,andReligion:ACommunionofSubjects,”“AmericanEnvironmentalHistoryandValues,”“Religion,Ecology,andCosmology,”“TheWorldviewofThomasBerry,”and“JourneyoftheUniverse.”TheDivinitySchooloffersajointdegreeprograminReligionandEcologywiththeYaleSchoolofForestryandEnvironmentalStudies.ThisprogramisthefirstofitskindinNorthAmericaandisaparamountexampleoftherangeofwaysthatseminariesareworkingwithaffiliateschoolsordepartmentsandincorporatingenvironmentalagendasintotheiracademicframework.
YalealsohostsconferencesonecologicalissuesthroughtheForumonReligionandEcology,whichisdirectedbyMaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim.Thisisaninternationalandmulti-religiousforumthathasorganizedsome30conferencesexploringreligiousworld-viewsandcurrentenvironmentalconcerns.“Inallworldreligionswehaveenvironmentalethicsandprofoundspiritualresourcesthatcanholdpeopletogetherinthemidstoffuturesuffering–theimmensechallengeofenvironmental
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refugees,risingseas,moreKatrinasandSandys,”Dr.Tuckersaid.TheforumonReligionandEcologyalsohostsamajorwebsitehighlightingtheresourcesoftheworldreligionsonecology(www.fore.yale.edu).Since2013theNourishNewHavenconference,hasbecomeanannualeventfocusingontherelationshipbetweenYale,thelocalcommunityandenvironmentalconcerns.
CatholicUniversityofAmerica:SchoolofTheologyandReligiousStudies,Washington,DC
StudentPopulation:275;Denomination:RomanCatholic
http://trs.cua.edu/
TheCatholicUniversityofAmerica’sSchoolofTheologyandReligiousStudieshasofferedfivecoursesbyatleastthreedifferentinstructorsinvolvingfaith-basedenvironmentalism.Coursesinclude“Religion&Ecology,”“EthicsandTheEnvironment,”“TheologyandEcology,”“FrancisofAssisi:ProphetofPeaceandofCreation”and“Spirituality,ReligionandSocialTransformation.”ThelattercoursesexploreFrancisofAssisi’spursuitofpeaceandthepreservationoftheenvironmentandanexaminationofwaysinwhichprominentspiritualandreligiousauthorshaveaddressedissuesofslavery,globalpoverty,environmentaldegradation,andethnicviolence.InMarch2017itwillhostaconferenceonFaithandEcologyforSeminaryFacultyandDeans,incollaborationwiththeWashingtonTheologicalConsortiumandtheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment.
TorontoSchoolofTheology,Toronto,ON,Canada
StudentPopulation:1500;Denomination:Ecumenical,Inter/Multidenominational
http://www.tst.edu/
TheTorontoSchoolofTheologyoffersawiderangeoffaithandecologycourses,namely“SpiritualityandEcology:IntegrationandImplications,”“EcologyandtheWorldReligions,”“AnIntroductiontoEco-Theology,”ApproachestoEcologicalEthics,”“Eco-TheologyFaithandPractice”.ItistheleadingSchoolofTheologyinCanadainregardstothenumberanddiversityofcourseofferingsfromseminariansonfaithandecology.
LexingtonTheologicalSeminary,Lexington,KY
StudentPopulation:81;Denomination:ChristianChurch(DisciplesofChrist)
https://www.lextheo.edu/
TheLexingtonTheologicalSeminaryaddressesquestionsoffaithandecologyinonerequiredcourseandinseveralelectivecourses.Therequiredcourse‘Church,SocietyandtheEthicsofGlobalWarming’focusesonstewardshipoffinancialresources,buttheconceptualfoundationsembraceenvironmentalstewardship.Thefiveelectivecoursesare“Church,SocietyandtheEthicsofGlobalWarming”,“Consumed:EthicalTransactionsinConsumerCulture”,“SallieMcFague’sEnvironmentalTheology”,“EnvironmentalTheology”,and“FlourishingTogether:CreationandtheHumanCommunity”.
CenterforReligionandEnvironment,Sewanee:UniversityoftheSouth,SchoolofTheology,
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Sewanee,TN
StudentPopulation:1700;Denomination:EpiscopalChurch
https://cresewanee.wordpress.com/
TheCenterforReligionandEnvironmentoffersahostofcoursesonreligionandecology,including"GodandNature","ManySidesofSustainability","ReadingsinContemporaryEco-Theology,""BuddhismandtheEnvironment",and"Creation,Evolution,andGod".Italsoofferstwocoursesin"EnvironmentalEthics":onewhichlooksatmoralresponsibilitiesofhumanbeingstowardthenaturalenvironment,andtheotherwhichisanintroductoryseminartosurveyethicsonenvironmentalproblemsandtoexaminethecentralmoralquestionssuchproblemsraise.TheCenteralsooffersaMinorinReligionandEnvironment.
GeorgeFoxEvangelicalSeminary,Portland,OR
StudentPopulation:358;Denomination:MultiDenominational
http://www.georgefox.edu/seminary/
GeorgeFoxEvangelicalSeminary'sdeclaredfocusisonitsstudents’relationshipwithGod,theChurchandtheWorldthroughholisticevangelicaleducation.GeorgeFoxSeminaryteachessevencoursesinfaith-basedecologyincludingtwoseries:“TheologyandStewardshipofCreation”and“Eschatology,NewCreation,andCommunalEthics.”TheGeorgeFoxcurriculumalsoincludesaconcentrationin“ChristianEarthkeeping,”whichhasoptionsformulti-dayretreatsconsideringNativeAmericanlandethicsandtherelationshipsbetweenstewardship,globalsystems,andsocietalissuessuchassexism,racism,andpoverty.Additionally,GeorgeFoxemploysmultipleprofessorsinEcotheologywholinktheenvironmentalcrisistotheologicalideas.
WakeForestUniversitySchoolofDivinity,Winston-Salem,NC
StudentPopulation:116;Denomination:MultiDenominational
http://divinity.wfu.edu/
WakeForest’ssevencoursesonfaith-basedecologyincludefivethatfocusontheecologicalandspiritualroleoffood:“Faith,FoodJustice,andLocalCommunities,”“Field,Table,Communion:FoodandtheWorkofMinistry,”“ThrivingNourishment:ChristianSpiritualPracticesandFood,”“DailyBread:Food,Faith,Mercy,andJustice,”and“Food,Faith,andHealth:NavigatingtheIntersectionsinCommunity.”Theschoolalsoofferstwoenvironmentalspecializationsfortheirstudentsin“Sustainability”and“FoodandFaith.”Inconjunctionwiththeseclassesandacademicspecializations,WakeForesthoststheFood,Faith,andReligiousLeadershipInitiative,preparing“faithleadersandcongregationstobecomechangeagentsinfoodsecurity,communityhealth,andresilientfoodeconomies”viaeventsandconferencesthroughouttheyear.
FullerTheologicalSeminary,Pasadena,CA
StudentPopulation:3,382;Denomination:MultiDenominational
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http://fuller.edu/
FullerTheologicalSeminaryhasofferedsixcoursesintegratingecologicalideasintoreligiousteaching,including“CreationCareandtheSabbathEconomics.”Theinstructorsofthesecoursesalsomakeanefforttointegrateecologicalteachingsintotheirotherclassesas“oneofthemajorissuesofourtimes,”accordingtoHakJoonLee,ProfessorofTheologyandEthics.RichardMouw,ProfessorofFaithandPublicLife,notesthattheintegrationofecologyinreligiouslearningisnotamatterof“addingcourses,butofintegratingcreation-careconcernsthroughoutthecurriculum.”
FullerTheologicalSeminaryisoneofthefoundersoftheBlessedEarthProject,whichwastheprogenitoroftheSeminaryStewardshipAlliance.TheschoolisanactiveparticipantinbothTheSeminaryStewardshipAllianceandTheGreenSeminaryInitiative.Fullersupportsanactivesustainabilitygroupthatiscurrentlyworkingonacommunitygardenoncampus.
Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminary,Evanston,IL
StudentPopulation:399;Denomination:UnitedMethodistChurch
http://www.garrett.edu/
Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminaryhasofferedfivecoursesincorporatingecologicalteachingsintofaith-basedlearningtaughtbyDr.TimothyEberhart,AssistantProfessorofTheologyandEcologyandDirectoroftheCourseofStudySchool.SinceDr.EberhartjoinedthefacultyatGarrett-Evangelical,theSeminaryhasjoinedinanagreementwithMethodistTheologicalSchoolinOhiototeachcurriculathatwillfosterecologically-mindedleadersforthechurchandtheacademy.
Garrett-EvangelicalhasbeenaleaderinenvironmentaleducationinseminariesbyhelpingtofoundtheSeminaryStewardshipAlliance(SSA).“Garrett-Evangelicaliscommittedtointegratingecologicalperspectivesandsustainablepracticesthroughoutthecurriculum,worshipandspirituallife,programming,buildingsandgrounds,andadministrativeoperationsoftheSeminary,”PresidentLalleneRectorsaidinanarticleontheSSAwebsite.(http://seminaryalliance.org/).“Itisimportanttosupportthepreparationofourgraduatesforeffectiveleadershipintheincreasinglyurgentmattersofsustainablelivingandcreationcare.”
AnabaptistMennoniteBiblicalSeminary,Elkhart,IN
StudentPopulation:101;Denomination:MennoniteChurchUSA
https://www.ambs.edu/
TheAnabaptistMennoniteBiblicalSeminary(AMBS)hasofferedfourfaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesfortheMasterofDivinitystudents.Threeofthesecourseofferings,“Eco-Justice:AVisionforaSustainableCity,”“ThinkingEthically”and“CreationCare:Theology,Ethics,andSpirituality,”canfulfillrequirementsforgraduationeitherinChurchandMinistryorHistory,TheologyandEthics.Thefourthcourse,“SpiritualPractices:WaterofLife,”“[weaves]togethercareforcreation—specificallytheresourceofwater—withstudyofbiblicaltextsaboutwater,reflectionontheroleofwaterinChristianfaith,[and]practiceofspiritualandconservationdisciplines.”
InSeptemberof2014,AMBShostedtheRootedandGroundedconferenceco-sponsoredbyBlessed
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Earth’sSeminaryStewardshipAllianceandtheInstituteforEcologicalRegenerationofMerryLeaEnvironmentalLearningCenter.Theconferencecenteredontheideathat“manypeoplearebecomingincreasinglyawareoftheintimateconnectionbetweentheenvironmentalcrisisandhumanity’sdetachmentfromtheland...[And]perceivingtheprofoundlinkbetweenthe(un)healthofthelandandtheinnerdisorderofourWesternsociety.”
BostonUniversitySchoolofTheology,Boston,MA
StudentPopulation:307;Denomination:UnitedMethodistChurch
http://www.bu.edu/sth/
AtBostonUniversitySchoolofTheology,Dr.JohnHartconnectssocialandenvironmentalethics,liberationtheologyandethics,andscienceandChristianity,workingwithstudentsbothinandoutoftheclassroom.
Heteachesfourfaith-basedenvironmentalcourses,including“ChristianEcologicalEthicsandPoliticalIssues”and“SacredEarth:IndigenousPeoples'EcologicalTraditions”andhasworkedwithnativepeoples’spiritualleadersandhumanrightsactivists.HealsoservedasaMemberoftheDelegationoftheInternationalIndianTreatyCouncil(aNon-GovernmentalOrganizationaccreditedbytheUnitedNations).
Dr.HartisnottheonlyenvironmentalleaderatBUSchoolofTheology.DeanMaryElizabethMooreisinvolvedintheHebrewideaoftikkunolam,translatedas“repairoftheworld.”“Thisphraseembracestheidealsofjustice,compassion,peace,andecologicalintegrity,”shesays.“Imeasurethevalueofmyresearchandwritingbyitscontributiontotikkunolam,andwhiletheSchoolofTheologydoesnotholdthephraseatthecenterofitsvision,Iknowithopestocontributetothosesamevalues.”
CatholicTheologicalUnion,Chicago,IL
StudentPopulation:344;Denomination:RomanCatholic
http://www.ctu.edu/
TheCatholicTheologicalUnionhasthedistinctionofbeingthefirstRomanCatholicseminarytojointheGreenSeminaryInitiative.Theinstitutionhasofferedfourfaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesfromtwodifferentfacultymembersincluding“Ethics,Spirituality,andGlobalClimateChange”and“CatholicEnvironmentalEthics:Sources,Norms,andIssues,”thedescriptionforwhichsays:
“CarefortheEarthismorethananEarthDayslogan.CatholicdoctrineandCatholicmoraltheologyprovidearichgroundingfordealingwiththecomplexandoftenperplexingissuesthatconstitutetoday'senvironmentalcrisis.”
TheCatholicTheologicalUnionalsohasaconcentrationinEthicsandaMasterofArtsJusticeMinistrydegree.TheconcentrationinEthicsrequiresstudentstotakeatleastoneof21ethicscourses,sevenofwhichincludetheenvironmentintheirdescriptions.TheMAJusticeMinistryincludesaconcentrationinEnvironmentalJusticebutisnotconsideredaMasterofDivinity.
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ReconstructionistRabbinicalCollege,Wyncote,PA
StudentPopulation:Under100;Denomination:JewishReconstructionist
http://www.rrc.edu/
ReconstructionistRabbinicalCollege(RRC)hasofferedtwofaith-basedenvironmentalcourses:“FoodJustice”and“RabbisasActivistLeadersforEnvironmentalSustainabilityandJustice,”taughtbyRabbiMordechaiLiebling.TheCollege’sspecializationprogramtitledSocialJusticeOrganizing“trainsrabbistoleadincreatingasociallyjust,environmentallysustainableandspirituallyfulfillingsociety.”
RRC’sDirectorofStudentLife,RabbiNathanMartin,hasbeendedicatedtofosteringadeepconnectionbetweenJudaismandenvironmentalsustainability.Theschoolalsohastwostudent-ledenvironmentalcommittees:theGreenCommittee,whichcoordinatesstudentenvironmentalinitiatives,andtheTikkunOlamCommittee,which“[reflects]RRC’scommitmenttoeducatingrabbiswithasocialconscience.”
AustinPresbyterianTheologicalSeminary,Austin,TX
StudentPopulation:191;Denomination:PresbyterianChurch
http://www.austinseminary.edu/
AustinPresbyterianTheologicalSeminaryhasofferedthreefaith-basedenvironmentalcourses:“EnvironmentalEthics,”“Nature,Theology,andEthics:ChristianSpiritualityandCreationCare,”and“ChristianCreationandSpirituality.”ThesecoursesaretaughtbyDr.WilliamGreenway,AssociateProfessorofPhilosophicalTheology.DuringhistenureatAustin,Dr.Greenwayhastaughtseveralotherfaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesincluding"Nature,Theology,andEthics"andanexperientialcoursetitled"AnAdventureinWildernessandSpirituality."
CandlerSchoolofTheology,Atlanta,GA
StudentPopulation:441;Denomination:UnitedMethodistChurch
http://candler.emory.edu/
CandlerSchoolofTheologyhasofferedthreecoursesontheenvironmentinafaithcontext:“TheBibleandCareoftheEarth,”“ReligiousEducationandOurEcologicalContext,”and“NaturalScienceandtheDoctrineofCreation.”AffiliatedwithEmoryUniversity,CandlerhasthebenefitofbeingpartofoneofthemostsustainableschoolsintheUnitedStateswithaGoldSTARS(SustainabilityTrackingandRatingSystem)ratingfromtheAssociationfortheAdvancementofSustainabilityinHigherEducation(AASHE).
ChicagoTheologicalSeminary,Chicago,IL
StudentPopulation:234;Denomination:UnitedChurchofChrist
www.ctschicago.edu
ChicagoTheologicalSeminaryhasofferedthreefaithandecologycourses:“Animals,Ecology,andBiblicalInterpretation,”“CreationThemesintheHebrewBible,”and“EarthandItsDistress:Ecological
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EthicsinChristianPerspective,”taughtbytwodifferentfacultymembers.
ChristianTheologicalSeminary,Indianapolis,IN
StudentPopulation:163;Denomination:ChristianChurchDisciplesofChrist
http://www.cts.edu
ChristianTheologicalSeminaryhasofferedthreefaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesfromDr.CarolF.Johnston,AssociateProfessorofTheology&CultureandDirectorofLifelongTheologicalEducation.Thesecoursesare“Ecojustice:FosteringHumanWellbeingonaThrivingEarth,”“EnvironmentalEthics,”and“TheBibleandtheEarth.”
DukeDivinitySchool,Durham,NC
StudentPopulation:657;Denomination:UnitedMethodistChurch
http://divinity.duke.edu/
DukeDivinity’sthreeenvironmentalcourses,“ToWorkandWatch:TowardaBiblicalEcology/TheologyofLand,”“Food,Eating,andtheLifeofFaith,”and“CaringforCreation,”eachofferadistinctnarrativeontherelationshipamongnature,humanity,andGod.
HarvardDivinitySchool,Cambridge,MA
StudentPopulation:324;Denomination:Multifaith
http://hds.harvard.edu/
ThethirdIvyLeagueschoolinthisreportisHarvardDivinitySchool.Theschool’sthreecourses,“IntroductiontoReligionandEcology,”“GreenBuddhism:Faith,Ecology,andActivism,”and“Religion,EcologyandHumanRights,”lookattheintersectionoffaithandtheenvironment.HarvardDivinity’smission,“Tohelpinbuildingaworldinwhichpeoplecanliveandworktogetheracrossreligiousandculturaldivides,”encouragesaholisticapproachtoreligiousteachingwithexposuretointerreligiousandecologicallyconsciouseducationalcontent.
LutheranTheologicalSeminaryatGettysburg,Gettysburg,PA
StudentPopulation:167;Denomination:EvangelicalLutheranChurchinAmerica
http://www.ltsg.edu/
Inadditiontothe“EcologyandStewardship”courseatGettysburg,whichhasbeenofferedsince1994,ReverendDr.GilsonA.C.Waldkoenighasoffered“EcologyandReligion,”“EcoTheologyinNorthernAppalachia(animmersionseminar),”and“PlacesofFaith:EthnographyofReligion.”Inadditiontocurricula,GettysburghasinvestedinasustainableinfrastructureworkingtoloweritscarbonfootprintandupdatingtheSchmuckerHallresidencebuildingwithLEEDgreenbuildingcertification.
MeadvilleLombardTheologicalSchool,Chicago,IL
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StudentPopulation:Under100;Denomination:UnitarianUniversalist
http://www.meadville.edu/
ThedescriptionfortheMeadvillecourse,“CosmosandEthos:ReligiousNaturalismandtheClimateCrisis”states,“Totheextentthatprogressivereligiousleadersarecommittedtojusticeandcompassion,thenweshouldbeactivelycommittedtothestruggleforclimatejustice.”Thephilosophyofthiscourse,whichistaughtbyProfessorMichaelS.Hogue,holdstruethroughoutMeadville’seducationalvaluesaswellasitscommitmenttosustainablebuildingandfinancialpractices.Atthetimeofthisreport’srelease,MeadvilleLombardTheologicalSchoolhasthreefaith-basedecologycoursesinitscatalogue:“TheBigBlueMarble:TheologyandGlobalization,”“EcologyandTheology”and“EcotheologicalEthics:Bios,Anthropos,Theos.”
ZieglerSchoolofRabbinicStudies,LosAngeles,CA
StudentPopulation:Under100;Denomination:JewishConservative
http://ziegler.aju.edu/
Zeiglerisanexampleofarabbinicalschoolthatintegratesenvironmentalthemesintomanycoursesthatithasoffered,includingits“IntroductiontoHalakhah(JewishLaw)"course.The“ScienceandReligion”courselooksatancientandcontemporarythoughtandphilosophyontherelationshipbetweenscienceandreligionwithconsiderationofenvironmentalandecologicalissues.Andthe“IntroductiontoJewishPhilosophy”devotesoneclasssessiontoreadingsonJudaismandtheenvironmentandadiscussionofthoseperspectives.RabbiBradleyShavitArtson’sarticleonbiodiversitystates,“SinceJudaismunderstandsnatureasGod’screation,cultivatingmarvelattheteemingabundanceoflifeandthediversearrayoflivingthingsisfoundationaltoourreligiousexperience.Indeed,theexperienceofholinessthroughnaturehasinspiredmostoftheworld’sreligioustraditions.”
SoutheasternBaptistTheologicalSeminary,WakeForest,NC
StudentPopulation:1876;Denomination:SouthernBaptist
http://www.sebts.edu/
InadditiontohostingtheSeminaryStewardshipAlliance,SoutheasternBaptistTheologicalSeminaryhasofferedthecourse“EthicsandEnvironmentalResponsibility,”whichanalyzesthemoralityofcreationcareinaChristiancontext.Moreover,Southeasternhostslectures,conferences,andsymposiaonenvironmentalstewardshipeveryyear.
ConcordiaSeminary,SaintLouis,MO
StudentPopulation:662;Denomination:LutheranChurch
http://www.csl.edu/
ConcordiaSeminaryhasofferedtwocoursesthatmergeenvironmentalissueswithfaith-basedlearning.Thesecoursesare“CareofCreation”and“TheCareofGod’sCreation.”Thefirstofthese
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examines"thebiblicalnarrativeofcreationandhowitprovidesaframeworkforChristianlifeandasustainableenvironmentalethic.”ThesecondcourseismoreconcernedwiththeroleofhumanitywithinGod’screationandtheneglectofcreationcarewithrespecttopresent-dayecologicalissues.
DenverSeminary,Littleton,CO
StudentPopulation:990;Denomination:MultiDenominational
http://www.denverseminary.edu/
DenverSeminaryhasofferedacoursecalled“StewardshipinCreation:TheologyandOutdoorPractice,”whichintroducesstudentstoabiblicallyinformedtheologyofcreationanditsstewardshippracticeswithrespecttocontemporaryenvironmentalissues.Anothercourse,“SystemsThinkingandDecision-Making,”examinesdecisionsaspartofafullsystem,includingtheenvironment.
WesleyTheologicalSeminary,Washington,DC
StudentPopulation:700;Denomination:UnitedMethodistChurch
https://www.wesleyseminary.edu/
WesleyTheologicalSeminaryofferscoursesthatspecificallylookatrolesoffaithleadersinenvironmentalstewardship,withclasseslike“GreeningYourCongregation”and“TheChurchandtheEcologicalCrisis.”BothcoursespertaintoChristianstewardship,firstwithinthelocalchurchsettingandindividualresponsibility,andthenasaninstitutionconfrontingbroaderenvironmentalconcerns,respectively.Othercoursesinclude“Liturgics:EcologyandWorship”and“SpiritualityinNature.”
Dr.BethNorcross,aWesleyadjunctprofessorandleaderintheGreenSeminariesInitiative,saysoftheschool’sextracurricularenvironmentalefforts:“Wesleyhasofferedecologically-orientedimmersionexperiences,suchasarecenttriptoYellowstoneNationalParktostudyclimatechange,aswellascommunityforumsonavarietyofenvironmentaltopics.[TheschoolpartnerswithvariousenvironmentalinitiativessuchasInterfaithPowerandLightandtheCenterforSpiritualityinNatureinitsPracticeinMinistryprogram.]Facultymembersalsoroutinelyintegrateecologicalthemesintotheirteachingofcorecoursesaswellaselectives.”
