Report on Faith and Ecology Courses in North American Seminaries

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.

www.interfaithsustain.com

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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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


http://www.denverseminary.edu/

DenverSeminaryhasofferedacoursecalled“StewardshipinCreation:TheologyandOutdoorPractice,”whichintroducesstudentstoabiblicallyinformedtheologyofcreationanditsstewardshippracticeswithrespecttocontemporaryenvironmentalissues.Anothercourse,“SystemsThinkingandDecision-Making,”examinesdecisionsaspartofafullsystem,includingtheenvironment.

WesleyTheologicalSeminary,Washington,DC


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.

Report on Faith and Ecology Courses in North American Seminaries

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