Listof58SeminariesOfferingCoursesonFaithandEcology
1. AnabaptistMennoniteBiblicalSeminary2. AsburyTheologicalSeminary3. AshlandTheologicalSeminary4. AustinTheologicalSeminary5. BostonUniversitySchoolofTheology6. CandlerSchoolofTheology7. CatholicTheologicalUnion8. CatholicUniversityofAmerica:Schoolof
TheologyandReligiousStudies9. ChicagoTheologicalSeminary
10. ChristianTheologicalSeminary11. ClaremontSchoolofTheology12. ColumbiaTheologicalSeminary13. ConcordiaSeminary14. DenverSeminary15. DrewTheologicalSchool16. DukeDivinitySchool17. EasternMennoniteSeminary18. FullerTheologicalSeminary19. Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminary
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20. GeorgeFoxEvangelicalSeminary21. Gordon-ConwellTheologicalSeminary22. TheGraduateTheologicalUnion23. HarvardDivinitySchool24. HebrewCollege25. HebrewUnionCollege,NewYork26. HolyApostlesCollege27. LexingtonTheologicalSeminary28. LutherSeminary29. LutheranSchoolofTheology30. LutheranSeminaryPrograminthe
Southeast31. LutheranTheologicalSeminaryat
Gettysburg32. LutheranTheologicalSeminaryandthe
ZygonCenter33. McCormickTheologicalSeminary34. MeadvilleLombardTheologicalSchool35. MethodistTheologicalSchoolinOhio36. NorthParkTheologicalSeminary37. OblateSchoolofTheology38. PayneTheologicalSeminary39. PrincetonTheologicalSeminary40. ReconstructionistRabbinicalCollege
41. RegentCollege42. SaintPaulSeminarySchoolofDivinityat
SaintThomasUniversity43. SaintPaulSchoolofTheology44. SanFranciscoTheologicalSeminary45. SantaClaraUniversity46. SeattleUniversitySchoolofTheologyand
Ministry47. CenterforReligionandEnvironment,
Sewanee:UniversityoftheSouthSchoolofTheology
48. SoutheasternBaptistTheologicalSeminary49. TorontoSchoolofTheology50. TruettTheologicalSeminary–Baylor51. UnionSeminaryandPresbyterianSchoolof
ChristianEducation,RichmondCampus52. UnionTheologicalSeminary53. VancouverSchoolofTheology54. WakeForestUniversitySchoolofDivinity55. WartburgTheologicalSeminary56. WesleyTheologicalSeminary57. YaleDivinitySchool58. ZieglerSchoolofRabbinicStudies
SevenSelectedCoursesonFaithandEcology
Thereareamyriadofwaysinwhichschoolshavechosentorepresentandteachonfaith-basedenvironmentalideas.Whilemanyhavechosentoapproachenvironmentaltopicsasethical,othershavedugdeeplyintoreligioustextandstoriestofindtheconnectionbetweenthespiritualandthenaturalworld.Herearesevencoursesthatstoodouttousasthemostinterestingintersectionofthesefields.Commentaryfromthereportauthorsabouteachcourseappearsinitalicsfollowingthesummary.
SelectedCoursesonFaithandEcology
1. FrancisofAssisi:ProphetofPeaceandofCreation2. TheTheologyandEcologyofCommonGround3. MoralTheologyTopics:OikosofGod:EconomyandEcologyintheGlobalHousehold4. RabbisasActivistLeadersforEnvironmentalSustainabilityandJustice5. TheChurchandtheEcologicalCrisis6. SacredEarth:IndigenousPeoples'EcologicalTraditions7. SystemsThinkingandDecision-Making
FrancisofAssisi:ProphetofPeaceandofCreation
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CatholicUniversityofAmerica:SchoolofTheologyandReligiousStudies:Rev.RegisJ.Armstrong,O.F.M.Cap.,Ph.D.
Inthepursuitofpeaceandthepreservationoftheenvironment,FrancisofAssisiisuniversallyproposedasapatron,intercessor,andmodel.InadditiontoexaminingthelifeofFrancisandthestrugglesofhistime,thiscoursewillexamineindepththeportraitofFranciswrittenbySt.Bonaventure,whounderstoodFrancistobeamodelofeveryChristiancalledtobeaninstrumentofpeaceandacatalystinrespectingcreation.
St.FrancisbecamethepatronsaintofnatureandtheenvironmentbasedonhisconcernforalloftheCreator'sinhabitants.PopeFrancischosehisownnameinpartduetotheecology-relatedwritingsofSt.Francis,andtitledhisEncyclicalonclimatechange,"BePraised,"basedonaSt.Francisteaching.
TheTheologyandEcologyofCommonGround
DrewTheologicalSchool:Dr.LaurelKearnsandDannaKnowleFewell
Thiscoursefocusesontheroleofcamp/retreatministryininspiringleaderswhoshapesocietybyengagingcommunitiesandcongregationsinministriesofearthcareandsocialjusticeasexpressionsofholycommonground.StudentswillstudybiblicalandtheologicalperspectivesonthelinkbetweenfaithinGodandlovinginterdependenceamongpeopleandallofcreation.
ThisisonecourseinaseriesatDrewthatlooksattheroleofcommongroundandcommunityinreligiousstudies.Therelationshipbetweencommunityandecologyisanexpandingareaofinterestwithinacademiccircles.
MoralTheologyTopics:OikosofGod:EconomyandEcologyintheGlobalHousehold
Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminary:Dr.TimothyEberhart
Thiscourseisanintroductiontotheologicalreflectiononeconomyandecologyinaglobalizedworld.TheGreekwordforhouseholdisoikos,whichmeansthewordsecology(oikos-logos,thestudiedknowledgeofourplanetaryhousehold),economy(oikos-nomos,themanagementofthehousehold),andecumenicity(oikou-menikos,anopennesstotheworldwidehousehold)allshareabasicorientationto“home.”Thereisgrowingawarenessthattheinterconnectedhouseholdsweinhabitareincreasinglymarked,notbythekindofsustainingrelationsonwhichhomelifedepends,butbyvariousformsofinjusticeanddegradation.Thereisalsoagrowingrecognitionthattheecologicalandeconomiccrisesfacingpeopleworldwidearemutuallyconstitutiveandthatsingular,disconnectedresponsesarethereforeinadequate.Thegoalofthiscourseistodrawupondiversetheologicalandethicalresourcesinthinkingcriticallyabouttheeconomicandecologicalcrisesfacingourcommonglobalhouseholdandconstructivelytowardamorecharitable,just,andsustainablefuture.
LiketheSystemsThinkingcoursefromDenverSeminarydescribedbelow,thiscourseisincludedherebecauseitlooksatmorethanethicsandtext,exploringtheinterconnectednessofhumanityandnature.BasedonthepremisethattheworldisaunitedresidenceunderGod,thecourseisimportantandinterestingforitsecologicalallusionstouniversality.
RabbisasActivistLeadersforEnvironmentalSustainabilityandJustice
ReconstructionistRabbinicalCollege:RabbiMordechaiLiebling
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Thecoursewillcombinetext,experientialexercisesandactivistinvolvement.ItwillcoverfundamentalteachingsonJudaismandtheenvironment,adeepeningofourpersonalconnectiontotheearthandthebasicsofnonviolentdirectaction.Auniqueandinfluentialcomponentwillbeactivism.Duringthecourseofthesemester,allmatriculatedstudentswillberequiredtodevoteatleasteighthourstoanenvironmentalcampaign.
Notonlydoesthiscoursediscussthedirectroleofreligiousleadersasactivistleaders,butitalsoholdarequirementforitsstudentstodevotetimetoenvironmentalwork.Thiscourseacknowledgestheroleofspiritualleadersinthepoliticalsphere,which,inpart,relatestoenvironmentalactivism.Thecoursepositsthatreligiousleadersarealsoactivistsgiventhatmanycampaignscomeaboutduetomoralandethicalissues.
TheChurchandtheEcologicalCrisis
WesleyTheologicalSeminary:Dr.GregHitzhusenandDr.BethNorcross
Churchleadersaroundtheworldarecallinguponthefaithfultoaddressthemoraldimensionsofecologicaldegradation,andagrowingcommunityoftheologiansclaimsthatthedestructionoftheearthisthe“centralmoralimperativeofourtimes.”Accordingly,thiscourseseekstoexploretheroleofthechurchinaddressingecologicalconcerns,andtoequippastorsandotherChristianleaderswiththetheological,spiritual,andpracticaltoolstheywillneedtoleadtheircongregationsinfaithfullyrespondingtothismoralimperative.
Themoralityoftheecologicalcrisishaslongbeendiscussedbyphilosophersandtheologians.Byfocusingontheecologicalcrisisasthe“centralmoralimperativeofourtimes,”HitzhusenandNorcrossarerefocusingthecrisisfromoneofscientificknowledgetooneofhumanmorality,atopiccentraltomodernreligion.Thiscoursestandsoutforitsversatility.Itsabilitytofitintoanyreligiouscurriculumislaudable.
SacredEarth:IndigenousPeoples'EcologicalTraditions
BostonUniversitySchoolofTheology:Dr.JohnHart
Astudyofindigenouspeoples’traditionalteachingsabouttherelationshipofspirituality,ecology,andcommunitywell-being.Aparticularfocuswillbethewordsandworksofrepresentativetwentiethcenturywritersandspiritualleaders,andincludethelifeandteachingsofLakotaelderBlackElk;MuskogeeelderPhillipDeere;WanapumelderDavidSohappy;andDakotascholarandactivistVineDeloria,Jr.
DespitetheacknowledgementthatmanyindigenousculturesincorporaterelianceuponandreverenceoftheEarth,thestudyofindigenoustraditionsisveryrarelyincludedineitherreligiousorenvironmentaleducation.Byoverlookingindigenouscultures,weoverlookboththespiritualrootsofmodernreligionsand,perhapsmoreimportantly,thewaysinwhichthesepeopleusespiritualbeliefsandingenuitytoworkinpartnershipwiththenaturalworld.
SystemsThinkingandDecision-Making
DenverSeminary
Providesanintroductiontosystemstheoryandhelpsleaderstodevelopaholisticapproachtogatheringandorganizinginformation,solvingproblems,makingdecisions,andimplementingplans.
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Thiscourseisuniqueinlookingoutsideoftherealmofboththepurelyethicalapproachandthetext-basedapproach.Systemsthinkingisacomplexideaabouttheinterconnectednessofallthings.Insystemsthinkingandsystemstheory,everysituationispartofatleastoneinterconnectedsystem.Bylookingatallissuesassystems,ratherthanisolatedproblems,thesystemsthinkerisabletoproblemsolvefortheworld,ratherthanjustforhumanity.Systemsthinkingthereforerelatesdeeplytoecologicalconcepts.10
10Toreadmoreonthisconnection,seehttp://www.ecoliteracy.org/essays/systems-thinking
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InstructorsofNote
Thefollowinginstructorshavemadesignificantcontributionstothefieldoffaithandecologyeducation,includingwithrespecttothenumberofdifferentcoursestheyteachonthesubject.
Dr.TimothyEberhart,AssistantProfessorofTheologyandEcologyandDirectoroftheCourseofStudySchool,Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminary
Onhisbiographypage,Dr.Eberhartstatesthathis“vocationasamoraltheologianordainedinTheUnitedMethodistChurchisbasedinthecommitmenttoguideothers--asIseekmyself--tobetterunderstandandmorefaithfullyparticipateinthisdivineworkofredemption,justice,reconciliation,andhealinginrelationtothemanysocio-political,economic,andecologicalperilsfacingustoday."Dr.EberhartisanordainedelderintheDakotasConferenceoftheUnitedMethodistChurch.Hewasinvitedtoserveonthenationalplanningcommitteeforthe2014CongressonUrbanMinistryandwaselectedNorthAmericansecretaryfortheOxfordInstituteofMethodistTheologicalStudies.Heteachesfivefaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesatGarrett-Evangelical.
MoreinformationonDr.Eberhartcanbefoundat:https://www.garrett.edu/academics/faculty/timothy-eberhart
Dr.WilliamGreenway,AssociateProfessorofPhilosophicalTheology,AustinPresbyterianTheologicalSeminary
Dr.Greenway’sprofiledetailshisacademicinterestsin“contemporaryconversationsamongtheologyandphilosophyandchurchandsociety.Heisespeciallyinterestedintheologyandecologyandspirituality.Hespeaksregularlyatchurches,academicconferences,andpublishesinjournalslikeTheChristianCentury,TheJournalofReligion,andTheologyToday.”Dr.GreenwayhasservedasateachingfellowatthePrincetonTheologicalSeminaryaswellasavisitinglectureratPrincetonUniversity.HehasservedvariouschurchesintheUnitedStatesaswellasinthePhilippines.Heteachesfourfaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesatAustinPresbyterian.
MoreinformationonDr.Greenwaycanbefoundat:http://www.austinseminary.edu/cf_directory/dirprofile.cfm?p=2575&id=10
Dr.JohnHart,ProfessorofChristianEthics,BostonUniversitySchoolofTheology
Accordingtohisbiographicalpage,“Dr.Hart’steachinginterestsareintheareasofsocialethics,environmentalethics,liberationtheologyandethics,andscienceandChristianity.Hisresearchinterestsandwritingarefocusedparticularlyonissuesofsocialandecologicaljustice,andonecologyasabridgebetweenscienceandreligion.”Testifyingtohisexpertiseinhiscoursetitled,SacredEarth:IndigenousPeoples’EcologicalTraditions,“Dr.Harthasworkedwithnativepeoples’spiritualleadersandhumanrightsactivists,includingasaMemberoftheDelegationoftheInternationalIndianTreatyCouncil(aNon-GovernmentalOrganizationaccreditedtotheUnitedNations)totheU.N.InternationalHumanRightsCommission,Geneva,Switzerland(1987,1990),andasaninvitedObserverattheWorldConferenceofIndigenousPeoples,RiodeJaneiro,BrazilwhileparticipatingintheUnitedNationsEarthSummit(1992).”Heteachesfourfaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesattheBUSchoolofTheology.
MoreinformationonDr.Hartcanbefoundat:http://www.bu.edu/sth/profile/john-hart/
Dr.LaurelKearns,AssociateProfessorofSociologyandReligionandEnvironmentalStudies,DrewTheologicalSchool
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Dr.Kearnshasresearched,published,andgiventalksaroundtheglobeonreligionandenvironmentalismforover20years.Inadditiontoco-foundingtheGreenSeminaryInitiative,shehasbeenaboardmemberofGreenFaithsince1995,andnowservesontheSustainabilityCommitteesofbothDrewUniversityandtheAmericanAcademyofReligion.ShehasalsopublishedarticlesrelatingfaithtothenaturalworldinacademicworkssuchasTheEncyclopediaofWomenandWorldReligionandJournalfortheScientificStudyofReligion,NatureandCulture.
MoreinformationonDr.Kearnscanbefoundat:http://users.drew.edu/lkearns/
Dr.BethNorcross,AdjunctProfessor,WesleyTheologicalSeminary
Dr.NorcrosshastaughtmyriadcoursesconnectingfaithtotheenvironmentandpublishedarticlesinpublicationssuchasSojournersMagazineandEARTHletter.Furthermore,shehasworkedasprofessionalstafffortheU.S.SenateNationalParksandForestsSubcommitteeandasVicePresidentofConservationforAmericanRivers,aconservationorganizationdedicatedtotheprotectionofriversandriverinehabitat.Herspecializationisineco-theology.Sheisaco-founderandactiveleaderintheGreenSeminaryInitiative.
MoreinformationaboutDr.Norcrosscanbefoundat:http://www.centerforspiritualityinnature.org/#!biography/c1r0d
Dr.MatthewRiley,LecturerinChristianityandEcology,YaleDivinitySchoolandYaleSchoolofForestryandEnvironmentalStudies
Dr.RileycurrentlyservesasaLecturerinChristianityandEcologyatYaleDivinitySchoolandtheYaleSchoolofForestryandEnvironmentalstudieswhereheteachescourseson“ChristianityandEcology”and“ChristianityandEnvironmentalEthics.”Dr.Rileyalsoteaches“EnvironmentalEthics”and“ReligionandEcology”intheSummerprogramoftheYaleInterdisciplinaryCenterforBioethics.Whileteachingandresearching,heisengagedinbuildingonlinecoursesinReligionandEcologyattheYaleSchoolofForestryandEnvironmentalStudiesandworksasaResearchAssociateattheForumonReligionandEcologyatYale.Dr.RileyalsocurrentlyservesastheBookReviewEditorforthejournalWorldviews:Environment,Culture,Religion(Brill).InthepasthehasservedasaSteeringCommitteeMemberfortheReligionandEcologyGroupattheAmericanAcademyofReligion,heworkedfortheGreenSeminaryInitiative,hetaughtbiologyintheNewYorkCitypublicschoolsystem,andhedesignedthecurricularmaterialsfortheJourneyoftheUniverseproject.HiscurrentresearchfocusesonthelegacyofLynnT.White,jr.
MoreinformationaboutDr.Rileycanbefoundat:https://environment.yale.edu/profile/matthew-riley/
Rev.Dr.TimothyVanMeter,AssociateProfessorintheAlfordChairofChristianEducationandYouthMinistry,MethodistTheologicalSchoolinOhio(MTSO)
Accordingtohisbiography,Rev.Dr.VanMeter’s“teachingandresearch[is]relatedtothespiritualandvocationalaspirationsofyouthandyoungadultsincludingyouthcultures,popularculture,spiritualpractices,ecology,justiceandpeacemovements,communalmovements,alternativeformsofchurchandeducationaltheory.”Rev.Dr.VanMeterteachessevenfaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesatMTSO.
MoreinformationonRev.Dr.VanMetercanbefoundat:
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http://www.mtso.edu/about-mtso/faculty-directory/timothy-l-van-meter/
Rev.Dr.GilsonWaldkoenig,ProfessorofChurchinSocietyintheB.B.MaurerChairinTownandCountryMinistry,LutheranTheologicalSeminaryatGettysburg
Accordingtohisprofile,“Waldkoenigworksinecologicalethics,ethnographyofreligion,andthechurchinruralsociety.”HehaspublishedseveralpapersabouttheconnectionbetweenfaithandtheenvironmentandisworkingwiththeWashingtonTheologicalConsortiumandmultipleotherfaith-environmentprogramstointegratestewardshipintoacademicvaluesandsharedresources.Heteachesthreefaith-basedenvironmentalcoursesatGettysburg.
MoreinformationonRev.Dr.GilsonWaldkoenigcanbefoundat:http://www.ltsg.edu/about-us/faculty-staff-directory/waldkoenig-gil
ConcentrationsinFaithandEcology
Concentrationsrefertoatrackorclusterofcoursesinwhichstudentscanfocustheirstudiesand,insomecases,receiveacertificateofcompletion,somewhatlikeamajororminorintraditionalhighereducation.Theschoolslistedbelowoffervaryingformatsforsuchprograms.
GeorgeFoxEvangelicalSeminary
Concentration:ChristianEarthkeeping
Themissionstatementofthisconcentrationis:Toformevangelicalleaderswhocultivatethecareofcreationintheircommunities.
ChristianEarthkeepingistheChurch’sresponsetotheecologicalcrisisandtoGod’scommandto“keep”theearth(Genesis2:15).Whyarewedoingthis?Theearthisendangered.TheevangelicalChurchhasbeensilent.TheBiblespeakstoourrelationshipwiththeCreatedOrder.TheChurchmustrespondtoGod’scommandto“keep”theearth(Gen2:15).ChristianleadersneedatheologicalandbiblicalbasisforEarthkeeping.
MethodistTheologicalSchoolinOhio
Specialization:EcologyandJustice
Outofloveandrespectforfuturegenerations,religiousleadersneedtoprovidethosetheyservewithatheologicalframeworkforresistinggreed,gluttonyandthedestructionofresources.Thisspecializationequipsstudentstoleadothersindevelopingeconomic,political,social,andtechnologicallifestylesforamoreecologicallyequitableandsustainableworld,leadingtoahigherqualityoflifeforallofGod’screation.
ReconstructionistRabbinicalCollege
Specialization:SocialJusticeOrganizingProgram
TheSocialJusticeOrganizingProgramtrainsrabbistoleadincreatingasociallyjust,environmentallysustainableandspirituallyfulfillingsociety.ItisthefirstspecializedacademictrackataJewishseminarytofocusonjusticeorganizing.AndthevaluesandgoalsoftheprograminformacademicandcommunitylifethroughoutRRC.RabbiMordechaiLiebling,'85,alongtimeleaderinJewishsocial
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justice,directstheprogram.
WakeForestUniversity
Concentration:FoodandFaith
TheWakeForestUniversitySchoolofDivinityhasofferedaconcentrationwithintheM.Div.degreedesignedtoequipreligiousleaderswiththeknowledge,skills,andpastoralhabitsnecessarytoguidecongregationsandotherfaith-basedorganizationsintocreatingmoreredemptivefoodsystemswhereGod’sshalombecomesvisibleforahungryworld.
Concentration:Sustainability
TheWakeForestCenterforEnergy,Environment,andSustainability(CEES)andtheSchoolofDivinityprovidestudentswithexposuretosustainabilityissuesthroughtheGraduateCertificateinSustainability.Thecertificaterequiresthecompletionof12credithoursincourseworkrelatedtonaturalscience,socialsciencesandhumanities,businessmanagement,andlawandpolicy.
YaleDivinitySchool
JointDegree:ReligionandEcology
TheYaleSchoolofForestry&EnvironmentalStudies(FES)andYaleDivinitySchooloffersajointMaster’sdegreeprograminReligionandEcology.Itisaimedatstudentswhowishtointegratethestudyofenvironmentalissuesandreligiouscommunitiesintheirprofessionalcareersandforthosewhowishtostudytheculturalandethicaldimensionsofenvironmentalproblems.Thejointdegreeisstronglysupportedbyco-appointedfacultyandbytheForumonReligionandEcologyatYale(www.fore.yale.edu).
WashingtonTheologicalConsortium
CertificateinEcologyandTheology:ACourseofStudyforSeminariansandthePublic
TheWashingtonTheologicalConsortiumisacommunityoftheologicalschoolsintheMid-AtlanticregionoftheUnitedStatesthatsharesresources,opportunitiesforfacultyenrichment,studentcoursesandprogramming,andeducationalmaterials.Thereareoveradozenmemberschools,manyofwhicharehighlightedinthisreportforexemplaryleadershipinthisfield.
Forthe2015-16academicyeartheWashingtonTheologicalConsortiumlaunchedanewcertificateofstudyinEcologyandTheologyinresponsetogrowingchurchcommitmentstoaddresstheecologicalcrisis.Collegesanduniversitieshavebeendevelopingprogramsinecologyandintegratingecologicalstudiesacrosstheircurricula.Churchorganizationsandcongregationshavebeendevotingincreasingattentiontotheologyandministrypertainingtoenvironmentalsustainabilityandtheintegrityofcreation.Theologicalschoolsandotherfaith-basedgroupsareincreasinglyrecognizingtheimportanceoftheroleofreligiousleadersinhelpingthepublictofaceecologicalchallengesfromafaithperspective.AttheConsortium,agroupoffacultywhoteachattheintersectionoftheologyandecologyhavedesignedacertificatetoencourageourstudentsandmembersofthepublictoexplorefurthertheirowninterestinthestudyoftheologyandecology.
CenterforReligionandEnvironment,Sewanee:UniversityoftheSouthSchoolofTheology
Concentration:MAwithconcentrationinReligionandtheEnvironment
Themissionstatementofthisconcentrationis:Furthergraduateeducationintheologyoritscognate
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disciplinesorthosewhoseekadditionaldepthofknowledgeinaparticularfieldofstudy
AfterabasicgroundinginthetoolsofBiblicalstudies,theology,andethics,distributionrequirementsguidestudentssotheyareexposedtoavarietyofperspectivesonenvironmentalissues,rangingfromthe“hardsciences”topolicystudies.Furtherelectiveworkwithintheconcentrationallowsthestudenttopursuespecificinterests,andaresearchprojectservesasthecapstoneintheconcentration.
Concentration:ReligionandEnvironmentMinor
Offeredbyinterdisciplinaryfaculty,inconjunctionwiththeEnvironmentalStudiesProgramandtheCenterforReligionandEnvironment
Thewaysweinteractwiththenaturalworldreflectthedeep-seatedvaluesofthesocietytowhichwebelongandtheexperiencesofnaturewehaveasindividuals.Religion,andthespiritualexperiencesofindividualsthatinformreligiousthought,provideprofoundinsightsintohowweperceivetheworldaroundusandguidanceastohowtointeractwithit.TheMinorinreligionandenvironmentencouragesstudentstointegratereligiousinsightsandspiritualexperiencewiththenaturalandsocialsciencestobetterunderstandhowreligionandthenaturalworldaffectoneanother.Accordingly,theMinorincludescourseworkinnaturalandsocialenvironmentalsciencealongwithcourseworkinreligion.BecausetheMinorencouragesstudentstoreflectontheirownspiritualexperienceandbeliefsastheyrelatetotheenvironment,itculminatesinacapstoneexperientialcourseinvolvingenvironmentallyrelatedserviceoractionalongwithreflectiononthemeaningofthatengagement.
Descriptionsof190CoursesonFaithandEcology
Belowisthecollectionofcourses,descriptions,andinstructorswhenavailable.Thefullandcontinuallyupdatedspreadsheetcanbefoundat:http://www.interfaithsustain.com/green-seminaries/
TheonlinespreadsheetalsocontainsinformationaboutseminariesoutsideoftheU.S.andCanadathathaveofferedcoursesonfaithandecology,includingIsrael,Italy,andIndia,whicharenotcontainedinthelistbelow.
AnabaptistMennoniteBiblicalSeminary
Elkhart,Indiana,USA|http://www.ambs.edu
CreationCare:Theology,Ethics,andSpirituality;Dr.MalindaBerry,Dr.TedKoontz&Dr.LukeGascho
StudentswillengageinunderstandingtheirconnectiontoGodandcreationthroughfourmajorthemes:(1)theintersectionofplaceandspirituality,(2)thetheologicalcontextofcreationcare,(3)theethicalandeconomicframeworksofeco-justice,and(4)creationcarepracticesinthechurch.SomesessionswillbeheldatGoshenCollege’sMerryLeaEnvironmentalLearningCenterinWolfLake,Indiana;otherswillbeontheAMBScampus.
Eco-Justice:AVisionforaSustainableCity;Dr.ClintonStockwell
Thecoursewilldevelopaholisticvisionforasustainablecityasanoutworkingoftheconceptofshalom,ajustpeace.Thecoursewillevaluatethethreecomponentsofsustainablecommunitydevelopment:thethreeE’sofeconomics,environment,andequity(orsocialjustice).Participantswillexplorethecoursetopicviareadings,paneldiscussions,andsitevisits.Studentswillhavetheoptionofexploringkeyissuessuchasenergypolicy,foodproduction,environmentaljusticeandpollutionand
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howthesechallengesrelatetothecentralcoursethemes.Centraltothecourseisthequestion,“Whatdoesitmeantobeasustainableurbancommunity?”
SpiritualPractices:WaterofLife;PastorJaneenBertscheJohnson
Thisseminarwillweavetogethercareforcreation—specificallytheresourceofwater—withstudyofbiblicaltextsaboutwater,reflectionontheroleofwaterinChristianfaith,practiceofspiritualandconservationdisciplines,andfieldtrips.Participantswillalsoconsiderhowtoleadthefaithcommunityinitsresponsetowaterissues.Themesincludethewatercycle,usesandmisusesofwater,impactofclimatechangeandpollution,conservation,andrestoration.
ThinkingEthically;Dr.JustinHeinzekehr
HowshouldChristiansrespondtoviolence,healthcareandcreationcareissues?Whatchoicesfaceusregardingsexualityandsystemicracism?Todeepenabilitytothinkethically,studentswillexaminemajorapproachestothemorallifeanddecisionmakingthatdrawupontheresourcesofChristianfaithandtheology,especiallytheroleofScripture,Jesus,andthechurchinethics.
AsburyTheologicalSeminary
Wilmore,Kentucky,USA|http://www.asburyseminary.edu
ChristianMissionandTheologyofCreation;Dr.HowardSnyder
Thiscoursestudiesthebiblicaltheologyofcreation,particularlyasitrelatestothemissionofGodandthustheroleofthechurch.WefocusontheplaceofthecreatedorderinGod'sredemptiveplan,onearthstewardship,andonthemeaningof"therestorationofallthings"intheNewCreationbytheSpiritthroughthesavingandhealingworkofJesusChrist.
Thecoursedrawsonbiblical,historical,andsystematictheology,cross-referencingtocontemporarymissiological,ecological,andenvironmentalissues.
AshlandTheologicalSeminary
Ashland,Ohio,USA|http://seminary.ashland.edu/
GlobalEthics
Weliveinaworldofcompressedinterdependenceandinteractionbetweenlocalandglobalcontextssothatethicalissuesimpactallwhosharethisplanet.Thiscourseprovidesbiblical,theologicalandmissionalframeworksforfosteringglobalmoralconcernbytheChurchfortheworld.Wewillanalyzemacro-ethicalissues,suchascareforcreation,economics,poverty,disease,religiousviolenceandterrorism,anddeveloppracticalstrategiesofresponseforlocalcongregations.
AustinTheologicalSeminary
Austin,Texas,USA|http://www.austinseminary.edu/
ChristianCreationSpirituality;Dr.WilliamGreenway
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Thiscourseexploresthetheological,spiritual,andethicalaspectsoftherelationshipofhumanbeingstonature.MajorChristiantheologicalapproachestonaturearecontrastedbothtooneanotherandtootherapproachesinfluentialintheWest(e.g.,scientific,NativeAmerican).Correlativespiritualitiesareconsideredandkeybiblicaltextsinvestigated.Additionally,theclassdelvesintoethicalquestionsregardingthestatusandtreatmentofanimals,biodiversity,theideaandsignificanceof“wilderness,”andissuesofsustainabledevelopmentandconservation.
EnvironmentalEthics;Dr.WilliamGreenway
ThiscoursefocusesonissuesinenvironmentalethicsfromaChristianperspective.Issuesthatmaybeconsideredincludeclimatechange,distributionandaccessibilityofpotablewater,preservationofhabitat,valuingandtreatmentofnon-humananimals,endangeredspecies,geneticengineering,environmentalracism,population,conservation,wilderness,aswellastheuse,preservation,anddistributionoflimitedresources.ThecourseattendsbothtomajorcontemporarysecularethicalandlegalapproachestoissuesandtomajorChristianethicalapproaches.
Nature,Theology,andEthics:ChristianSpiritualityandCreationCare;Dr.WilliamGreenway
Thiscourseexploresthetheologicalandethicalaspectsofourrelationshiptocreation.MajorChristiantheologicalapproachestocreationarecontrastedbothtooneanotherandtootherapproachesinfluentialintheWest(e.g.,scientific,NativeAmerican).Correlativespiritualitiesareconsideredandkeybiblicaltextsinvestigated.Additionally,wedelveintoethicalquestionsregardingthestatusandtreatmentofanimals,biodiversity,theideaandsignificanceof“wilderness,”andissuesofsustainabledevelopmentandconservation.
BostonUniversitySchoolofTheology
Boston,Massachusetts,USA|http://www.bu.edu/sth/
AdvancedTopicsinEthics:Ecology;Dr.JohnHart
Anin-depthstudyofcross-disciplinary,cross-religiousandcross-culturalapproachestoecologicalissues,orientedtowardunderstandingdiverseissuesinbreadthanddepth;andacollaborativedevelopmentofecologicalethicalconceptsandprinciplestobeintegratedintohumanconsciousnessandcommunities,andimplementedincommunityprojects.
ChristianEcologicalEthicsandPoliticalIssues;Dr.JohnHart
Thepurposeofthiscourseistointroducestudentstoaspectsanddimensionsoftheecologicalcrisis;tohelpthemreflecttheologicallyandethicallyonecologicalproblems;todeveloporenhancetheirparticularfaithtradition’stheoreticalandpracticalengagementwithecologicalissues;andtoformulatepublicpolicypossibilitiesandpracticalprojectstoaddressandseektosolveecologicalproblems.
ChristianityandEcologyinCommunityContexts;Dr.JohnHart
AstudyofChristianandNativeAmericanspiritualinsightsrelatedtoecologicalperspectives,principles,andpractices.Studentclassroomsessions,research,andanalysiswillbecomplementedbyfieldwork:engagementwithmembersoffaithtraditionsandenvironmentalorganizationsintheBostonarea.Writingsoftheologiansandecologists,statementsfromindividualdenominationsandecumenical
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associations,teachingsofnativeelders,andtherelationshipoftheproposedEarthChartertoreligiousteachingsandcurrentecologicalissueswillbediscussed.Economics,ethics,andecologywillbeintegratedwiththeevolvingSchoolofTheologyGreenVisionstatement,itsimplementationoncampus,anditsengagementinprojectswithcommunityorganizationsandfaithcommunitiesoff-campus.
SacredEarth:IndigenousPeoples'EcologicalTraditions;Dr.JohnHart
Astudyofindigenouspeoples’traditionalteachingsabouttherelationshipofspirituality,ecology,andcommunitywell-being.Aparticularfocuswillbethewordsandworksofrepresentativetwentiethcenturywritersandspiritualleaders,andincludethelifeandteachingsofLakotaelderBlackElk;MuskogeeelderPhillipDeere;WanapumelderDavidSohappy;andDakotascholarandactivistVineDeloria,Jr.
CandlerSchoolofTheology
Atlanta,Georgia,USA|http://candler.emory.edu
TheBibleandCareoftheEarth;Dr.CarolNewsom
InJewishandChristiantraditions,andespeciallywithinProtestantdenominations,theBibleisaprimary,thoughcertainlynottheonly,resourcefortheformationofvalues,ethos,andcommitments.Buttoask“whattheBiblesays”aboutecologyorevenaboutnatureistoencountercomplexhermeneuticalissues.Theworldviews,symbolicsystems,andurgentquestionsofancientIsraelandearlyChristianityarevastlydifferentfromthoseofthemodernworld.Nordothebiblicaltextsrepresentasingle,consistentperspective.Oneshouldnotexpecttofind“answers.”Butonewillfindimportantperspectivesforforminganethicofcarefortheearthandforchallengingtheassumptionsofpurelysecular,technologizedviewsoftheearthanditscreatures.Incorporatingthistransformedunderstandingintoourpersonallivesandpracticesandintothecommunallifeandwitnessofcongregationsisthenextstep.Thiscoursewilldrawuponandcontributetoyourcontextsandexperiencesinthechurchandcommunitywithaparticularfocusonthepracticesandtheologyoffood.
ReligiousEducationandOurEcologicalContext;Prof.JenniferAyres
Inthiscourse,studentsdevelopatheologicalframeworkforunderstandingtheecologicaldimensionsofChristianlifeandvocation,andexamineeducationalpracticesandtheoriesthatcontributetotheformationofanecologicalfaith.
CatholicTheologicalUnion
Chicago,Illinois,USA|http://www.ctu.edu/
CatholicEnvironmentalEthics:Sources,Norms,andIssues;Dr.DawnNothwehr
CarefortheEarthismorethananEarthDayslogan.CatholicdoctrineandCatholicmoraltheologyprovidearichgroundingfordealingwiththecomplexandoftenperplexingissuesthatconstitutetoday'senvironmentalcrisis.Thiscourseexamineskeytheologicalandethicalsourcesandnormsthat
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canassistusinachievingconversionfromourabusiverelationshipswiththeEarth,tomoral,sustainableandreverentialwaysofliving.
EcologyandSpiritualPractice;Dr.MaryFrohlich,RSCJ,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
Ethics,Spirituality,andGlobalClimateChange;MaryFrohlichandDawnNothwehr
The2006AcademyAward-winningfilm,“AnInconvenientTruth”broughtthefactofglobalwarminganditscatastrophiceffectstotheconsciousnessofthousands.GlobalclimatechangeisarealitythatChristianscannotignore.Whileengagingthescientific,economic,andpoliticalrealitiesthatshowtheurgencyofclimatechangeissues,wewilllookbeyondthatdilemmatoexplorethedeeperspiritualandmoralresourcesavailableintheChristianandRomanCatholictraditions.Studentswillbeassistedinfindingwaystointegratetheirspiritualityandethicalpracticeandtoengageinconcreteactionsthatseekresolutionstothemanyissuesglobalclimatechangepresentstoourworld.
ToCarefortheEarth:EthicsandtheEnvironment;Dr.DawnNothwehr
Laterinthecourse,weexplorevariousapproachestoenvironmentalethicsandbegintoseethecauseandeffectrelationshiptheproponentsofthesevariousmethodsholdasthetriggerforthecurrentenvironmentalcrisis.Fromanecumenicalperspective,ChristianandJewishsourceswillbereviewedforthemoralwisdomtheyoffertoChristianstoday.SpecialattentionwillbegiventothevariousstatementsontheenvironmentpublishedbyRomanCatholicmagisterialbodiesfromaroundtheglobeandtheFranciscantradition.
CatholicUniversityofAmerica:SchoolofTheologyandReligiousStudies
Washington,DC,USA|http://trs.cua.edu/
EthicsandtheEnvironment
Tobehumanistobe`placed'intheworld,bothina`natural'and`built'environment.Ourvisionofwhatitmeanstobehumanshapeswhatwebuild,especiallyinrelationtothenaturalenvironment.Ourbuildings,fromthehumblestshacktothegrandestCathedral,makemoralstatements.Thiscoursesurveyshistoricalandcontemporarytheoriesofhowhumansaretobuild,whetheritbe,e.g.homes,cities,monuments,orchurches.
FrancisofAssisi:ProphetofPeaceandofCreation;Rev.Dr.RegisArmstrong,OFM
Inthepursuitofpeaceandthepreservationoftheenvironment,FrancisofAssisiisuniversallyproposedasapatron,intercessor,andmodel.InadditiontoexaminingthelifeofFrancisandthestrugglesofhistimes,thiscoursewillexamineindepththeportraitofFranciswrittenbySt.Bonaventure,whounderstoodFrancistobeamodelofeveryChristiancalledtobeaninstrumentofpeaceandacatalystinrespectingcreation.
Religion&Ecology;Dr.WilliamBarbieri
Thiscourseexaminesinterrelatedissuespertainingtoreligion,ecology,science,andtechnology.[Thecourse]includesreligiousandethicalissuesrelatedtocosmology,nature,globalenvironmentalproblems,andtypesofecologicalspiritualityandtheology.
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Spirituality,ReligionandSocialTransformation
Anexaminationofwaysinwhichsomemajorspiritualandreligiousauthorshaveaddressedissuesofslavery,globalpoverty,environmentaldegradation,andethnicviolence.ReadingswillbedrawnfrombooksandarticlesbysuchauthorsasJohnWoolman,HansKung,StephanieKaza,PatriciaMische,MarcGopin,JohnPaulLederach,andPopeJohnPaulII.
TheologyandEcology;Rev.Msgr.PaulMcPartlan
Inthesetimesofecologicalcrisis,whatresourcesdoestheChristiantraditionhavetooffertocurrentdebate?Thisseminarconsidersarangeofmaterialfromthelasthalf-century,withparticularattentiontocontributionsfromChristianEastandWest,andtotheecologicaldiscussionthathastakenplaceundertheauspicesoftheWorldCouncilofChurches.
CenterforReligionandEnvironment,Sewanee:UniversityoftheSouthSchoolofTheology
Sewanee,Tennessee,USA|https://cresewanee.wordpress.com/
GodandNature;CynthiaS.W.Crysdale
TheobjectiveofthiscourseistoexaminewaysinwhichChristianshaveunderstoodGodinrelationtothecreatedorder.Wewillfocusspecificallyonthelastfivehundredyears:howourconceptionofnaturehasshiftedand,withit,ourwaysofconceivingofGod.Wewilljuxtaposethiswithmoderncosmological“stories”andthechallengestheypresenttheologically.Afieldcomponentwillbeanaspectofthiscourse:studentsshouldbepreparedtoexploretheDomainbothinandoutofclasstime.
ManySidesofSustainability;TheReverendRebeccaAbtsWright
Thiscoursehasseveralgoals,includinghelpingpeoplesteepedinnaturalsciencesandthoseintheologytobegintodevelopacommonvocabulary.Thiswillincludebiblical,theological,andpracticalcongregationalmaterialsaswellaseconomicand"hard"scientificmatterswithpossibleinteractionwiththeUniversityofGeorgia'sRiverBasinCenter.Therewillbereadings,lectures,seminarsandfieldtrips.Themajorpiecewillbeasmallteamproject.
ReadingsinContemporaryEco-Theology;TheReverendRobertDavisHughesIII
Seminaroncontemporarywritingsintheologyconcernedwithenvironmentalissues.Themajorfocusfor2015isonDavidClough,OnAnimals,andtheimpactonChristianSystematicTheologyfromtakingseriouslyethicalclaimsconcerningthehumanetreatmentofanimals.
EnvironmentalEthics
Examinesawiderangeofcontroversialissuesconcerningthemoralresponsibilitiesofhumanbeingstowardthenaturalenvironmentwithspecialattentiontocompetingphilosophicaltheoriesonthemoralstatusofnon-humanspeciesandnaturalecosystems.
EnvironmentalEthics
Theenvironmentalchallengesfacingtheworldtodayareurgentandcomplex.Avarietyofapproacheshavebeenenactedorproposedtoaddresstheseproblems,rangingfrompracticaleffortstoorganize
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forjusticetoconceptualattemptstoshifthowweviewourworld.Alloftheseapproacheshaveparticularstrengthsandweaknesses,andallraiseimportantquestions.Thepurposeofthisintroductoryseminaristosurveyethicaltoenvironmentalproblemsandtoexaminethecentralmoralquestionssuchproblemsraise.Wewillcovertraditional,“mainstream”environmentalethicalresponsesaswellasmorerecentalternativestoandcriticismsofthoseresponses.Discussionwillincludeconcretecasestudiesaswellastheoreticalfoundations,andthefinalessaywillseektoplacethetheoriesinthecontextofconcreteenvironmentalproblems.
PracticuminReligionandEnvironment
Thiscourse,whichcallsforinvolvementinsomefaith-basedorotherwiseengagedformofappropriateactivityorservice,offersstudentsacapstoneopportunitytoexaminetheirspiritualexperiencesandreligiousbeliefsinthecontextofactiveengagementwithenvironmentalissuesinavarietyofways.Reflectionontheengagementexperience–expressedbothinwrittenformandthroughoralpresentation–isrequired.
ReligiousEnvironmentalism
AnexplorationofthereligiousaspectsofcontemporaryenvironmentalismandreligiouscritiquesoftheemphasisbyAmericansonthevaluesofconsumerismandconvenience.Aservice-learningcomponentrequiresstudentstoparticipateinalocalenvironmentalprojectandtoreflectonboththeirownethicalcommitmentsandthoseoftheUniversity.
ReligionandEcology
ConsiderstherelationshipbetweenthenaturalandthesacredinselectedtraditionssuchasAmerindianreligions,Hinduism,Buddhism,Daoism,Judaeo-Christiantradition,andcontemporaryeco-religion.Emphasizesanalysisoflatentecological/environmentalresourcesorconflictsineachtraditionstudied.
FieldMethodsinReligiousStudies
Afield-basedseminartoexaminetheeffectsofreligiousbeliefanddoctrineuponlandscapeandmaterialcultureintheuplandSouth,includingAppalachia.CoretopicsfordifferentyearsvaryandincludeShapingtheLand,Cemeteries,LogandStone,Churches,andVillageandTown.Fieldseminar.Prerequisite:Onecourseinreligion,philosophy,orhumanities.
BuddhismandtheEnvironment
AninvestigationofBuddhistimages,symbols,stories,doctrines,ethics,andpracticesastheyrelatetounderstandingtheenvironmentandhumanity'srelationshipwithit.ClassicaltextsaswellasmoderncommentariesbyBuddhistteachers,writersandactivistswillbeexamined.
Creation,Evolution,andGod;Unknown
SinceCharlesDarwinvisitedtheGalapagosIslandsover175yearsagotherehasbeenmuchdebateoverwhetherthetheoryofevolutionnecessarilyeliminatesabeliefinGod.EvenintheologicalcirclesideasaboutGodandhowGodcreatesandmaintainstheuniversehavebeenseverelyrevised.ThiscoursewillexaminetheJudeo-Christianunderstandingofcreation,modernviewsofevolution,andcurrentdebatesaboutGodandcreation,reviewdevelopmentsofcreationtheologythroughthecenturiesandthenmoveontolearnaboutthescienceofevolution.TheologicalsourceswillincludetheclassicaltheismofThomasAquinasandthenotionofemergentprobabilitydevelopedbyBernard
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Lonerganinourcontemporaryera.
ChicagoTheologicalSeminary
Chicago,Illinois,USA|https://www.ctschicago.edu/
Animals,Ecology,andBiblicalInterpretation;Dr.KenStone,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
CreationThemesintheHebrewBible;Dr.KenStone
ThiscourseexaminesanumberofbiblicaltextsthatshedlightonIsraelisunderstandingofcreation.Attentionwillbegiventotheancientsocio-culturalbackgroundofthebiblicalcreationtexts;therelationsamongGod,humanity,andnaturethatarepresupposedbythecreationtexts;theroleofgenderinthebiblicalviewsoncreation;andtheimpactofecojusticehermeneuticsonbiblicalinterpretation.
EarthandItsDistress:EcologicalEthicsinChristianPerspective;PastorJanetParker
CourseGoals:ToattainfamiliaritywiththebreadthanddepthofChristiantheologicalreflectionupontheecologicalcrisis,andtounderstandtheresourcesoftheChristianfaithforrespondingcreativelytothiscrisis;TodevelopanunderstandingofenvironmentalissuesasjusticeissuesandastheologicalandethicalissuesofdeepconcerntoChristians;TolearnabouttheenvironmentalchallengesoftheChicagoregionandsomeoftheresourcesandgroupsworkingtoaddressthesechallenges;TolistentounfamiliarvoicesfromwithinandwithouttheChristiantraditionandtobeeducatedbythesevoicesfromthemarginsaboutourresponsibilitiestowardthecreationandtheotherbeingswithwhomwesharetheplanet;Toparticipateintheeducativeprocessbywhichtheabovegoalswillbemet,throughactiveinvolvementinclassdiscussionandthroughteachingaclassaspartofagroupresearchproject.
ChristianTheologicalSeminary
Indianapolis,Indiana,USA|http://www.cts.edu/
TheBibleandtheEarth;Dr.CarolJohnston&Rev.Dr.MartiSteussy,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
Ecojustice:FosteringHumanWellbeingonaThrivingEarth;Dr.CarolJohnston
Ecojusticeistheunderstandingthatjusticeisamatterofbotheconomicandecologicalconcern,andthatbothareanintegralpartoftheGospel.
Thisseminarwillenablestudentstomaketheconnectionsandseehowtheyarebeinglivedoutinbothcongregationsandcommunitiesthatareaddressingtheglobalenvironmental/economiccrisisandtryingtorestorecreationandenablealllifetoflourishtogetherontheEarth.BiblicalandtheologicalfoundationsforCreationCareandEcojusticewillbeexplored,alongwiththescientific,economic,andethicaldimensionsofthecrisisandmovementstowardsolutions.WewillhearfromcommunityandcongregationalleaderswhoaredoingwonderfullycreativeandfaithfulworkinIndianaandbeyond,andvisitgreenprojects.
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ClaremontSchoolofTheology
Claremont,California,USA|http://www.cst.edu/
EnvironmentalEthics;Dr.GraceYia-HeiKao
Thiscourseexaminesvariousreligiousperspectivesonthemeaningandvalueofthenaturalworldandthenormativerelationshipsthatarepositedbetweenhumansandnature.Wewillstudythesequestionscomparativelywithinandacrossmajorreligioustraditions,whilealsoengagingcontemporarymovementssuchasecofeminism,deepecology,andanimalrights.Ourgoalswillbetogainanoverviewofconceptualresourcesforthinkingaboutenvironmentalproblems,describewhatreligionhastooffertothinkingthroughtheseproblems,andtoarticulateresponsestoenvironmentalproblemsthatdrawonourownreligioustraditions.
ColumbiaTheologicalSeminary
Decatur,Georgia,USA|http://www.ctsnet.edu/index
ApocalypticEcology;Dr.StanleySaunders
Thiscourseexploresthe"ecology"–nature,structures,vocations,andpractice–ofthechurchasaneschatologicalbodyintheNewTestament,especiallyinlightofcontemporaryecologicalissues.Whatnotionsoftimeandspaceshapedthechurch'sself-understandingandpractices?Howdidthechurchengagetheimperialsocialmodelsofitsworld?TheclasswillexamineearlyChristianidealssuchasunitywithdiversity,forgiveness,hospitality,humility,andreconciliationasmarksofthechurchandasecological/ecclesiologicalprinciples.
Creation,NewCreation,andEcology;Dr.WilliamBrown&Dr.StanleySaunders
Corequestionsinclude:Whataretheecologicalcrisesfacingthepresentgeneration?Whatarethecultural,historical,andtheologicalrootsoftheenvironmentalandsocialissuesweface?Whatarethemostimportantbiblicalresources(andobstacles)forshapingfaithfulapproachestotheseissues?Whatshapemightfaithfulecologicalhermeneuticstake?Whatisthehumancallingwithregardtocreation?(Arewenecessary?Forwhat?)Inwhatwaysarethefoundationalpracticesofthechurchecological(oristheCreationincidentaltoChristianpractices)?Isthechurchsustainable?(Is“eco-”anessentialpartofecclesiology?)WhatarethepracticesofsustainableChristiancommunity?Whatresourcesmightwedevelopforworkingwithcongregationsandyoungpeopleonenvironmentalissues?
TheEarthistheLord's:Ecology,Theology,andtheChurch'sWitness;Rev.Dr.RichardFloyd
Thiscoursewillexplorethe“ecologicalcomplaint”againstChristianity(representedbyWhiteandothers)andhowvariousChristiantheologianshaverespondedtothatcomplaint.Afterreviewingsomeofthekeyissuesdefiningecologicaltheologyasadistincttheologicalperspective,wewilltracefourmajorthreadsthatarewoventogetherinvariouswaysincontemporaryecologicaltheology:creationspirituality(ThomasBerry);processtheology(JayMcDaniel);ecofeministtheology(SallieMcFague);andwhatIcall“ecclesial”eco-theology(JürgenMoltmann).
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EnvironmentandEcumene;Dr.MarkDouglas
Muchisbeingwrittenaboutpresentandimpendingenvironmentalcrisesaroundtheworld.Butinthe21stCentury,theenvironmentwillincreasinglytakeacentralrolenotonlyasasetofconcernsthathumanbeingsthroughouttheworldwillhavetoaddress,butasalensthroughwhichtheglobalsocietywillhavetoapplyallotherconcerns.Howwillthislensdevelop?Whatprioritieswillitreveal?HowmighttheChristianfaithbeseenthroughthelens?WhatresourcesmightChristianitycontributetoitsdevelopment?Andwhatmightbetheimplicationsofthisnewwayofthinkingandbeingforministry?Thiscoursewillexploretheseandsimilarquestions,developingtheologicalresourcesthroughwhichtobetterunderstandtheenvironmentandenvironmentalcrisesandexaminingsomeofthewaysthatthechurchandotherprogramsareattemptingtoaddresstheproblemsofachangingenvironment.
HowManifoldAreYourWorks,OLORD!'CreationintheOldTestament;Dr.WilliamBrown
ParticipantswillstudythevariouscreationtraditionsoftheOldTestamentwithaviewtowardtheirtheological,spiritual,andecologicalimplications,particularlyasthechurchaddressesthecrisisofenvironmentaldegradationbyofferingamessagethatisbothpropheticandpastoral.Theclasswilldrawonarangeofresources,frombiblicalscholarshiptoscientificresearch,inordertodevelopnewandrelevantwaysofreadingScriptureforourdayandage.
NewCreationandEcology:PracticingintheGarden;Dr.TaylorFlory&Dr.StanleySaunders
Thiscoursea)exploresdimensionsoftheecologicalcrisesfacingthepresentgeneration,b)presentstheological,scriptural,andanthropologicalresourcesforshapingecologicalbehavior,c)examinestraditionalChristianpracticespertainingtocommunity,theBody,andtheworld,andd)offersresourcesandmodelsforworkingwithcongregationsandyoungpeopleonenvironmentalissues.
Science,Religion,andtheEndoftheWorld;Dr.ChrisDePree&Dr.MarkDouglas
ThesciencesandtheChristiantraditionprovidenarrativesabouttheendoftheworld.Buthowdothesenarrativesrelate?Howdoweevaluatethemindependently,andincomparison?Whataretheimplicationsofthenarrativesforthewayweliveandthinktoday,atimebeforetheendoftheworld?Thiscourse,taughtbyaprofessorofastrophysicsfromAgnesScottCollegeandaprofessorofreligiousethicsfromColumbiaTheologicalSeminary,takesupthosecriticalquestionsandprovidesstudentswithopportunitiestostudywidely,thinkcritically,andlearnrespectfullyinacross-disciplinarysetting.Toencourageimaginativethinking,sourcesofstudyforthecoursewillbeacombinationofspeculativefictionnovels,movies,andselectionsfromotherbooksandarticles.
SustainableChurch;Dr.StanleySaunders
IstheChurchsustainable?WhatmighttheChurchhavetocontributetosocialandecologicalsustainability?WhatmighttheChurchlearnfromcontemporarydiscussionsofsustainabilityandresilience?ThiscourseexploresthevarietyofimagesofthechurchfoundwithintheNewTestament,aswellasthediversevalues,convictions,perspectives,andpracticesthatdistinguishedtheearlyChristiancommunitiesfromothersocialgroupsandinstitutionsaroundthemandthathelpedthechurchesendureandberesilient.Particularattentionwillbegiventothepractices—e.g.,hospitality,forgiveness,sharingpossessions,self-limitation,healing,exorcism,andlove—thatmadethechurchsustainableandresilientinitscultural“ecosystem”andthatmightprovideresourcesforsustainableChristianpracticetoday.
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WordforaWarmingWorld:Bible,Creation,andtheScienceofWonder;Dr.WilliamBrown
ParticipantswillstudythevariouscreationtraditionsoftheOldTestamentwithaviewtowardtheirtheological,spiritual,andecologicalimplications,particularlyasthechurchaddressesthecrisisofglobalwarmingwithamessagethatisbothpropheticandpastoral.Theclasswilldrawonarangeofresources,frombiblicalscholarshiptoscientificresearch,inordertodevelopnewwaysofreadingScriptureinthelightofscienceforthechurch.
ConcordiaSeminary
St.Louis,Missouri,USA|http://www.csl.edu/
CareofCreation
RecentecologicalnarrativesofourplaceandpurposewithintheworldhavebeenurgedasalternativestotheChristian‘anthropocentric’storywhichincorporatesbothdominionovercreationandalienationfromcreation.Whiletheserecentnarrativesmakeusefulcontributionstothediscussionofthecareofcreation,theyoftenhavemisreadtheChristianstory.Thiscoursewillexaminetherecentnarratives,theirreading(ormisreading)theChristianstory,andidentifytheirpositivecontributions.Italsowillreiterateanaccuratebiblicaltheologyofcreation,andexplorehowatrulyChristiantheologyofcreationcanenrichthecreedalGospelnarrativeand,inturn,provideanorganicandholisticframeworkfortheChristianlifeandasustainableenvironmentalethic.
TheCareofGod’sCreation
ThiscoursewillexploreneglectedaspectsofthedoctrineofcreationinthecontextofcontemporaryecologicalissuesanditsimplicationsforChristiandiscipleship.AttentionwillbegiventotheimportanceofcreationwithintheChristiannarrative,whatitmeanstobeapartofcreationashumancreatures,andourroleaschildrenofGodwhohavebeenrestoredtoGod,toeachother,andtoHiscreation.
DenverSeminary
Littleton,Colorado,USA|http://www.denverseminary.edu
StewardshipinCreation:TheologyandOutdoorPractice
Thiscourseintroducesstudentstoabiblicallyinformedtheologyofcreationanditsstewardship,discoveringtherichChristiantraditionofcaringforcreation,understandinghowimpactstocreationcandisproportionatelyaffectthepoor,anddevelopingabetterinformedapologeticconcerningcontemporaryenvironmentalissues.
SystemsThinkingandDecision-Making
Providesanintroductiontosystemstheoryandhelpsleaderstodevelopaholisticapproachtogatheringandorganizinginformation,solvingproblems,makingdecisions,andimplementingplans.
DrewTheologicalSchool
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Madison,NewJersey,USA|http://www.drew.edu/theological/
ChristianityandEcology;Dr.LaurelKearns
ExaminesarangeofChristianresponsestoecologicalconcerns.Surveyssomeofthehistorical,philosophical,socio-political,theological,andenvironmentalissuesinfluencesthatshapethecurrentplanetarycontextandlooksatanarrayofcontemporaryglobalreligiouseco-justicevoicesandemergingeco-theologies.Whatresourcesforanearth-friendlyethicareofferedintheChristianreligioustradition?Isenvironmentalismjustaboutanimalsandwilderness?Wheredojusticeissuescomein?Whatarethemajoraspectsofoursocietiesandofourworldviewsthatneedtobechanged?Howdowegrapplewiththeenvironmentalimplicationsofoureconomicsystem?Whereandhowdoecologicalthinking,spiritualityandreligiousthoughtcometogether?Whatcanwedo,whatareothersdoing,torespondtoecologicalconcerns?
DevelopingEnvironmentalEducationandResources,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
EcstaticNaturalism
Thisclasswillinvolveanin-depthstudyofthevariouswaysnaturehasbeenpresentedinworldthinkingwithparticularfocusonSouthAsianandEuro-Americantraditions.Specifictopics:thesacred,thespirit,naturalism(especiallyinitsecstaticform),grace,artvia-a-visreligion,andanewtheoryofnature’sself.
GreeningtheChurch:ChristianityandEcology
AnoverviewoftheearthcrisisandacritiqueofChristianity’shistoricalrelationshiptotheearth.Surveysbiblicalandtheologicalresourcesforconstructiveresponsestothiscrisis.
Nature,God,andtheNewCosmology
Anexaminationofsomeoftheimplicationsofthenewcosmologyfortraditionalideas.Thefirstpartofthiscourselooksatseveralconceptionsofnatureastheyilluminatescienceandtheology.Thesecondpartofthecourseprobesintothenewsciencesofcomplexityandchaostheoryinsofarasthey,too,illuminatetherelationshipbetweenGodandnature.Thefinalpartofthecourseexaminescurrentcosmologicaltheories,withparticularattentiontothoseofHawking.TopicsincludecreationandtheBigBang,theoriginoftime,theno-boundaryproposal,theAnthropicprinciple,thestatusofeschatology,andtheproblemofteleology.
PhilosophiesofNature
Inthiscoursewewillexamineseveralimportantphilosophiesofnatureaswellasdevelopourownworkingconceptionofnature.Theologicallywewillcompareandcontrasttheism,pantheism,andpanentheismastheyarticulatetherelationshipbetweengodandnature.BothWesternandAsianphilosophieswillbeexploredwithspecialattentionpaidto:ancientGreekmetaphysics(PlatoandAristotle),GermanIdealistphilosophy(SchellingandSchopenhauer),Americannaturalismandpragmatism(Emerson,Peirce,Dewey,andBuchler),andclassicalHinduism(Upanishads).Thecurrentperspectiveofecstaticnaturalism,asdevelopedbyProfessorCorringtonandothers,willshapeanddirectourhistoricalexplorations.Itaffirmsthatnatureisallthatthereisandthatthesacredisinandofnature.Therewillalsobeastressonartasamediumbyandthroughwhichwecangainspecialaccesstonatureandparticipateinnature’sunconsciousdimension.
Thegoalofthecourseistobringusintodeeperrelationshipwiththepowersandpotenciesofinfinite
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natureanditsspiritualdimensions.Byexploringthehumanunconscious,inanewkindofspiritualpsychoanalysis,wewillalsoexplorethefulldepthsofnatureanditsspiritualheart.
ReligionandtheEarth
Readingsinspiritual,philosophical,feminist,scientific,andsociopoliticalresponsesaroundtheglobetotheecologicalcrisis.
SpiritualFoundationsforSustainableandEcologicalInitiatives
Anintensivestudyofselectedproblemsandthemesincontemporarysociologyofreligionhavingspecialsignificanceforthechurchanditsministry.
TheTheologyandEcologyofCommonGround;Dr.DannaNolanFewell&Dr.LaurelKearns
Focusesontheroleofcamp/retreatministryininspiringleaderswhoshapesocietybyengagingcommunitiesandcongregationsinministriesofearthcareandsocialjusticeasexpressionsofholycommonground.StudentswillstudybiblicalandtheologicalperspectivesonthelinkbetweenfaithinGodandlovinginterdependenceamongpeopleandallofcreation.
TheTheoryandPracticeofEnvironmentalJustice
Readingsinspiritual,philosophical,feminist,scientific,andsocio-politicalresponsesaroundtheglobetotheecologicalcrisis.Coursehasaflexiblefield-basedcomponentdesignedtoinvolvestudentsinsomewayinlocaleco-justiceissues.
TopicsinChurchandSociety
Anintensivestudyofselectedproblemsandthemesincontemporarysociologyofreligionhavingspecialsignificanceforthechurchanditsministry.Forthiscourse,thethemesaresustainability/theethicsofsustainability.
DukeDivinitySchool
Durham,NorthCarolina,USA|http://www.divinity.duke.edu
AgrarianTheologyforanUrbanWorld;Dr.NormanWirzba
Thisclasswillconsiderhowthecharacterofmodernindustrial,technological,consumercultureshasgivenshapetoanddirectedparticularkindsoftheologicalreflection.Wewillthenexaminehowanagrarianpositiondiffersandwhatthisdifferencemeansforourthinkingaboutcreation,God,salvation,andthenatureandmissionofthechurch.Thiscoursewillencouragestudentstoreadscripture,andthusreinterprettheologicalmotifs,withanagrarianpointofviewinmindbecausethiswasthedominantviewinthetimeoftheBible’shistory.Wewillspendconsiderabletimefirstexploringagrariansympathiesandresponsibilities(bothancientandcontemporary)sothatwecanthendrawacontrastwithcurrenturbanperspectives.OuraimisnottovilifyurbanismbuttoseehowanagrariancritiquecantransformurbanismintosomethingthatmorecloselyresemblesGod’sheavenlyJerusalem,acitythatembodieskeyagrarianelements.Wewillalsoexplorecritiquesofagrarianismandchallengestoitsfuturevitality.
CaringforCreation;Dr.NormanWirzba
Thiscoursewilldevelopamulti-facetedapproachtodevelopingandimplementingavisionforthe
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Church’scareofcreation.Itwillincludeananalysisofhistory,scripturaltraditions,theologicalreflection,denominationalstatementsandresolutions,andculturalcritique,allwiththeoverallaimofcraftingpracticesforcreation’sandhumanity’shealing.Bysemester’send,studentswillbeabletoarticulateseveralmodelsofcreationcare–stewardship,virtue,ecclesial,priesthood,agrarian,monastic,indigenous,andliberation–andbeabletoshowhowthesemodelsmightbeputtoworkindiversechurchsettingslikeeducation,preaching,liturgy,missionandoutreach.
EnvironmentalPhilosophyandEthics;Dr.NormChristensen&Dr.NormanWirzba
Thiscourseexaminesthemajorthemesandfiguresinenvironmentalphilosophyandethics.Topicstobeconsideredinclude:thenatureoftheworld,thenatureofethicalreasoning,environmentalvirtue,deepecology,ecofeminism,environmentaljustice,criteriafordecision-making,andtheethicsofprofessionallifeinenvironmentalfields.
Food,Eating,andtheLifeofFaith
ThiscourseexaminesfoodsystemsandeatingpracticesinlightofChristianteaching.OuraimwillbetodevelopatheologicalframeworkandsetofpracticesthathonorGodandcontributetoapeaceablecreationandajustsocietythroughoureating.Toaccomplishthisgoalwewillconsiderandcritiquecurrentfoodeconomiesintermsofhowwelltheypromotethehealthofbodiesandcreation’smemberships.WewillexaminetheEucharistasanimportantChristiansitefortheevaluationofeatingpractices.WewillalsoconsiderhoweatingisapowerfullensintoadeeperunderstandingoflifeanddeathandthecharacterofGodandcreation.Anumberoftopicswillbecoveredinthisclass,rangingfromfooddistributionandeatingdisorderstovegetarianismandfasting.Scriptureoftensituatesimportantencountersandlearningaroundtablefellowship.ThisclasswillencourageustodevelopformsoffellowshipthatparticipateinandwitnesstoGod’skingdom.
TheologyinEcologicalContext;Dr.NormanWirzba
Thiscoursewillbeginwithanexaminationofwhatecologicalsciencemeansandhowithasbeenincorporatedinvariousphilosophicalschools(likeDeepEcologyandEco-feminism).Wewillthenmovetoanexplorationofwhatecologymeansfortheologicalreflectionandforthelifeofthechurch.NextwewillconsideramoresystematictreatmentofseveralkeyChristianteachingstorevealtheirpotentialtoaidintheworkofecologicalhealingandcreaturelylife.TheaimofthiscourseistoequipstudentswithanecologicallyinformedtheologicalconsciousnesssothatcontemporarydebatesaboutenvironmentalmatterscanbeunderstoodandaddressedfromadistinctlyChristianpointofview.
TheologyofLand
Theaimsofthiscourseareto:1.ExploreancientIsrael'stheologicalunderstandingsoflandtenureanduse,andfurther,toexplorehowlandisacrucialelementintherelationsbetweenhumanityandtheothercreatures,ontheonehand,humanityandGod,ontheother.2.ToengageinaseriousrereadingoftheBiblicaltextinlightofthecontemporaryecologicalcrisis.3.Toidentifyideologiesoflandtenureandusagethatareoperativeincontemporarysocieties,includingourown,andtoexaminethemcriticallyinlightofthebiblicaltextandthepresentcrisis.
TheTheologyandSpiritualityofPlace;Dr.NormanWirzba
Acentralquestionofthiscourseis,whatdoesitmean,andwhatdoesitlooklikeforChristiansto
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expresstheirfaiththroughtheplaces–thehomes,churches,neighborhoods,economies,architecture,publicspaces–theylive?Inthiscoursewewillexaminephilosophicalandtheologicalresourcesthattakeupplaceasaprimaryconcern.Inparticular,wewillconsiderhowspecificplacesexpressandgiveshapetopersonalandcommunallife.Bytheendofthesemesterstudentswillbeabletoevaluateparticularplacesfromatheologicalpointofview.
ToWorkandWatch:TowardaBiblicalEcology
Theaimsofthiscourseareto:1.ExploreancientIsrael'stheologicalunderstandingsoflandtenureanduse,andfurther,toexplorehowlandisacrucialelementintherelationsbetweenhumanityandtheothercreatures,ontheonehand,humanityandGod,ontheother.2.ToengageinaseriousrereadingoftheBiblicaltextinlightofthecontemporaryecologicalcrisis.3.Toidentifyideologiesoflandtenureandusagethatareoperativeincontemporarysocieties,includingourown,andtoexaminethemcriticallyinlightofthebiblicaltextandthepresentcrisis.
EarlhamSchoolofReligion
Richmond,Indiana,USA|http://www.esr.earlham.edu/
Eco-Spirituality;KatherineMurray
Eco-SpiritualityconnectsEarthcareandpastoralcarewiththeunderlyingbeliefthatwhenweconnectlovinglywiththeearth,oursharedharmonyandpeacehelpsbringaboutthepersonalandplanetarywholeness.ThiscourseisdesignedtosurveythecurrentthoughtinEarthcareandexploreourhistorical,philosophical,andreligiousunderpinningsofourrelationshipwiththeearth.
EasternMennoniteSeminary
Harrisonburg,Virginia,USA|http://www.emu.edu
CreationCareinScriptureandChurch;Dr.DorothyJeanWeaver
Thiscoursewillbeastudy(1)ofbiblicalperspectivesonthephysicalworld(i.e.,God’screation)thathumansinhabitandonthedivinemandateforhumanstocareforthisworldthatGodhascreated.Itwillbeastudy(2)ofthepracticalimplicationsofthisbiblicalcalltocreationcareforthepresentdaylifeofthechurch.Thecoursewillincludebothstudyofthebiblicalevidence—bothOldandNewTestament—whichaddressestheissuesofcreationcareandconsiderationofthethemeofcreationcareasfocusedthroughthelenses,eachinturn,ofthevarioustheologicaldisciplinesthatmakeuptheEasternMennoniteSeminarycurriculum.ThiscourseisopentopersonswithorwithoutpreviouscoursesinHebreworGreek.
FullerTheologicalSeminary
Pasadena,California,USA|http://www.fuller.edu
ChristianEthics(alsotaughtinSpanish)
ThisbasicintroductiontoethicsaimstodevelopasystematicwayofthinkingaboutChristianmorality,bringingbiblicallybasedconvictionstobearonimportantmoralproblems.Thecourseworksto
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integrateecologicalmattersthroughoutthecourse,with"environmentaltopics"accountingforaboutonethirdofthecourse.
CreationCareandtheSabbathEconomics;Dr.HakJoonLee
ThiscoursestudiesthetheologicalandethicalgroundsanddirectivesofcreationcareandSabbatheconomicsthatinformourpersonalandcorporateresponsibilityasthestewardsofGod’screation.Thestudyincludes1)ananalysisofthedetrimentalimpactofglobalcapitalismontheecologyand2)anexplorationofappropriatespiritualformation,communalpractices,andpublicpolicyproposalsofcreationcareandtheSabbatheconomicsinlocal,national,andglobalcontexts.
Jesus,theChurch,andViolence;Dr.TommyGivens
Thecourserelatesecologytoracialviolenceandoppression,biblicalhermeneutics,andothertopics.Aboutonequarterofthecourse'smaterialconcerns"environmentaltopics"broadlyconceived.
Garrett-EvangelicalTheologicalSeminary
Evanston,Illinois,USA|http://www.garrett.edu
EcologicalTheology:GodandCreationinTravail;Dr.TimothyEberhart
Thiscourseisasurveyofmajorfiguresinthefieldofecologicaltheologyoverthepasthalfcentury.Studentswillexaminethedevelopmentofcontemporarytheologicalreflectiononthepromises,dynamics,andsufferingsofGodandthecreationbyreadingprimarytextsfromadiversityofperspectives,includingfromLutheran/Reformed,Trinitarian,Feminist,Catholic,Liberation,Evangelical,Womanist,andProcesstheologies.
EthicsofHopeinanAgeofCrisis;Dr.TimothyEberhart
ThecontextinwhichtheGoodNewsofJesusChrististobelivedandproclaimedtodayismarkedbyanincreasingnumberofdistinctbutinterrelatedcrises.Environmentaldevastation.Economicinequality.Politicalcorruption.Financialindebtedness.Climaticdisruption.Culturaldisorientation.ItisclearthatseriousChristianresponsescanbedefinedneitherbynaïveoptimism,despairingcynicism,norwillfulignorance.ButwhatisthelivedwitnessofhopethatChristiansmightoffertheworld,asindividualsandcongregations,amidstthecrisisofthispresentage?Thiscoursedrawsuponarangeoftheologicalandcriticalperspectivesinseekingtoaffirmanethicsofhopethatisgroundedinthepromiseoftheresurrection,thehistoryoffaithfulstruggle,andthein-breakingenergiesofGod’snewcreation.
Food,Faith,andJustice:HolyCommunionfortheWholeCreation;Dr.TimothyEberhart
God’scalltoparticipateintheabundantlifeoflovingcommunionisgiventousintheformofamealinvitation:“Take,eat(Matt.26:26).“TasteandseethattheLordisgood”(Ps.34:8).Buthowarewetogathertogetherinholymealswhenthefoodweconsumeisboundupintheearth’sdegradationandtheexploitationofneighborsnearandfar?Thiscoursewillintegrateacriticaltheologyoffoodandagriculturewithpracticalencounterswiththeemergingholisticfoodeconomy(e.g.urbanorganicagriculture,communityfoodcooperatives,andecologicalgardendesign)intheChicagoarea.
MoralTheologyTopics:OikosofGod:EconomyandEcologyintheGlobalHousehold;Dr.TimothyEberhart
Thiscourseisanintroductiontotheologicalreflectiononeconomyandecologyinaglobalizedworld.
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TheGreekwordforhouseholdisoikos,whichmeansthewordsecology(oikos-logos,thestudiedknowledgeofourplanetaryhousehold),economy(oikos-nomos,themanagementofthehousehold),andecumenicity(oikou-menikos,anopennesstotheworldwidehousehold)allshareabasicorientationto“home.”Thereisgrowingawarenessthattheinterconnectedhouseholdsweinhabitareincreasinglymarked,notbythekindofsustainingrelationsonwhichhomelifedepends,butbyvariousformsofinjusticeanddegradation.Thereisalsoagrowingrecognitionthattheecologicalandeconomiccrisesfacingpeopleworldwidearemutuallyconstitutiveandthatsingular,disconnectedresponsesarethereforeinadequate.Thegoalofthiscourseistodrawupondiversetheologicalandethicalresourcesinthinkingcriticallyabouttheeconomicandecologicalcrisesfacingourcommonglobalhouseholdandconstructivelytowardamorecharitable,just,andsustainablefuture.
ResistingBiocide:EnvironmentalEthicsforDiscipleship;Dr.TimothyEberhart
TheenvironmentalcrisesfacinghumancommunitiesworldwidepresentahostofdifficultmoralquestionsfortheChristianlife.Theoverlappingproblemsofecologicaldegradation,resourcedepletion,climatedisruption,andmore–especiallyinrelationtothosealreadyvictimizedbypovertyandotherformsofoppression–requirecritical,systemicreflectionaswellastransformativechangeswithineachsphereofourpersonal,economic,ecclesial,andpubliclivestoday.Thiscoursewillsurveykeythinkersandthemeswithinthefieldofenvironmentalethics,examineproposalsforfaithfulChristianaction,andchallengestudentstoarticulateahopefulvisionfordiscipleshiptodaythataccountsnotonlyforthebreadthofsinandevilbutalsothedepthofGod’slovefortheworld.
GeorgeFoxEvangelicalSeminary
Portland,Oregon,USA|http://www.georgefox.edu/seminary
Eschatology,NewCreation,andCommunalEthicsI
ThiscourseaddressesNewTestamenttheologiesofeschatology,Trinitariancommunity,soteriology,andJesus’newkingdom.Byconsideringthehistoricalcurrentsofthesetheologies,studentswillidentifyhowthislegacyrelatestothecurrentstateoftheworld.StudentswillengagecommunalethicsandtheroleofthelocalChristianchurchinaddressingecologicalissues.
Eschatology,NewCreation,andCommunalEthicsII
Thiscourseisasecond-semestercontinuationofEschatology,NewCreation,andCommunalEthicsI,whichisarequiredprerequisiteforthiscourse.
IndigenousHistoryandMission(NorthAmerica)
ThiscourseprovidesexaminesthehistoryofChristianmissionamongIndigenouspeoples,currentIndigenouslifeandIndigenousspiritualitiesingeographicregionallyspecificstudiesthatconnecttobothglobalissuesandlocalcontext.Studentswillexploreissuessuchastheharmonyethic,buildingatheologyoftheland,indigenousreligiouspractices,andhowtheseallrelatetotheChristianfaith.
PovertyandRestorativeEarthkeeping
Thiscourseimmersesstudentsduringafive-dayretreatinasettingthatillustratestheintegralrelationshipsbetweenearthkeeping,globalsystems,andissuessuchracism,sexism,andpoverty.Studentswillencounterthetensionbetweenthedevastatingnatureoftheserelationshipsandthe
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potentialandhopeforrestorationofthecreatedorder.
SpiritualityandtheEarth
Offeredinaretreatformateveryothersummer,thiscourseexplorestherelationshipofthestudent'sspirituallifetothespiritualdisciplineofstewardship.Attentionwillbegiventostewardshipofselfandofresources,butaparticularfocuswillbemadeonthestewardshipofcreation.Theseminar(inanoutdoorsetting)involveslecture,discussion,silentandwrittenreflection,andsmallgroupinteraction.
TheologyandEthicoftheLand;Dr.RandyWoodley
Thiscourseimmersesstudentsinthenaturalworldduringafive-dayretreat.StudentswillabideinCreationandexperiencethebeautyandhopeofourimmanentGod.TheywillconsideraShalomandNativeAmericanunderstandingofthelandandtherelationshipbetweenscienceandfaith.Theywillengagecurrentissuessuchasagriculture,conservation,landuseandconsumptionofnaturalresources.
TheologyandStewardshipofCreationI
ThiscourseseekstowrestlewithOldTestamenttheologiesofcreation,stewardshipandtheroleofhumanityinthecreatedorder.StudentswillengagethehistoryanddevelopmentoftheseideaswithintheChurchandconsiderhowthislegacyrelatestothecurrentstateoftheworld.Theywillwritetheirowneco-theologyandcreateaspiritualpracticethatreflectsit.
TheologyandStewardshipofCreationII
Thiscourseisasecond-semestercontinuationofTheologyandStewardshipofCreationI,whichisarequiredprerequisiteforthiscourse.
Gordon-ConwellTheologicalSeminary
SouthHamilton,Massachusetts,USA|http://www.gordonconwell.edu
ChristianEthics&SocialIssues
Seekstodevelopthestudent’stheological-ethicalreflections,socialanalysis,andtypesofactionforministeringtocrucialsocialissues.Ourthree-stepapproachwillbe:1)clarification,2)conceptualization,and3)confrontation.Issuesinclude:urbanization,economicjustice,andenvironmentalethics.
TheGraduateTheologicalUnion
Berkeley,California,USA|http://www.cdsp.edu/
Theology,Economy,andSustainability;Dr.MarionGrau
Inthiscourse,wewillexaminetheintersectionsbetweentheology,economy,andsustainability.Creationcanbeconceptualizedasadivineeconomywithcomplexinteractionswhere'oikos'referstorelationsbothineconomyandecology.Infact,wewillbeunabletolivemoresustainablyonthisplanetwithoutfindingwaystobringthe'households'ofeconomyandecologyintogreatercohesion.Wewillexplorebiblicalandhistoricalresources,theologicalandinterreligiousresourcesfortheconstructionandimplementationofsustainabletheologiesandpractices.
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HarvardDivinitySchool
Cambridge,MassachusettsUSA|http://hds.harvard.edu/
IntroductiontoReligionandEcology;Dr.DanielMcKanan
Thiscoursewillexploretheintersectionbetweenreligioustraditionsandecologicalactivism,withspecialattentiontocurrentconversationsabout"ethicaleating."Wewillconsiderboththeresourcesthatreligioustraditionsprovidetoecologicalactivistsandthewaystheseactivistshavechallengesaspectsoftraditionalreligion.Thecoursewillalsofunctionasageneralintroductiontothemultiplewaysofknowingthatcomprisethescholarlystudyofreligion,withattentiontoscripturalinterpretation,history,ethnography,theology,ethics,andcomparativestudies.
GreenBuddhism:Faith,Ecology,andActivism;Dr.LamaWillaMiller
ThiscourseexaminesthegrowingmovementwithintheBuddhistcommunitytoaddresstheissueofenvironmentaldegradationandclimatechangethroughtheavenuesofBuddhistethics,theologicaldiscourse,andcommunityactivism.Theclasswillreadpassagesfromancienttextualsources,beginningwiththePaliBuddhistCanonandcontinuingintoBuddhism'sdiasporathatframenatureassacred,andthatvaluetheearthasavehicleofreligiousreflectionandpractice.WewillalsolookatmoderndiscoursesfromBuddhist-inspiredauthorsandteachersthatcallforactivism,andthosethatconsiderashiftfromananthropocentricreligiontonature-centricreligion.Theclasswilladdresstopicssuchastherelationshipbetweenconsumerculture,religionandthestateoftheenvironmentinthe21stCentury.
Religion,EcologyandHumanRights;Rev.DianeMoore,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
HebrewCollege
NewtonCentre,Massachusetts,USA|http://www.hebrewcollege.edu/rabbinical
JewishLivingCore2:Mo’edTalmudC
ThiscoursewillfocusonselectedsectionsfromTractateTa’anitoftheBabylonianTalmud.WewillfocusonissuesoftheJewishcalendar,NatureandTheology,communalresponsibilityandmourning.Wewillstudyclassicrabbinictextsandlaterresponsestothistext—bothtraditionalandcontemporaryacademic.Thiscourseisappropriateforstudentswithadvancedrabbinictextskills.
HebrewUnionCollege,NewYork
NewYork,NewYork,USA|http://www.huc.edu
JewishRootsofSustainableLiving;Dr.MichaelPitkowsky
Sustainablelivingischaracterizedbyaconcernfortheenvironment,strivingtohaveassmallanimpactaspossibleonnature,andusingtheminimalnumberofnaturalresourcesnecessary.Asustainableapproachtolivingisbaseduponcertainbeliefsabouttheimportanceofpreservingtheenvironmentandminimizingthehumanimpactonit.Thisspring2015coursewithDr.MichaelPitkowskywillexaminetheJewishrootsthatsupportasustainablelivinglifestyle.Studentswilllookatthetheological
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andtextualsourcesofJewishsustainableliving,beginningwithBiblicalliteratureandcontinuingthroughtomodernJewishthinkers,exploringhowdifferenttypesofJewishliteraturecanprovideguidancefortheconstructionofasustainablelifestyle.
HolyApostlesCollege
Cromwell,CT,USA|http://www.holyapostles.edu/
TheologyandScience,Dr.TomSheahenandDr.CarlaMaeStreeter
ThisonlinecourseexaminestherelationbetweenthedisciplinesandworldviewsofmodernscienceandChristiantheologywiththeaimofprovidingascientificallyinformed,theologicalunderstandingandappreciationofnatureasGod’sworkofcreation.
LexingtonTheologicalSeminary
Lexington,KY,USA|https://www.lextheo.edu/
Church,SocietyandtheEthicsofGlobalWarming;ProfessorChristyNewton
Thenaturalenvironmentsthatsustainlifeoneartharebuiltentirelyuponandwithinsocialrelationships.Andforthisimportantreason,bothchurchandsocietyareimplicatedinthecausesandconsequencesofglobalwarming.Inthiscourse,wewillconsiderquestionsaboutthefragilityandresiliencyoftheplanet,consumptionandtheglobalmarketempire,environmentaljusticeandenvironmentalracism,andtheimportanceofexercisingmoralagency.Wewillexaminetheethicalresponsibilitieswehavetoournaturalenvironmentsaspeopleoffaithandmembersofglobalsociety.Throughreadings,videos,discussionforums,onlinepresentations,andawritingproject,wewilldeepenourunderstandingofclimatechangefromthecontextoffaithandseektoreconciletheethicaldisconnectbetweenhumanandenvironmentalwell-being.
Consumed:EthicalTransactionsinConsumerCulture;ProfessorChristyNewton
Whetherconsideringfairtrade,goinggreen,orshoppingforthebestdealsatWal-Mart,thiscoursechallengesstudentstoconsidertheethicalandspiritualramificationsoflivedconsumerbehaviors.Wewillconsiderhowconsumerculturereflectsandreifieswidersociety,includingthelocalchurch.Andwewillconsiderourethicalresponsibilitiesasspiritualleadersinthisworldwhereshoppingispracticallysacramentalandrestraintisoftencondemnedassinful.Throughreadings,discussionforums,onlinepresentations,andacasestudy,wewilldevelopandapplyunderstandingsofsocialethicstoimportantethicalissuespresentedtousinconsumerculture.
SallieMcFague’sEnvironmentalTheology;Dr.EmilyAskew
Descriptionnotfound.
EnvironmentalTheology;Dr.EmilyAskew
Inher1993constructivetheologicaloffering,TheBodyofGod,environmentaltheologianSallieMcFagueasksustoimaginehowwewouldtreattheearthdifferentlyifweunderstoodittobeGod’sbody.Now,inthefaceofpotentiallydevastatingglobalclimatechange,threatstosensitiveecosystemsandchallengestothepurityofairandwaterwewillleaveforourchildren,churchesareactingmore
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intentionallytocareforthisSacredBody.Inthiscourse,studentswillreadofferingsfromscientists,Christianethicists,environmentaltheologiansandChristianenvironmentalactiviststhatmakeevidentourresponsibilitiestotheearthinthenameofGod.Fromthese,studentswillnotonlyleavethecoursewiththeologicaltoolstoaddressenvironmentalissues,butwithplansforhelpingtheirchurchesandagenciesbegintocreatenecessarychanges.
FlourishingTogether:CreationandtheHumanCommunity;Dr.RichardLowery
ThiscoursetakesacloselookatbiblicalthemesofsocialjusticeandcareforcreationthroughtheethicallensoftheEarthCharter,aninternationaldeclarationofprinciplesforsustainabledevelopment.Launchedin2000,theEarthCharterinitiativebuildsontheUniversalDeclarationofHumanRightstoadvancethegoalsofecologicalprotection,eradicatingpoverty,buildingdemocracy,andpromotinghumanrights.Withtheseconcernsasourguide,wewillexploreimagesandthemesintheHebrewBiblethathighlightthemoralresponsibilityofthehumancommunitytocareforeachotherandfortheearth;thatillustratethetightconnectionbetweensocialjusticeandtheflourishingoftheland;andthatsketchinbold,broadstrokesthevisionofafutureworldofpeaceandsharedprosperity.Wewillaskhowtheseancientandmoderntextscanhelpthechurchreflecttheologicallyandactmorallyintheeraofglobalwarming.
ResourcesforMission:Stewardship;Prof.BruceBarkhauer
ThiscoursewillprovideabasicBiblical,theological,andpracticalintroductionintothespiritualdisciplineofstewardshipandprovidebestpracticeprinciplesforguidingthefinancialandfiduciaryresponsibilitiesofthepastoraschurchleader.
LutherSeminary
St.Paul,Minnesota,USA|http://www.luthersem.edu/
BibleandtheEnvironment;ProfessorKathrynSchifferdecker
Anexaminationofbiblicaltextsthatspeakofcreationandhumanity'splaceinit.Specialattentionispaidtothetopicofhumanvocationvis-a-viscreation,especiallyinlightofcontemporaryenvironmentalissues.
ReligiousEducationinRelationtoCreation
Astudyoftheeducationalissuesraisedbyemergingenvironmentalawareness,particularlyinrelationtoquestionsofstewardshipandjustice.Thiscoursefocusesontwoprimarycontexts,theruralandtheurban,consideringspecificexamplesofwaysinwhichChristianeducatorscansupportcongregationallearningandministrythatembracesecologicalliteracy.
Theology,Environment,andEthics;Rev.AlanPadgett
ThiscourseinvestigatesourcurrentecologicalcrisisinthelightofabiblicallyinformedChristianethic.ItisequallyastudyinaChristianethicalinterpretationofScriptureinthelightofourcurrentecologicalcrisis.AcasestudyapproachhelpstogroundashortintroductiontoecologyaswellasastudyofvariousmodelsforaChristianethicofcreationcare.Thefocusisonacriticaltheologicalreflectiononpraxisinapluralisticworldofmanyfaithsandnoneatall,butinwhichweshareacommon,growing
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crisis.
LutheranSchoolofTheology
Chicago,Illinois,USA|http://www.lstc.edu
BiblicalPerspectivesonNature;Rev.Dr.BarbaraRossing&Dr.TheodoreHiebert
Theultimategoalofthiscourseistoconsideranewwayofthinkingaboutreligion,awaywhichtakesthenaturalworldseriously.Morespecifically,thegoalistoconsiderthisnewwayofthinkinginrelationtotheBible,andtoexaminewhatrolenatureplaysinbiblicalthought.Attheendofthecourse,wehopeallofuswillknowbetterhowtotakecreationseriouslyinourbiblicalinterpretation,inourlinkingoftheBibleandministry,andinourpracticeofministryitself.
BiomedicalEthicsinaMulticulturalWorld;Dr.RichardPerry
Thiscoursecriticallyexaminescontemporarybioethicalissuesfromamulticulturalperspective.Usingcasestudiesattentionwillbegiventotheapplicationofvariousbioethicalprinciplestoavarietyofissuesinbiomedicalethicsincludingbutnotlimitedtojusticeinhealthcare,geneticcounselingandscreening,environmentalinfluenceonpublichealth,humanexperimentation,genetics,euthanasia,endoflifeandothercontemporaryhealthproblems.
DusttoDust:RitualandTheologyofHumanEarthBoundedness;Dr.BenjaminStewart
SomeChristianfunerarypracticesembodyunitywiththeearth("earthtoearth,ashestoashes,dusttodust"),whileotherssuggestatrajectoryawayfromearth("setyourmindsonthingsthatareabove,notonthingsthatareonearth,"towarda"heavenlyhome").ThiscoursestudiesritualpracticesatdeathascentrallyembodyingconvictionsabouthumanrelationshipwiththeearthandwithGod.Thecoursetracesanumberofthemestowardtheirintersectionatfuneralrituals:theologyofthecross,incarnationandembodiment,ecologicaltheology,andliturgicaltheology.Thecourseespeciallyfocusesontheemergingnaturalburialmovement:placingitinhistoricalcontext,analyzingittheologically,andequippingcoursememberstobeleadersinarticulatingandintroducingitspracticesforthechurchandthewidercommunity."
EcologyandtheBible;Rev.Dr.ChilkuriVasanthaRao
ThepresentglobalecologicalcrisisisoftenallegedtobetheoutcomeoftheJudeo-ChristianunderstandingoftheHolyScriptures.ThiscallsstudentsoftheBibletoundertakeaseriousexegeticalstudy,especiallyofthePentateuchwithitsrich"LawCodes,"aswellasageneralinvestigationoftheBibleasawhole,inordertobeabletounderstandGod'sconcernforeverylivingbeingandpreservationofthewholecreatedorder.
Thecourseentailsclosestudyofbiblicaltexts–butdoingsoinaconversationthatembracesperspectivesofChristiansfromNorthAmerica,SouthAsiawithparticularreferencetoIndiaandotherpartsoftheworld.Henceitaimstoadvancestudents'competencyinboththeareasof"ReligiousHeritage–Scripture"and"CulturalContext".
EpicofCreation:Scientific,Biblical,andTheologicalPerspectivesonOurOrigins;Dr.GayleWoloschak
TheEpicofCreationinvitesscientistsandscholarsofreligiontopresenttheirprofessionalperspectivesonthescientific,biblical,andtheologicalstoriesoftheoriginsoftheuniverse,life,andhumanbeings.
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TheFutureofCreation;Dr.GayleWoloschak&Rev.Dr.BarbaraRossing
Thisinterdisciplinarycoursewillprepareseminarystudentstoofferinformedandengagedleadershipinresponsetoenvironmentalchallengesforthefuture.Thecourseincludesastrongscientificcomponent,withguestlecturersfromthesciencefacultiesoftheChicago-areauniversitiesandresearchcenters.Italsointegratestheologicalresponsestoscience–particularlyclimatechangescience–presentedbytheologyandbiblicalprofessorsfromlocalseminaries,inordertohelppreparestudentsmakeconnectionsbetweentheknowledgeofscienceandfaithtraditions.
Classdiscussionswillpreparestudentstopreachandteachontheology,ethicsandministryrelatedtoenvironmentalissues,andtocounselparishioners.Communityorganizationswillorientstudentstothecollaborativenetworkthatwillfacilitatecongregationalactionforenvironmentalministry.
ReligiousResponsestoEnvironmentalInjustice;Dr.BenjaminStewart
Thiscourseexploreshowvariousreligiouscommunitiesarerespondingtoenvironmentalinjustice.Thecoursebeginsbystudyingspecificlocalreligiouscommunitiesengagedincreationcareandenvironmentaljustice.Thesefaithcommunitiesthenserveasreferencepointsfromwhichthecoursetakesuplargerquestionsofeco-theologyandethics,publicreligiousleadership,andinterfaithworkforjustice.
WildernessTravelSeminartoHoldenVillage:LiturgyandtheCyclesofCreation;Dr.BenjaminStewart
HeldinJanuaryinaremoteLutheranretreatcenterintheGlacierPeakWildernessofWashington,thiscoursestudieshowdailyprayerandtheliturgicalyearrelatetotheecologicalcyclesoftheearth.Drawingonthefieldsofliturgicalstudies,ecotheology,andeducation;practicingacycleofdailyprayer;andspendingconsiderabletimeoutdoors,coursemembersdevelopskillsforinterpretingliturgyinanecologicalandmissionalera.
LutheranSeminaryProgramintheSouthwest
Columbia,SouthCarolina,USA|http://ltss.lr.edu/
EarthTheology:EnvironmentalPerspectivesonCreation,Redemption,andSpirituality;Dr.FayeSchott
Thiscoursewillinvestigatetherecenthistoryoftheologicalattentiontotheearthanditsecologicalsystems,humanimpactontheenvironment,andbiblicalandspiritualresourcesforaddressingthepresentcrisisofglobaldevelopmentandsustainability.
VisceralTheology;Dr.EliseoPérez-Álvarez
Biblical-historicalapproachtoeatablesanddrinkablesandtheroletheyhaveplayedinthetheologicaltask.Themenuincludes:DeusedensortheGodwhoeatsandfeeds;Theologyofthecrossandbread;Covenantvs.foodterrorism;TasteconquestthroughtheEucharist;Hospitalityovergastro-anomyandgastro-mania;Vegetarianism-femininityheresy;transubstantiationortrangenicization;Theliturgical-agriculturalcalendar;Gastronomicalspirituality;Culinarypredestination;Spicyheavenography;Themostexquisiteutopia:anopentable.
LutheranTheologicalSeminaryatGettysburg
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Gettysburg,Pennsylvania,USA|http://www.ltsg.edu
Environment&ReligioninNorthernAppalachia(ImmersionSeminar);Rev.Dr.GilsonWaldkoenig
NorthernAppalachiaishometodeeply-rootedlocalculturesinabeautifullandscape.Conflictsdefinedbyenvironmentalandeconomicissuesarefierceforbothcommunitiesandchurches.Thisseminarwillgivestudentsaninsidelookandanopportunitytostrategizefordealingwithconflictinandaroundministry.Theenvironmentalhistoryofthelandscape’suseandabuse,theshapeofhumanculturesexpressedbypeopleofdifferenttraditions,andthehistoryoftightlyheldreligiouspatterns,willframediscussionswithreligious,environmentalandindustrialleadersfromtheregion.ThecoursemeetsatLutherlyninButler,PA,andmakesdaytripsintheregion.
Ecology&Stewardship;Rev.Dr.GilsonWaldkoenig
ParticipationinGod’screationoffersrenewalinChristianpractice.Congregationsandotherministriesarediscoveringcost-savingenergyreductionandnewwaystofostercommunitythroughsustainabilitymeasuresandecologicalrestoration.Thiscoursebeginswithpracticalresponsestoenvironmentalchallengesandextendstospiritualityandpublictheologyrelatedtoenvironment.
EnvironmentalEthics&Faith;Rev.Dr.GilsonWaldkoenig
Fromchemicalspillstoatmosphericcarbonoverload,environmentalproblemsarecommonconcernsinglobalsociety.Howshallpeopleoffaithrespondtothetheological,pastoralandsocialjusticechallengesposedbyenvironmentalproblems?ThiscoursewillreadandanalyzearecentmonumentalstatementofreligiousenvironmentalethicsbyLutheranethicistLarryRasmussen,Earth-HonoringFaith:ReligiousEthicsinaNewKey;studytheprecedent-settingworkofLutherantheologianJosephSittlerinecologicaltheologyandethics;andrelateclassicalReformationandChristiantheologicalthemestocurrentresourcesonecologyandreligion,sothatparticipantsmayhonetheirtheologicalstanceforpreaching,teachingandpastoralministryinanenvironmentallytroubledworld.
LutheranTheologicalSeminaryandtheZygonCenter
Chicago,Illinois,USA|http://www.zygoncenter.org
TheFutureofCreation:FoundationsforaJustandSustainableWorld;Rev.Dr.GayleWoloschak&Dr.DavidRhoads
Tolivefaithintoday’sworld,weneedtofacetoday’sproblems.Thiscoursewilladdressthechallengesthatenvironmentaldegradationposesforthenearfuture.Wefacenumerousecologicalcrises:climatechange,ozoneloss,overuseofnaturalresources,lossofspecies/ecosystems,proliferationofwaste,over-population,amongothers.Whatarethebasicscientificunderstandingsoftheseproblems?Howmuchofthisecologicalstateoftheworldisduetohumanactivity?Andhowcanthisscientificinformationserveasabasisforhumanstomakewisedecisionsaboutourfuture?
McCormickTheologicalSeminary
Chicago,Illinois,USA|http://www.mccormick.edu
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Food:FromTableGracetothePoliticsofFoodDistribution;DeborahJ.Kapp
Throughafocusonurbanreligiousorganizations,thiscoursewillhelpstudentstoidentifythemultiplechallengesministersface(andtheapproachestheymightemploy)astheyrespondtoJesus’command,“Yougivethemsomethingtoeat”(Mk.6:37).Jesussaidthistohisdiscipleswhentheybecameanxiousaboutthehungerofthe5000peoplewhohadgatheredtohearJesus.Thedisciplesarenotthefirstorlastfolkstobeconcernedabouthowtofeedlargegroupswhoarewithoutaccesstothefoodtheyneed.Generalshaveworriedabouthowtofeedarmies.Peopleofcompassionhaveagonizedabouthowtoprovidefoodforvictimsoffamineornaturaldisasters.Leadersinurbancommunitieshavestruggledwiththechallengesofprovidingadequatefoodforthepeoplewhohavecrowdedintocities.
GlobalizationandFood;Dr.DeborahKapp&Dr.TheodoreHiebert
Perhapsmorethanothercontemporaryissues,globalizationpresentschallengestoChristianlife,raisingquestionsabouteverythingfromwhatwebuytohowwemakefinancialinvestments,fromourtreatmentofcreationtoourpoliticalinvolvement.And,tobesure,itraisesquestionsaboutwhatweeat.“Youarewhatyoueat,”itissometimessaid.Ifthat’strue,thenwearecitizensofaglobalizedworldinwhichwereapwhatwedonotsow,eatfromoneanother’stables,andshapeeachother’slivesinwaysbothhiddenandapparent.Throughfieldtrips,classreadingsanddiscussions,anddirectengagementwithruralandurbanpartners,thiscourseusesfoodasacasestudytounderstandsomeofthekeydynamicsofglobalizationandtodevelopfaithfulChristianresponsestothiscomplexcontext.
JobandhisModernInterpreters;TheodoreHiebert
TheaimofthiscourseistounderstandthebookofJobanditslastingsignificance.Inordertoaccomplishthisaim,thecoursewillincludetwoparts:astudyofthebookofJobinthecontextofthebiblicalworld,andanexaminationofresponsestoJobbycontemporarywriters.
MeadvilleLombardTheologicalSchool
Chicago,Illinois,USA|http://www.meadville.edu/
TheBigBlueMarble:TheologyandGlobalization;Dr.MichaelHogue
First,asindicatedabove,globalizationincludesnotonlymaterialbutalsoculturaldimensions.Noteveryinterpreterofglobalizationacknowledgesthis,andevenforthosewhodo,theroleofreligionsincultureisoftendownplayed.Formanyscholars,andevenmoresoforthebroaderpublic,globalizationisusuallydescribedasaprincipallyeconomic-materialprocess.Thiscourseconstitutesanefforttounderstandglobalizationasmorethantheglobalinterconnectionandinterdependenceofmarketsandfinanceandtounderstandthematerialdimensionsofglobalizationaspartofamuchbroadersetofpatterns.
CosmosandEthos:ReligiousNaturalismandtheClimateCrisis;Dr.MichaelHogue
Thiscourseexploresreligiousnaturalism(RN)inrelationtotheclimatecrisisandclimatejustice.Wewillengagetheclimatecrisisasageophysicalandplanetaryreality,amoralphenomenon,areligiousconcern,asocialjusticetragedy,andaproblemofpoliticaleconomy.AprimarypurposeofthecourseisthustohelpstudentsdevelopanunderstandingofRNbyconsideringitnotonlyinphilosophical,theological,andscientificcontextsbutalsoasaresourceforcreativeresponsetocontemporarysocial,
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moralandpoliticalchallenges.
EcologyandTheology
Exploringtheinterconnectionsbetweenreligiousvalues,theologyandalifeofpractice,thiscoursefocusesoncongregationalandpersonalpracticesoffaith.Environmentalpracticeistheoccasionforlearningadisciplineandapproachofpracticeoffaithinacongregationalcontextandothercontexts.Topicsincludedevelopinganattitudeofpractice,concreteexamplesoffaithinpracticeatFaithinPlaceandothernon-profitsinChicago,andpracticalskillssuchasorganizinginthecongregation,andwritinggrantproposals.
EnvironmentalEthics:Bios,Anthropos,Theos;Dr.MichaelHogue
Forvariousreasons,thistimeinthehistoryoflifeisoneofunparalleledpromiseandperil.Ourincreasinghumancapacitytointervenewithinandtoalterthelargerworldoflifepresentsuswithgravepracticalchallenges.Whereinprevioushistoricaltimesthenaturalworldwasinterpretedasarelativelystablebackdroptohumanbehavior,contemporaryhumanefficacyisnowcapablenotonlyofradicallyalteringbutofpossiblydestroyingtheconditionsnecessarytosustainlife.
Further,newpossibilitiesingeneticscienceandtechnologymeanthathumanlifehascrossedamoralthresholdfrombeingnotonlyanagentbutalsoanobjectoftechnologicalchange.Life,humanandother-than-human,ismorevulnerablethaneverbefore.Amultitudeoftheologicalandethicalimplicationsattendtheseradicalshiftsinthescopeandpowerofhumanaction.Theprimaryaimofthiscourseistobringthegravityoftheseimplicationstovisibilityinorderbettertorespondtothem.
Globalization,Religion,Ethics;Dr.MichaelHogue
Thiscourseinterrogatestherelationsamongglobalization,religion,andethicsintwosteps,analyticandconstructive.Ourpurposesduringthesesessionsincludetheattempttounderstandwhether“globalization”issomething“newunderthesun,”perhapsalate-,hyper-,orpost-modernphenomenon.Understandingthiswillrequirethatsomeattentionbegiventothequestionofhow“globalization”andmodernityinterrelate.Soalsoitwillbeimportanttoconsidertheconstitutiveeconomicormaterialandculturaldynamicsof“globalization,”someofitsecologicalimpacts,andthewaysinwhichitgeneratesdifferentformsofsociallifeandmodesofthinking.Theunderlyinganalyticquestionthroughthispartofthecoursewillbethatofhowtheconceptsandformsof“religion”and“globalization”implicateand/or(re-)constituteoneanother.
MethodistTheologicalSchoolinOhio
Delaware,Ohio,USA|http://www.mtso.edu/
ConnectionsinEcologyandReligiousEducation;Dr.TimothyVanMeter
Acourseexploringharmoniesanddissonancebetweenmodelsofreligiousandecologicaleducation.Itisdesignedforindividualswhoareseekingwaystointegrateecologicalissuesasanaspectoftheeducationallifeofavibrantcommunity.
DialoguesinFaithandScience
Thepurposeofthiscourseistoengageinmeaningfuldiscoursebetweenscienceandtheologyforthepurposeofdevelopingathoughtful,relevantfaithconversantwithscientificdiscoveryandprogress.
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Contemporarydiscoveriesinneuroscience,cosmology,anthropology,evolutionarytheory,geneticsandecologicalsciencesallofferopportunitiesforengagingunderstandingoffaith.TwoorthreescientificareaswillbechosenfordialoguewiththeChristianfaithtraditions.
EcologicalReligiousEducation;Dr.RandyLitchfield&Dr.TimothyVanMeter
Thiscourseexploresharmoniesanddissonancebetweenmodelsofreligiousandecologicaleducation.Itisdesignedforindividualswhoareseekingwaystointegrateecologicalissuesasanaspectoftheeducationallifeofavibrantcommunity.
Food,LandandFaithFormation;Dr.RandyLitchfield&Dr.TimothyVanMeter
Throughurbangardening,communitysupportedagriculture,farmer’smarketsorintentionalagrariancommunities,youngpeopleareconstructingnewrelationshipswithfood,land,andcommunity.Indoingso,theyareexploringunderstandingsoffaithandspiritualitythroughideasandmetaphorsreflectingtheircommitmentstocommunityandagrarianvalues.
PracticalTheologyandEcology;Dr.RandyLitchfield&Dr.TimothyVanMeter,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
ResistingBiocide:EnvironmentalEthicsforDiscipleship;Dr.RandyLitchfield&Dr.TimothyVanMeter
TheenvironmentalcrisesfacinghumancommunitiesworldwidepresentahostofdifficultmoralquestionsfortheChristianlife.Theoverlappingproblemsofecologicaldegradation,resourcedepletion,climatedisruption,andmore–especiallyinrelationtothosealreadyvictimizedbypovertyandotherformsofoppression–requirecritical,systemicreflectionaswellastransformativechangeswithineachsphereofourpersonal,economic,ecclesial,andpubliclivestoday.Thiscoursewillsurveykeythinkersandthemeswithinthefieldofenvironmentalethics,examineproposalsforfaithfulChristianaction,andchallengestudentstoarticulateahopefulvisionfordiscipleshiptodaythataccountsnotonlyforthebreadthofsinandevilbutalsothedepthofGod’slovefortheworld.
Worship,EcologyandSocialJustice;Dr.RandyLitchfield&Dr.TimothyVanMeter,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
NorthParkTheologicalSeminary
Chicago,Illinois,USA|http://www.northpark.edu/seminary
ThoughtofWendellBerry;Dr.JayPhelan&Dr.BrentLaytham
AnexplorationofBerry’swisdomthroughrepresentativereadinginhisfiction,poetryandessays.ThecourseengageskeyBerrianthemesandexploresthecompatibilityandcontributionofBerry’svisiontocontemporaryChristianlifeandthought.
WildernessandFaith;Dr.JayBruckner,Dr.MichelleClifton-Soderstrom,&Dr.PhilAnderson
AnoffsiteexperientialcoursebasedonsubstantialreadingandreflectionthatexploresthethemeofwildernessinrelationtotheBible,Christianhistory,theology,andspirituality,aswellastheAmericancontextofstewardshipandalandethic.SetintheIronRangeintheupperpeninsulaofMichigan;includesawildernessexperienceontheFlambeauRiverandlocaltrails.
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OblateSchoolofTheology
SanAntonio,Texas,USA|http://www.ost.edu/
EarthInsights:ANature-BasedChristianSpiritualityBuildingontheWorkofTeilharddeChardin
ThiscoursedrawsfromChristianTraditionandcontemporarysciencetoexploretheChristianjourney.Inthiscoursestudentswillreflectontherelevanceofdynamicsthatoccuratalllevelsofcreation(Cosmic,Earth,andHuman)andapplythemtotheChristianspiritualpath.TheworkofBrianSwimme,StevenChase,andBrennanHillsformthebackboneofthecourse.
PayneTheologicalSeminary
Wilberforce,Ohio,USA|http://www.payne.edu/
Eco-JusticeandtheChristianFaith;Rev.Dr.JanetParker
Thiscourseexplorescontemporaryworkineco-justicetheology,eco-feminism,NativeAmericanandthirdworldscholarship,andthesustainabilitymovement.Questionsconcerningtheplaceandroleofhumanbeingswithincreation,understandingsofGodandChrist,economicglobalization,conflictingusesofpubliclands,environmentalracism,classismandsexism,andthestrugglefornurturingsustainableandjustcommunitiesareconsidered.Theemphasisisuponconstructivetheologicalandethicalreflectionupontheglobalproblematicofenvironmentaldegradationandinjustice.
PrincetonTheologicalSeminary
Princeton,NewJersey,USA|http://www.ptsem.edu
TowardaTheologyofCreationandEnvironmentalResponsibilityCreationandEcology;Rev.WilliamStacyJohnson
Thiscoursedevelopsatheologyofcreationinresponsetotheurgencyoftheecologicalcrisis.SeekingtoproperlyunderstandtherelationshipofGod,humanity,andtheworld,itconsiderssuchissuesas:stewardshipoftheearth;debatesoverclimatechangeandsustainability;theinterplayofenvironmentalandsocialjustice.ItseekstounderstandtheseissuesthroughthelensofmajorthemesinChristiantheology(e.g.thewatercrisisandbaptismallife;thefoodcrisisinthelightoftheLord’sSupper,etc.).Thegoalistocultivateasenseofenvironmentalresponsibilityandtoexplorehowtolivemorefullyintotheconvictionthat“theearthistheLORD’sandallthatisinit.”(Psalm24:1)
ReconstructionistRabbinicalCollege
Wyncote,Pennsylvania,USA|http://www.rrc.edu
FoodJustice;RabbiMordechaiLiebling&Rev.KatieDay
Thiscoursewillexaminetheproduction,consumptionanddistributionoffoodandfood’sconnectiontoourphysical,emotionalandspirituallives.ThecoursewillexploretraditionalJewishandChristianteachingsaboutfoodinrelationshiptoeco-kashrutandcurrentfoodjusticeandsustainabilityissues.
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RabbisasActivistLeadersforEnvironmentalSustainabilityandJustice;RabbiMordechaiLiebling
Thecoursecombinestext,experientialexercises,andactivistinvolvement.ItcoversfundamentalteachingsonJudaismandtheenvironment,adeepeningofourpersonalconnectiontotheearth,andthebasicsofnonviolentdirectaction.Auniqueandinfluentialcomponentisactivism.Inthesemester,allmatriculatedstudentsarerequiredtodevoteatleast8hourstoanenvironmentalcampaign.
RegentCollege
Vancouver,BC,Canada|http://www.regent-college.edu
Food:Communion,Community,andCreation
Eatingisoneofthemostprofoundwayswearerelatedtoeachother,tothecreatedworld,andtoGod.WithintheframeworkofChristiantheology,considersomeofthebiological,ecological,psychological,aesthetic,spiritual,agricultural,andeconomicaspectsofwhat,why,andhowweeat.ThiscoursetakesplaceonGalianoIsland,andisofferedinpartnershipwithARochaCanada.
LivinginCreation:TheoryandPractice
Thepurposeofthiscourseis1)toexploretheBiblical,theological,andphilosophicalfoundationsforouractionsinandtowardsthecreatedworld(that’sthe“theory”part)and2)toconsidersomeofthewaysonemightbuildmoredeliberatelyonthosefoundationsinavarietyofareas:science,art,technology,“earthkeeping”,etc.(that’sthe“practice”part).Foundationalbeliefsaboutthenatureofthecosmos(usuallyunexplored)areauniversalhumantrait.ThepressingcontemporaryneedforChristianstothinkaboutthemcomesfromthreethings:first,thedeepdividebetweentheistic(ontheonehand)anda-theisticorpantheisticfoundationsforculture(ontheother);second,theincreasingcrisisofhumanrelationshiptocreation;third,thegenerallyshallowtreatmentgiventhedoctrineofcreationinmuchChristianthoughtandpractice,andawidespreaddifficultyinreconcilingitwithmuchmoredeeply-consideredtheologiesofredemption.
SaintPaulSeminarySchoolofDivinityatSaintThomasUniversity
St.Paul,Minnesota,USA|http://www.stthomas.edu/spssod/
PrinciplesofStewardshipandSustainability
Thiscoursewillprovidetheoccasiontoconsiderthecomplexissueof“environmentalstewardship”fromtheperspectivesoftraditionalCatholicthesesconcerningthemeaningofcreationandthestatusofthehumanpersonwithinit.SpecialemphasisisgiventotheThomisticcategoriesofnaturalphilosophyandtheology.Theseminarcoursewillincludecommonreadingstobediscussedateachclassinlightoffundamentalthemesdevelopedthroughoutthewhole.
SaintPaulSchoolofTheology
Leawood,Kansas,USA|http://www.spst.edu/
TheologyofGrowingandEating;Dr.ShannonJung
TheTheologyofGrowingandEatingisanexperientialandexperimentalcoursewhichwilluse
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traditionalmaterialssuchaslecturesandsmallgroupdiscussions;electronicorvisualmedia;andactualmanuallaborandreflectionontheseexperiencestodiscoverwhat(all)itmeansthathumanbeingseatandgrow.Thereareelementsofecology,ofattemptingtocommunicatewithourneighborhood,andalsoofministrypracticeinthecourse.
SanFranciscoTheologicalSeminary
SanAnselmo,California,USA|http://www.sfts.edu
EnvironmentalEthics;Dr.CarolRobb
AnintroductiontothedisciplineofChristianethics,andtotheliteratureofenvironmentalethics.Wewillapproachthequestionofhowtoactresponsiblyandecologicallyusingpublicpolicy,philosophical,andtheologicalperspectives.Thefocusissuethissemesteristhis:FOOD.
EnvironmentalEthics:FocusonBiodiversity;Dr.CarolRobb&Dr.MarilynMatevia,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
SantaClaraUniversity
SantaClara,California,USA|http://www.scu.edu/jst/
EnvironmentalJusticeintheCatholicImagination:TheCentralValley;Dr.KeithDouglassWarnerOFM
Thisclassinvestigatesthereligious,ethical,andsocialmeaningsofenvironmentaljustice.
Faith,Ethics&theBiodiversityCrisis;Dr.KeithDouglassWarnerOFM
ThepresentcollapseofEarth’sbiodiversityisamajorissuefacinghumansociety.Membersofallreligionsarerespondingaspartofthe“GreeningofReligions,”alsoknownasreligiousenvironmentalism,basedonreligiousenvironmentalethics.Aquarter-longresearchprojectdrivesourintellectualworkinthisclass.ThisclassinvestigatestheHowhavethereligionsoftheworldreinterpretedtheirtradition(orhowcouldthey)soastoplayaleadershiproleinconservationofbiodiversity.Thisquestionemergesfromyourinstructor’scuriosity,research,andteachingovermanyyears.Thisresearchquestionisbrokendownintodiscretetasks,withmilepoststhroughoutthequarter.
TheMoralVisionofCésarChavez;Dr.KeithDouglassWarnerOFM
ThiscoursepresentsthevocationofCésarChaveztoinvestigatesthedramaticchangeshavetakenplaceinourmodernagro-foodsystemoverthepastcentury.ChavezwasprofoundlyinfluencedbyaCatholicvisionofsociety,andthisplayedakeyroleininspiringhimtoorganizeMexicanfarmworkerstofightfortheirdignity.Headdressedhumanrights,racism,labororganizing,farmworkers’conditions,environmentalprotection,foodsafety,andfoodaccess;throughhismoralvisionandagencyhechallengedpeoplearoundtheworldtodothesame.ThiscoursewillprovideanoverviewofCatholicperspectivesonagriculture,food,andtheenvironment,butalsolabororganizingandimmigration,toexaminehowChavezwentaboutachievingthisvisionusingaspiritualityofnonviolence.Classassignmentswillprobehisspiritualandmoralvision,andexplorehowitis–orcouldbe–carriedforwardtoday.
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Spirituality&Sustainability,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
VocationalChallenge&theGreeningofReligions;Dr.KeithDouglassWarnerOFM
Wewillintensivelyexaminetheissueofglobalclimatedisruptionsincethisisthemostominousthreattosustainabilityefforts.Thecoursewillintroducetheconceptofclimatejustice,andstudentwillmakeaniMovieaboutaspiritualityapproachtothistopic.Thiscoursewilltacklethe“why”questions,suchas:whyshouldweconsiderfuturegenerationsinouractions?Whyshouldwere-thinkandre-designourenergyeconomy?
SeattleUniversitySchoolofTheologyandMinistry
Seattle,Washington,USA|http://www.seattleu.edu/stm/
EcologicalSpirituality;Dr.AlexandraKovats
Humankindinourdayfacesamoralchallengeneverbeforeencounteredbyourspecies.ItistoforgewaysoflivingthatEarthcansustainwhilealsobuildingsocialjusticebetweenandamongsocieties.ThomasBerryreferstobuildingsustainableEarth-humanrelationsastheGreatWorkofourera.Whensomethingnewisrequiredofhumankindsomethingnewisrequiredofreligion.Itistodiscoverhowreligioustraditionscancontributetothisgreatworkandthenbringthespiritualandmoralwisdomandotherresourcesofreligioustraditionstothispan-humangreatworkofourday.StudentsandprofessorinthiscoursewillexplorecollaborativelytheseresourceswithinChristiantraditions.Saiddifferently,wewillexplorepathwaysforshapingEarth-honoringfaithsandwaysoflivinginthecontextofthesocio-ecologicalcrisisfacinghumankindtoday.Participantswillprobetheconnectionsbetweenmoralanthropology,theologicalcosmology,faith,science,andcentraltheologicalconcepts.ThemethodologicallenswillbeChristianethics,andtheprimaryreligiouslenswillbeChristianities(plural).Thecoursewillapproachreligioustraditionswithahermeneuticofcritique,retrieval,andreconstruction.
SoutheasternBaptistTheologicalSeminary
WakeForest,NorthCarolina,USA|http://www.sbts.edu
ChristianEthicsandtheEnvironment
AstudyofbiblicalandtheologicalperspectivesiconoclasticcontroversyoftheProtestantReformation,importantProtestantvisualartistsandtheirwork,visualartandProtestantworship,andthehistoryofProtestantism,andtheriseofmodernvisualculture.
TorontoSchoolofTheology
EastToronto,Ontario,Canada|http://www.tst.edu/
SpiritualityandEcology:IntegrationandImplications;DennisPatrickO'Hara
ThecourseprovidesanexplorationofhowChristianityhasunderstoodtherelationshipamongGod,creation,humanityandspirituality,andhowthatunderstandinghascontributedtotheecologicalchallengeswecurrentlyfaceaswellascancontributetoahelpfulresponse.Thecoursebeginswithan
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overviewofourunderstandingofspiritualityandcreationduringthepatristic,medievalandreformationperiods,thenshiftstocontemporaryunderstandingsdrawingfromcurrentdiscussionsofChristology,creation-centredspirituality,eco-feminism,deepecology,andthehealingofnatureandthehealingofself.Methods:Lectures,discussions.Evaluation:reflectionpaper,integrationpaper,classparticipation,practicalintegration.
EcologyandtheWorldReligions;DarrenDias
Asresponsiblecitizensoftheworld,ecclesialministers,religiouseducatorsandtheologiansneedtounderstandreligiousviewpointssincereligiousfaithisasourceofmostworldviews,whichbothshapeandareshapedbyculture.ThiscourseisdesignedtoexplorethedialoguebetweenChristianityandotherworldreligions.Giventheurgencyanduniversalityofthreatstoenvironmentalwell-being,thiscoursewillexploredialoguethroughtherelationofreligionandecology.Emphasiswillbeplacedonhowtheadherentsofreligioustraditionsunderstandthemselvesandaddressissuesrelatedtoecologyandenvironmentalresponsibilityinourcontemporaryworld.
AnIntroductiontoEco-Theology;DennisPatrickO'Hara
UsingthewritingsofThomasBerry;theologianswhoworkwiththenewcosmology,thecourseprovidesanintroductiontoeco-theologyaswellasthewayseco-theologiansarearticulatingnewunderstandingsoftheologicalanthropology,revelation,Christology,pneumatology,sinandsalvation,andeschatology.Adultlearningmethods.Evaluation:participation,practicalintegration,reflectionpaperandintegrationpaper.
ApproachestoEcologicalEthics;DennisPatrickO'Hara
Thecoursewillconsiderissuesanddocumentsthatwillhelpthestudenttodevelopanunderstandingoftheecologicalcrisisaswellasethicalandtheologicalresponsestoit.Topicswillinclude:thenewcosmology;ecofeminism;thelimitationsofahuman-centredethics;issuesofeconomic,social,andgenderjustice;andenvironmental-humanhealthissues.
Eco-TheologyFaithandPractice;MaryGreggLindaRowell
Throughlecture,discussion,prayerandeco-praxis,courseparticipantswilldevelopasolidacademicfoundationineco-theology,skillstoanalyzecontemporarysocialandethicalissuesinecology,andanintegrationoftheology,spiritualityandpracticalapplicationsincludingorganicgardeningtosupporttheformationofChristianidentityandmissionintheworldtoday.
CreationCareintheCity;StehphenB.Scharper
Ecologicalconcernshavebeguntopermeateourcollectiveconsciousness.Rapidspeciesextinction,poisonedair,forestclear-cutting,ozonedepletion,globalclimatechange,"climatejustice"andtheimpactofclimate"chaos"onvulnerablecommunities,allweighheavilyonourpersonal,intellectual,andspirituallives.Christiancommunitiesareincreasinglyrealizingthattheirfaithandoutreachmustsomehowspeaktoourpresentecologicalcrisisiftheyaretoremainvital,andiftheyaretoremainresponsible,faithful,andrelevantamidsttheseprofoundthreatstotheflourishingofcreation.Thiscourseexamineshowreligiousandspiritualconcernsinterfacewithcontemporaryenvironmentalissues.Whileintroducingstudentstoconcernsanddebatesinenvironmentalethicsandecologicaltheology,thecoursepaysparticularattentiontothechallengesposedwithinaCanadianpost-industrialcontextsuchasHamilton,Ontario.Inrecentyears,agrowingsocialandecologicalawareness
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hasbeenemerginginHamilton,withARocharecentlyopeningaministrythere,urbanagriculturegroups(e.g.VictoryGardens)sproutingup,andchurchinvolvementintheTrueCitymovement.Thiscourseproposestointerfacewithsuchgroups,includingguestpresentationsfromtheseorganizationsaswellassitevisits.Throughsuchinteraction,aswellasreadings,films,classdiscussions,andcourseassignments,avarietyofChristianresponsestoourpresentecologicalandsocialchallengeswillbeprobed,includingbiblicalandtheologicalnotionsofstewardshipandcreationcare.AswellChristianapproachestoenvironmentalracism,urbanandcommunitysupportedagriculture,andthenexusbetweentheoptionforthepoorandtheoptionfortheearthwillbeaddressed.
Ethics,Animals,andChristianTheology;JohnBerkman
Inthelastfortyyearsethicalissuesaroundthecareandtreatmentofnon-humananimalshassteadilygrownasaconcernintheology.Whileformuchofthistimeitwasconsideredatbesta"marginal"issue,itisnowoneofthemajorconcernsinenvironmentalethics.Thiscoursewillexaminethemajorfiguresinthedevelopmentof"animaltheology"inProtestantandCatholictheology.ItwillalsolookbacktoChristianScriptureandclassicalfiguresintheChristiantradition,andraisequestionsastowhether,andifsotowhatextent,thedevelopmentof"animaltheology"iseitheradeparturefromChristiantraditionand/oradevelopmentwithinit.Issuesinthecoursewillincludeissuessuchasintensiveagriculture(factoryfarming),thegeneticmodificationofanimals,zoos,pet,vegetarianismandveganism,andavarietyofotherissuesthatarisefromhumaninteractionwithorconcernforthewell-beingofnon-humananimals.
ChristianityandtheEcologicalCrisis;TBA
”Theattitudestosavetheenvironmentshouldbeimbuedwithavisionofthesacred.”—DavidSuzukiattheGlobalForumoftheUnitedNationsConferenceontheEnvironmentandDevelopment,RiodeJaneiro,5June,1992
CriticsoftenblameChristianculture,andsometimesrightly,foreitherignoringorcontributingtotheglobalecologicalcrisis.ThiscoursewillexaminesomeChristianresponsestotheecologicalcrisisthatcontestthischaracterization.TheseincludeclaimsthattheresponsibilityfortheglobalecologicalcrisisiscomplexandmultifacetedaswellasargumentsthatChristianitycanresistandundotheattitudesthathelpedcreatethecrisis.Weshallexploreagrarianessays,ecologicaltheology,andinternationalinitiativesonecologicalactivities.Wemayalsovisitafarmwhoseinhabitantsintegratetheirfaithandtheirlifestyle.Inthisdiscussion-intensiveseminar,participantswillconsiderwhatroleChristianfaithcanandshouldplayinastrongenvironmentalethic.
TruettTheologicalSeminary–Baylor
Waco,Texas,USA|https://www.baylor.edu/truett/
WendellBerry:Creation,Stewardship,andSpiritualLife;Dr.RRobertCreech
InthiscourseaspecialtopicrelatedtoChristianspiritualitywillbeexploredinafocusedandintensiveway.Thetopicsvaryfromsemestertosemesterandstudentsmaytakethiscoursemorethanonceastopicschange.E.g.,onesemester'sseminarinvolvedacareful,charitable,andcriticalreadingofselectionsofWendellBerry'sessays,poetry,andfiction,seekingtounderstandtheperspectiveofhisnewagrarianthoughtanditsimplicationsforcreationcare,community,spirituallife,andministry.
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UnionSeminaryandPresbyterianSchoolofChristianEducation(RichmondCampus)
Richmond,Virginia,USA|http://www.upsem.edu/
EcologyandHope;Dr.HenrySimmons,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
UnionTheologicalSeminaryoftheCityofNewYork
NewYorkCity,NewYork,USA|https://utsnyc.edu/
IndigenousVoicesonColonization,EcologyandSpirituality;SU125;KarennaGoreAswestriveforinterfaithunderstanding,especiallyinthecontextoftheglobalclimatecrisis,itisespeciallyimportanttorecognizetheindigenousreligioustraditionsoftherightfulinhabitantsofNorthAmerica.Thesetraditionshaveagreatdealtoteachusabouttherelationshipbetweensocialinjustice,includingsettler-colonialismandlandtheft,andenvironmentaldegradation;theyalsoinvolvesignificantcritiquesofChristianreligiousecology.ThiscoursewillincludereadingsfromavarietyofdiverseNativeAmericanandFirstNationscultures,aswellasstudentinterrogationsoftheirowntraditions.ThecoursewillbesupervisedandcuratedbyTiokasinGhosthorseofFirstVoicesIndigenousRadioandotherNativeAmericanfriendsoftheCenterforEarthEthics.
Eco-FeminismandEarthSpiritualityaroundtheWorld;Dr.ChungHyunKyungandTheCenterforEarthEthics
Thiscourseexaminestheorigins,development,content,andcriticalissuesofvariousformsofeco-feminismandearthspiritualitiesaroundtheworld.Engagementwithimportantoral,written,andvisualtexts.Visitationanddiscussionwithlocalandinternationalactivistswillbearranged.Wewillalsorediscoverandpracticetheritualsofearthspirituality.
IdolMeatandVegetables:TowardsaNewTestamentTheologyofFood;Dr.BrigitteKahl;SU190:TopicsinMinistryandNT322Ourrelationshiptofoodasbasicmeansofsustenancetodayisdeeplytroubledonmultiplepersonalandsocietal,biologicalandspirituallevels.Conflictsabout'clean'foodandsustainableeatingrangeprominentlyinbothTestaments—canwereadthemwithfresheyesinlightofourowneatingdisorders?Canwere-learnfromMoses,Jesus,Paulhowtocookandeatwitha'tasteofheaven'?ConductedincollaborationwiththeUnionFoodLab,EdibleChurchyardandEco-Caucus,thecoursecontainsapracticalcomponentofcookingandeatingtogether.BeyondGDP:Ethics,SpiritualityandtheNewUNDevelopment;KarennaGoreThiscourseexploreswhatdevelopmentistrulyfor,reviewingthetrajectoryofdevelopmentpolicyintheUnitedNationscontext,examiningtheimplicationsandconsequencesoftheconventionaluseofGDP,and51thinkingtogetheraboutthewaysthatethicalandspiritualtraditionscanhelpcreateabetterglobalsystem.InSeptember,apost-2015UNdevelopmentagendawillbeadopted,focusedonsustainabledevelopmentgoals.Ethicalandspiritualperspectivesprovideguidanceforthenew
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measuresneededtosupportavisionofsocietyinwhicheveryhumanbeingcanflourishandbearesponsiblestewardofthenaturalworld.
VancouverSchoolofTheology
Vancouver,BritishColumbia,Canada|http://www.vst.edu
ClimateChangeandChristianFaith;Dr.SallieMcFague
Scientistsnowsay“unequivocally”thatglobalwarmingishereandtheyhave“veryhighconfidence”thathumanactivityisforcinguptheearth’saveragetemperature(IntergovernmentalPanelonClimateChange,2007).Climatechangeisthequintessentialissueofourtime,sinceitaffectsallaspectsofplanetarylife.Thetwinissuesofthedeteriorationofourenvironmentandtheimpoverishmentofitscreatures—theissuesofsustainabilityanddistributivejustice—joininclimatechange.Itisaneconomic,social,biological,medical,legal,educational,moral—andtheological—issue.ItsetsthecontextwithinwhichChristiantheologyneedstobedeconstructedandreconstructedforourtime.Morespecifically,theissueofclimatechangeshouldserveasamajorfocusforreconsideringthedoctrinesofChristianfaith:revelationandcreation,humannature,God,JesusChrist,sinandsalvation,theHolySpirit,discipleship,sacramentsandchurch,andhope.
WakeForestUniversitySchoolofDivinity
WinstonSalem,NorthCarolina,USA|http://divinity.wfu.edu
ContemporaryChristianSocialEthics;ProfessorKevinJung
Thiscourseexplorescontemporaryethicalissuesthathavewidesocial,political,andreligioussignificance.Theissuesincludehealthcare,environment,immigration,sexandmarriage,abortion,euthanasia,andcriminaljustice.Inordertoproperlyunderstandtheissues,wewillexamineargumentsofvariouskinds–philosophical,sociological,political,economic,andtheological,astheyareoftenheardinpublicdiscussion.Inparticular,wewillpaycloseattentiontothewaysinwhichtheologicaldiscoursemaymakecontributiontoourmoralreflection.
Faith,FoodJustice,andLocalCommunities;ProfessorRev.MarkJensen
Questionsoffoodaccesshavebecomeprevalentinmanydimensionsofpublicandcommunallife.Researchershavediscoveredwaysto“track”foodaccessincommunitiesandneighborhoods.Congregationsandnot-for-profitsaredevelopingvariedprogrammaticresponsestoissuesoffoodaccessintheircommunities.Thiscourseexploresissuesoffoodaccess,foodjustice,andfaithusinginsightsandtoolsbothfromresearchsciencesandtheology.Onecoursegoalistoincreasestudentawarenessofthequestionsbeingposedbyresearchscientists,theologicaleducators,andfaithcommunities.Asecondcoursegoalistoequipstudentswithpracticalandreflectivetoolsforeffectivelyleadingfaithcommunitiestothinktheologicallyaboutandrespondeffectivelytothispressingpublicissue.
Field,Table,Communion:FoodandtheWorkofMinistry;Dr.FredBahnson
Anexplorationoffoodthroughscripturalandtheologicallenses.Studentswilllearntorecognizethedifferencebetweenhealthyanddestructivefarmingpractices.Studentsexaminetheriseoffaith-based
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foodprojectsinAmericaandaroundtheworld.Thecourselooksatwhyhungerandobesityareflipsidesofthesamecoinandconsidershowthechurchshouldrespondtothem.
ALanguagethatcanMakeusWhole:ReadingandWritingEnvironmentalLiterature;Dr.FredBahnson
Howcanstorieshelpusregainasenseoftheworldasholy,mysterious,andworthyofourcare?Howcanlanguage,especiallyasit’susedbypeopleoffaithandpeoplecalledenvironmentalists,beusedtohealandmendwhatisdailybeingtornasunder?Coulditbethatwhatweneednowinthistimeofclimatechangeandfoodinsecurityisnotmoreinformation,butbetterstories?JoinusaswritersJanisseRayandFredBahnsontalkabouttheirwork,whichcombinesarootedspiritualitywithacommitmenttosocialchange,andhowstoriescaninspirepeopletocarefortheirwatersheds,foodsheds,andthepeoplewhoinhabitthem.
ThrivingNourishment:ChristianSpiritualPracticesandFood;Dr.NancyS.Wiens
Whateverwepracticeshapesourlivesfromtheminutestlevelswithinahumanbeingtothegreatestmacrolevelsofcultureandnature.Christianspiritualitystudiesdaily,livedexperiencethroughthelensofGod’sincarnateself-revelation.ThiscourseexplorespersonalandcorporateChristianspiritualpractices,asdailywaystocontributetothrivingsocialandecologicalsystems,specificallythehuman-naturerelationshipcalledfood.ItdelvesintotheinsightsofChristianspiritualityindialoguewiththreenaturalsciencesforthepurposeofinvitingstudentstoknowthemselvesasNature,ascreatedco-creators,andasGod’sBeloved;andtodevelopconsciouslifepracticesthatnourishtheirrelationshipwiththedivine,themselves,andtheirneighbors,bothhumanandnatural,andthatcreatemoreredemptivefoodsystemswhereGod’sshalombecomesvisibleforahungryworld.
DailyBread:Food,Faith,Mercy,andJustice;ProfessorRev.MarkJensen
ThiscourseservesasanintroductionandfoundationforWFUSD’sconcentrationinFood,Faith,andReligiousLeadership.Itutilizesaninterdisciplinaryapproachtoexplore(primarilyChristian)theologicalperspectivesonfoodandhowindividualsandcongregationsengageissuesinlocalandglobalcommunitiesrelatedtofood.Facultyandotherguestswillofferperspectivesandresourcesfromavarietyoftheologicaldisciplines,andcommunitymembersinvolvedintheintersectionsoffoodandfaithwillembodymodelsofactionandengagement.
Food,Faith,andHealth:NavigatingtheIntersectionsinCommunity;ProfessorRev.MarkJensen
ThiscourseisrequiredforstudentspursuingeitherconcentrationinWell-BeingandReligiousLeadership(FoodandFaithorFaithandHealth).Itseekstodevelopleadershipskillsapplicabletoeithercongregationalornot-for-profitministries.Itutilizesinterdisciplinaryconceptuallensesandmethodstointroduceparticipantstofoodsystemsandhealthsystemsasoverlapping"loci"forunderstandingbrokennessandcultivatingshalomincommunity.Studentswillinteractwithcommunityleaders,localdata,andfaith-basedinitiativesworkingattheseintersections.
WartburgTheologicalSeminary
Dubuque,Iowa,USA|http://www.wartburgseminary.edu
Ethics,Environment,andDevelopment;Rev.Dr.DuaneLarson
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Thiscoursewilldirectsystematictheologicalandpracticalreflectiontowardenvironmentalissuesandsustainabletechnologiesfordevelopment.Further,thecoursewillexploreandsuggestsolutionsforethicalproblemsrelatedtoeconomicglobalization,southernhemispheredevelopmentandthehealthoftheenvironmentfromglobalandlocalperspectives.Readings,presentations,andbriefpaperswillfirstacquaintuswiththetheological,ethical,economic,anddevelopmentalissuesregardingthepreservationof“thecreation.”
WesleyTheologicalSeminary
Washington,DC,USA|http://www.wesleyseminary.edu
TheChurchandtheEcologicalCrisis;Dr.GregHitzhusen&Dr.BethNorcross
Churchleadersaroundtheworldarecallinguponthefaithfultoaddressthemoraldimensionsofecologicaldegradation,andagrowingcommunityoftheologiansclaimsthatthedestructionoftheearthisthe“centralmoralimperativeofourtimes.”Accordingly,thiscourseseekstoexploretheroleofthechurchinaddressingecologicalconcerns,andtoequippastorsandotherChristianleaderswiththetheological,spiritual,andpracticaltoolstheywillneedtoleadtheircongregationsinfaithfullyrespondingtothismoralimperative.
GreeningCongregations;Dr.BethNorcross
Inatimeofincreasinguncertaintyregardingthehealthofourplanet,pastorsandchurchleadersneedthetheologicalandpracticalskillstoleadtheircongregationsinrespondingtotheecologicalchallenge.Thiscourseoffersanoverviewofthetheologicalandspiritualbackgroundregardingourpersonalandcorporateresponsibilitytobestewardsofcreation,thenemphasizestheverypracticalwaysthatourstewardshipcommitmentcanbecarriedoutinthelocalchurchsetting.
Liturgics:EcologyandWorship;Dr.JosephBush
Thiscoursebringsanecologicalhermeneutictobearontextsandpracticesusedinworship.Theseareexaminedforwaysinwhichnatureispicturedaspresentorabsent,participatingorpassive.ParticularattentionisgiventotheseasonssurroundingChristmasandEasterandimplicationsofecologicallyinformedworshipforChristology.
SpiritualityinNature;Dr.BethNorcross
Throughthestudyofspiritualpracticeandecology,studentswillgrowintheirunderstandingofhowChristianscanrelatemoreintimatelyandharmoniouslywiththecreationandwiththeCreator.On-the-groundstudyandexperienceofourlocalChesapeakeBaywatershedwillprovideopportunitiestogettoknow,delightin,andhavecompassionfor,allofourneighbors,fromtheblackbearswholiveintheheadwaters,totheoysterfarmerswhocalltheestuaryhome.Opportunitiesforspiritualawakeningandhealingforhumansaswellasthelocalnaturalsystemswillbeexplored.
YaleDivinitySchool
NewHaven,Connecticut,USA|http://divinity.yale.edu
IntroductiontoReligionandEcology;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim
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Thissix-weekhybridcourseintroducesthenewlyemergingfieldofreligionandecologyandtracesitsdevelopmentoverthepastseveraldecades.Itexploreshumanrelationstothenaturalworldasdifferentiatedinreligiousandculturaltraditions.Inparticular,itinvestigatesthesymbolicandlivedexpressionsoftheseinterconnectionsindiversereligioustexts,ethics,andpractices.Inaddition,thecoursedrawsonthescientificfieldofecologyforanunderstandingofthedynamicprocessesofEarth’secosystems.Thecourseexploresparalleldevelopmentsinhuman-Earthrelationsdefinedasreligiousecologies.Similarly,itidentifiesnarrativesthatorienthumanstothecosmos,namely,religiouscosmologies.
WesternReligionsandEcology;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim
Thissix-weekhybridcourseexploresviewsofnatureintheAbrahamicreligionsofJudaism,Christianity,andIslam.Studentsexaminehistoricalexamplesofhuman-Earthinteractionsexpressedinscriptures,traditions,andritualpractices.Inparticular,theyexplorethemeaningof“dominion”inJudaism,“stewardship”inChristianity,and“trusteeship”inIslam.Havingretrievedtheseexamples,theyevaluatetheminlightofpresentenvironmentalinsightsandchallenges.Studentsalsoexplorecontemporaryexamplesofhowthesereligionsareengagedinenvironmentalprojectswithintheirdifferentcommunities.InthesewaysstudentscometoreflectuponvaluesinherentinthesereligionsthathavehelpedtoshapeandinformculturalinteractionswithnatureintheWest.
ChristianityandEcology;MatthewRiley
ThiscourseexploresthewaysinwhichChristianityisrespondingtoenvironmentaldegradationfromaninterdisciplinaryperspective.Inthiscourse,wewilldrawuponinsightsfromtheology,ethics,thehistoryofreligion,thesociologyofreligion,andphilosophy.WhilewewillexaminetherolethatreligiousideasandvaluesplayinshapingChristianattitudesandactionstowardstheenvironment,wewillalsoconsiderthelived-experiencesofChristiansfacingenvironmentalproblems.StudentswillbeintroducedtothemajortheologiesandstrategiesforactionthatChristiansarecreatingwhilesimultaneouslyassessingtheeffectivenessofsuchstrategiesandexaminingthegrowthofpragmatic,on-the-groundresponses.ThisisintendedtobeanintroductiontoabroadspectrumofissuesresidingattheintersectionofChristianityandecology.
ChristianityandEnvironmentalEthics;MatthewRiley
ThepurposeofthiscourseistoprovideanintroductiontocorequestionsandmoralframeworksinenvironmentalethicsastheyrelatetoChristianity.Thiscoursewillexplorehowscholars,activists,andreligiousleadershavecreatedandrefinedChristianresponsestoenvironmentalproblems.Inordertodevelopadeeperunderstandingofnotonlythepromiseofenvironmentalethics,butalsoitsefficacyandtheoreticalunderpinnings,thiscourseinvitesstudentstocriticallyassesstheeffectivenessofthesestrategiesandtobeanalyticalintheexaminationofproposedsolutions.Moreover,studentsinthiscoursewillexplorehowvariousethicsandworldviewsarosehistoricallyinconversationwithenvironmentalphilosophyandinresponsetocontemporaryecologicalandtheologicalconcerns.Specialattentionwillbegiventounderstanding,criticallyassessing,andapplyingthefundamentalmethodologythatundergirdsenvironmentalethicsasreadthroughthelensofChristiantheologyandreligiousmoralreasoning.
EastAsianReligionsandEcology;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim
Thissix-weekhybridcourseexploresviewsofnatureintheEastAsianreligionsofConfucianism,
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Daoism,andBuddhism.Studentsexaminehistoricalexamplesofhuman-Earthinteractionsexpressedinscriptures,traditions,andritualpractices.Inparticular,theyexplorethemeaningof“harmony”inConfucianism,“theWay”inDaoism,and“interdependence”inBuddhism.Havingretrievedtheseexamples,theyevaluatetheminlightofpresentenvironmentalinsightsandchallenges.Studentsalsoexplorecontemporaryexamplesofhowthesereligionsareengagedinenvironmentalprojectswithintheirdifferentcommunities.InthesewaysstudentscometoreflectuponvaluesinherentinthesereligionsthathavehelpedtoshapeandinformculturalinteractionswithnatureinEastAsia.
SouthAsianReligionsandEcology;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim,Nocoursedescriptionfound.
IndigenousReligionsandEcology;JohnGrimandMaryEvelynTucker
Thiscourseexploreshowparticularindigenouspeoplesrelatetolocalbioregionsandbiodiversity.Openingwithanexaminationofsuchtermsasindigenous,religion,andecology,thecourseinvestigatesreligiousstudiesandethnographyrelatedtosmall-scalesocietiesandthemanywaysinwhichtheyrelatetolocalbioregionsandbiodiversity.Thecourseexaminesindigenousethnicdiversityandculturalrelationshipstoplace,andthewaysvaluesassociatedwithphysicalplacesarearticulatedinsymbols,myths,rituals,andotherembodiedpractices.Theemphasisonplaceandreligiousecologyinthiscourseillustrateswhatindigenouspeoplescouldbringtostudiesinenvironmentalculture.Finally,thiscoursenecessarilyinvolvesquestionsofenvironmentaljustice,namely,theimpositionofenvironmentallydamagingprojectsonapeoplewhosevoiceindecisionmakingisdiminishedoreliminated.
AmericanIndianReligionsandEcology;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim
ThiscoursefocusesontheNorthAmericancontinentfromthestandpointofreligionandecology.Acultural-historicalmethodisalsousedinconjunctionwithcomparative-thematicandworldviewapproaches.Theseapproachesemphasizeembodiedknowledgeasawayofunderstandingnativecontinuitiesinrelationshipwithbioregionsovertime.ComparisonsarealsodrawnbetweenNativeAmericantraditions,andtheconceptof“lifeway”isdevelopedascentraltothecourse.Inhighlightingindigenouswaysofknowing,thecoursefocusesonconceptualmetaphorsofsharing,holism,reciprocity,andpersonhood.Thesemodesofindigenousmetaphoricthoughtareexaminedintermsofdiverseritualsandoralstatementsdescribingthenaturalworld.
Law,Environment,andReligion:ACommunionofSubjects;JohnGrim,DouglasA.Kysar,andMaryEvelynTucker
Tounderstandandappreciatetheenvironmentrequiresexpertisefrommultipleintellectualtraditions,includinghistory,religion,philosophy,anthropology,aesthetics,economics,politicalscience,andlegalstudies.Thiscoursefocusesonthescholarshipandpracticeofleadingfiguresworkingattheintersectionoflaw,environment,andreligion,whowillbebroughttocampustoparticipateinadiscussionseriesthatformsthecoreofthecourse.Inpreparationforthesevisits,teamsofstudentsareassignedtostudydeeplythewritingandactionsofadesignatedspeaker.Classsessionsduringthispreparatoryphaseresembleatraditionalgraduateseminar,withreadingsanddiscussiondesignedtostimulateengagementwiththemostchallengingandvitalquestionsfacingthe“communion”oflaw,environment,andreligion.Thecentralactivityisanin-depthinterviewledbymembersofthestudentteam.OtherstudentsconductapodcastinterviewwiththespeakeratYale’saudiorecordingstudio;thesepodcastinterviews,whichareintendedtoengagethespeakerinamorepersonalconversation
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abouthisorherlifehistory,values,andworldviews,willbepostedonYale’siTunesUniversitysite.Oneoftheconceitsoftheacademyisoftenthatsuchsubjectiveelementshavelittlebearingonone’sintellectualwork.Asaresult,toolittleattentionispaidwithintheuniversitytotheroleoffamily,community,religion,andothercriticalbiographicalfactorsinshapingone’sideas.
AmericanEnvironmentalHistoryandValues;JohnGrimandMaryEvelynTucker
Thepurposeofthiscourseistoprovideanoverviewofmajorfigures,ideas,andinstitutionsinAmericanenvironmentalism.ThecourseexploresthedevelopmentofenvironmentalawarenessinAmericaasdistincthistoricalstrandswithdiverseethicalconcerns.ItbeginswithanexaminationofNativeAmericanperspectivesonlandandbiodiversity.WethenfocusonwritingsfromThoreauandEmersontoexploreearlyAmericanvoicesinthediscourseon"nature."Toinvestigatetheemergenceofconservationandforestmanagement,readingsareselectedfromPinchot,Muir,andLeopold.Thebeginningsofurbanandparkplanningareconsideredinrelationtothesepositionsonthemanagementofnature.Next,theenvironmentalmovementsfromthe1960sonwardaresurveyedinreadingsfromthesocialsciencesandhumanities.Wethenexplorethemajordebatesinenvironmentalethicsandthebroaderreachforglobalethics.Writingscelebratingbiodiversityareexaminedalongwiththeemergenceofconservationbiologyasanexampleofengagedenvironmentalscholarship.Finally,neweffortstowidentheinterdisciplinaryapproachestowardenvironmentalissuesareintroducedininvestigatingworldreligionsandecologyaswellascosmologyandecology.
Religion,Ecology,andCosmology;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim
Formanyyearsscience,engineering,policy,law,andeconomicsalonewereconsideredindispensableforunderstandingandresolvingenvironmentalproblems.Wenowhaveabundantknowledgefromthesedisciplinesaboutenvironmentalissues,butstillnotsufficientwilltoengageinlong-termchangefortheflourishingoftheEarthcommunity.Thus,thereisagrowingrealizationthatreligion,spirituality,ethics,andvaluescanmakeimportantcontributions,incollaborationwithscience,toaddresscomplexecologicalissues.Wewillexaminethosecontributions,acknowledgingboththeproblemsandpromiseofreligions.Thiscourseinreligion,ecology,andcosmologyinvolvesanexplorationoftheworld'sreligionswithinthehorizonofinterdependentlifeandthecosmos.Inparticular,itinvestigatesthesymbolicandlivedexpressionsofthisinterconnectionindiversereligioustexts,ethics,andpracticesarisingfromrelationsofhumanswiththeuniverseandtheEarthcommunity.Thecoursealsodrawsonthenarrativesofscienceforanunderstandingofthedynamicprocessesoftheuniverse,Earth,life,andecosystems.Inthefirstpartofthecourse,wewillexploreecologicalperspectivesfromIndigenoustraditions,Christianity,andConfucianism.Inthesecondpartofthecoursewewillsurveyenvironmentalethicsleadingtoanemergingglobalethics.Inthefinalsection,weturntotheinterdisciplinaryscientificstoryoftheunfoldinguniverseasacosmologicalnarrativeorientingnewhuman-Earthrelations.Thisscientificnarrativehascontinuityanddiscontinuitywithearlierreligiouscosmologiesandtheirviewsofnature.
TheWorldviewofThomasBerry:FlourishingoftheEarthCommunity;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim
ThomasBerry(1914-2009)wasanhistorianofreligionsandanearlyandsignificantvoiceawakeningreligioussensibilitiestotheenvironmentalcrisis.Heisparticularlywell-knownforarticulatingaNewStoryoftheuniversethatexplorestheworld-changingimplicationofevolutionarysciences.
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ThiscourseinvestigatesthelifeandthoughtofThomasBerryinrelationtothefieldofreligionandecologyaswellastheJourneyoftheUniverseproject.Asanoverviewcourseitdrawsonhisbooks,articles,andrecordedlecturestoexaminesuchideasas:theNewStory,theGreatWork,andtheEcozoicera.Inaddition,thecourseexploreshisstudiesinworldreligionsincludingBuddhism,Confucianism,andIndigenousTraditions.FinallythecoursewillhighlighthischallengetoChristianitytoarticulatetheologiesofnotonlydivine-humanrelations,butalsohuman-Earthrelations.
JourneyoftheUniverse;MaryEvelynTuckerandJohnGrim
ThiscoursewilldrawontheresourcescreatedintheJourneyoftheUniverseproject.Thisconsistsofafilm,abook,andaseriesof20interviewswithscientistsandenvironmentalists.JourneyoftheUniverseweavestogetherthediscoveriesofevolutionarysciencetogetherwithcosmologicalunderstandingsfoundinthereligioustraditionsoftheworld.Theauthorsexplorecosmicevolutionasacreativeprocessbasedonconnection,interdependence,andemergence.TheJourneyprojectalsopresentsanopportunitytoinvestigatethedauntingecologicalandsocialchallengesofourtimes.
Thiscourseexaminesarangeofdynamicinteractionsandinterdependenciesintheemergenceofgalaxies,Earth,life,andhumancommunities.Itbringsthesciencesandhumanitiesintodialoguetoexplorethewaysinwhichweunderstandevolutionaryprocessesandtheimplicationsforhumansandourecologicalfuture.
ZieglerSchoolofRabbinicStudies
LosAngeles,California,USA|http://ziegler.aju.edu
IntroductiontoHalakhah
ThiscourseinvitesstudentstowriteapositionpaperonJewishlaw,andstudentsoftenselecttopicsthatseektoraiseconsciousnessonenvironmentalissues(e.g.useofwaterforritualhandwashingwhenthereisadrought,orissuesoffoodjusticeandkashrut,oranimalrightsandkashrut).
ScienceandReligion
Afourth-yearcourseforthoseconcentratinginPhilosophy,looksattheintersectionofscienceandreligionthroughafocusoncreationandthenaturalworld.Clearlyissuesofecologyandenvironmentalconcernsemergethroughoutthesemesterandwereadhistoriansandphilosophersofscience(Barbour,Jonas)inadditiontoJewishthinkersancientandcontemporary.
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Appendix1–PontificalUniversitiesinRomeOfferingCoursesonFaithandEcology
PontificalAthenaeumofSaintAnselm
Rome,Italy
Bioethics,EnvironmentalIssuesandHumanEcology;July2015,summersession,CourseDirector:Fr.GonzaloMiranda,LC,AcademicCoordinator:Prof.MassimoLosito
Althoughbioethicssincethe1970shasaddressedissuestendingtowardthebiomedical,ithadinitsorigins,inthethinkingofsomeofthepioneers,astronginterestinenvironmentalissues.Thedeepeningecologicalcrisisnecessitates,againanddecisively,thatthismodernscienceexaminesthisquestion.Thecourseisthereforeintendedtodealwithaninterdisciplinarymethodologyonsuchissuesofgreatpublicinterestaspollution,resourcemanagement,theenergyissue,climatechange,biodiversity,environmentalbiotechnology,andanimals.Itisevident,however,thatiftheseissuesaretheresponsibilityofbioethics,solutionscannotandshouldnotbecompletelyofatechnicalnature.Togototherootsoftheenvironmentalcrisisandthentofindtheguidelinesforeffectivesolutions,wemustbroadenourvisiontoincludeethics,anthropology,theology:whatistheplaceandroleofmanintheenvironment;howtodiscerntheethicalnatureofhumanbehaviortowardsanimals;andultimately,whereisthefoundationofrespectweowetothenon-humanworld.ThecoursewillshowfinallytheChristianvisionoftheenvironment,whichprovidesvaluableguidancetothebalancebetweenconservationanddevelopmentwithinthepastoralcareofcreationinrespectofthatoriginalmandatetoManto"tillandmaintain.”Whereinfacthumanecologyisrespected,theenvironmentistheprimebeneficiary.
Eticadell'ambiente–EthicsoftheEnvironment;Prof.MassimoLosito
Sinceancienttimes,humanbeings,withtheiractivities,havechangedtheworld'senvironment.Butinrecentcenturies,beginningwiththeindustrialrevolution,thankstoanamazingbutproblematictechnologicalprogress,theimpactoftheseadvanceshasbecomeincreasinglywidespread.Overthelastfiftyyears,manhasbeenaskedtoreflectonethicalhumanaction.Thishasseriousquestionsaboutthefutureofmanandhishome;earth:doesthereexistsformanarightwaytobehavetowardsanaturalhabitat?Whichpositionandroledoesthehumanbeinghaveintheenvironment?Because,inthefinalanalysis,itshouldbecomparedtonature.Theanswerstothesequestionsareoftenverydifferent,reflectingopposingviews.Thecourseaimstoanalyzetheso-called"environmentalissue",especiallyinits(bio)ethicalimplications.Afteridentifyingman'splaceinnature,willthedefinitionandcriticalanalysisofthemajorethicalissuesaddresstherelationshipbetweenmanandenvironment?ThenwewilldescribetheproposalandtheChristianvisionoftheenvironmentandenvironmentalmovements.ThesecondpartofthecoursewilldiscussissuessuchasGMOS,ecologicalquestionaboutenergy,climatechange,etc.
PontificalGregorianUniversity
Rome,Italy
EcologiaUmana–HumanEcology;PaoloConversi,2014-2015LecturerinFacultyofSocialSciences
Objective:todeepeninterdisciplinaryhumanecology–thatcallsintoquestiontheresponsibilityofthe
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humanbeingtothemselves,others,thecreatedandtheCreator–throughthestudyofinteractionsbetweennaturalenvironment,population,technologyandsocialorganization.Contents:1)Distinctionbetweenecologyandhumanecology.2)SocialDoctrineoftheChurchandhumanecology:ethicalprinciples.3)Evolutionoftheconceptofdevelopmentanditsconnectionwithhumanecology.4)Thenaturalenvironment,landresources,energyandnatural,climateandwaterresources.5)Thehumanpopulation,theprocessofurbanization,thegreatmigrations.6)Technologyandeconomy,communicationtechnologiesandbiotechnology.7)Socialorganizationandtheenvironment.8)EnvironmentalEducationinitsdifferentaspects.
SalesianPontificalUniversity
Rome,Italy
Ecology:Science,Philosophy,andFaithinDialogueintheContextoftheContemporaryEcologicalCrisis;Prof.JoshtromIsaacKureethadam,FacultyofPhilosophy.MScourseforgraduatestudentsisofferedeverytwoyears.
TheCourseattemptstoofferacomprehensiveunderstandingofthecontemporaryecologicalcrisisfromascientific,philosophicalandtheologicalperspective.ThefirstpartofthecoursemakesevidenttheuniquenessofEarthasourcommonplanetary“home”whichhasbeenmoldedoverbillionsofyearsofcosmicevolutionandiscurrentlyimperiledbyhumanactivities.Thesecondpartdescribesthecontemporaryecologicalcrisisasaphysicalproblem(climatechangeanditsimpacts,biodiversityloss,pollution,wasteanddepletionofnaturalresources,etc.),amoralproblem(itsdisproportionateimpactsonthepoor),andasatheologicalproblem(irresponsiblestewardshipofcreationfromthepartofhumanity).Thethirdparttracesthephilosophicalrootcausesoftheecologicalcrisis,intheanthropocentric,mechanistic,dualisticWeltbildofModernity.Thefourthpartoffersasurveyofattemptstorespondtotheecologicalcrisisatthelocalandplanetarylevels,cuttingacrossgrassrootmovementsandnon-governmentalorganizations,stateandgovernmentalagencies,internationalorganizations,Christianchurches,andmajorworldreligions.
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AuthorBiographicalInformation
RabbiYonatanNeril,Co-Author
YonatanfoundedanddirectstheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment.AnativeofCalifornia,YonatancompletedanM.A.andB.A.fromStanfordUniversitywithafocusonglobalenvironmentalissues,andreceivedrabbinicalordinationinIsrael.Hehasspokeninternationallyonreligionandtheenvironment,andorganizedmultipleinterfaithenvironmentalconferencesinJerusaleminwhichreligiousleadersofseveralfaithsspoke.HewasaDorotandPresenTenseFellowandtheleadauthorandgeneraleditoroftwopublicationsonJewishenvironmentalethics,includingUpliftingPeopleandPlanet:18EssentialJewishTeachingsontheEnvironment.Heliveswithhiswife,Shana,andtwochildreninJerusalem.
JoyAuciello,Co-Author
JoystudiedtheintersectionbetweencommunitiesandsustainabilityforherBAatMarlboroCollegeinNewHampshire,wheresheearnedherdegreesinenvironmentalstudiesandanthropology.Herworkcentersontheideathatpeoplelivingincommunitiesareintrinsicallymoresustainable.Inherthesiswork,shecompletedtheSTARSforheralmamaterreport,anin-depthstudyofsustainabilityforinstitutionsofhighereducation.SheiscurrentlyworkingonherMBAinmanagementforsustainablebusiness.
AndrewDeutsch,Co-Author
AndrewwasbornandgrewupinHongKong,amongmanydifferentcultures,andreligions.Hestudiedbiology,environmentalandinformationscience.Aftermanyyearsofworkasatechnicalwriterinsmallandlargecompanies,andinprojectswithenvironmentalsustainabilityprofessionals,environmentalorganizations,NGOs,companies,andgovernmentministries,Andrewhasacquiredabroadunderstandingoftherelationshipsbetweensocietalneeds,environmentalandsocialproblems,associatedrisksandopportunities,andpossiblesolutionsbeginningwithdesign,andmanufacturing,andincludingsocialinnovationandcooperationacrossallpartsofsociety.
LucyAtkinson,ResearchAssistant
LucycompletedaBAinInternationalRelationsandModernHistoryattheUniversityofEastAnglia,UKandaMaster'sdegreeinGlobalandLocalCommunityDevelopmentattheHebrewUniversityofJerusalem,duringwhichtimesheinternedattheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment.LucyisnowpursuingaPhDatYorkUniversity,UK,focusingonconflictsensitiveeducationandEnglishlanguageinstruction.
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AbouttheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment
TheInterfaithCenterforSustainableDevelopment(ICSD),basedinJerusalem,accessesthecollectivewisdomoftheworld’sreligionstopromoteco-existence,peace,andsustainabilitythrougheducationandaction.ICSDpromotesandmanifestsaninter-religiousvisionforenvironmentalsustainabilitybyencouragingthecooperationandtrainingofreligiousleaders,teachers,andcommunitiesonecologicalissues.ICSDispleasedtohavesuccessfullyimplementedarangeofprojectsinpartnershipwithnumerousorganizations,foundations,privatedonors,andclients.Moreinformationcanbefoundatwww.interfaithsustain.com.
ChannelsofActionandOpportunitiesforSupportin2017
1. SeminaryStudentsSustainabilityProjectpromotesseminariesteachingonfaithandtheenvironmenttoadvancemoralleadershipforsustainability.Theproject,whichfocusesonChristianseminariesintheUnitedStates,advocatestoseminaryadministrators;publishesreportsonecologycoursesforseminarians;promotesresource-sharingofcoursesyllabioncreationcare;andholdsvirtualandlivemeetingsofseminarydeansandfaculty.ICSDalsooffersconsultingservicestoassistintheexpansionofteachingonfaithandecology.
2. TheWomen’sInterfaithEcologyProjectworkswithJewish,Christian,andMuslimwomenstudyingreligiousstudiesinJerusalemtobecomeagentsofenvironmentalchange.Participantsexploretheintersectionoffaith,ecology,andleadershipthroughaseriesofeducationalandinteractiveseminars.
3. TheFaithandScienceEcologyProjectusesvideoteleconferencingandlivemeetingstoengagetheworld'sprincipalreligionandscienceleadersinaunitedmessageforenvironmentalprotection.Videocontentfromthesemeetingsisdisseminatedviasocialmediaandtonewsoutletstopromotepublicawareness,politicalwill,policy,andaction..
4. EcoIsraelTours(www.ecoisraeltours.com),abranchofICSD,engagesarangeofgroups,includingseminarians,onthelinkbetweenecology,faithteachings,andtheHolyLand.
SupportersandOrganizationalStatus
PastsupportersincludeTheJuliaBurkeFoundation(Hawaii),theKonradAdenauerFoundation(Germany),theSintonFamilyFoundation(SanFrancisco),theOpalineFoundation(SanFrancisco),andprivatedonors.ICSDisregisteredinIsraelasanon-profitorganization,andfiscallysponsoredintheU.S.bythe501(c)3,Jumpstart,basedinSantaMonica,CA.
WearegratefultotheJuliaBurkeFoundationfortheirsupport,whichenabledresearch,publication,anddistributionofthisreport.