23 Sep, 2011
All across the country, Christian seminaries are actively seeking out new ways to love God and neighbor in the face of climate change. There a plethora of student organizations that typify these efforts. These groups form an important section of the voices responding to climate change. As such, I’m providing a little sample platter to introduce those voices here.
At Yale Divinity School, there is a group called FERNS, which describes itself as follows:
FERNS (which stands for Faith, Ecology, Religion, Nature, and Spirituality) is a student-run group at Yale Divinity School that addresses theological, ethical, and political matters related to earth care in the Yale and greater New Haven community. Devoted to issues that emerge at the nexus of religion and the environment, FERNS has been behind such recent changes at Yale Divinity as the reform of plate use at the Divinity Refectory and the genesis of the Yale Divinity School Farm. Aside from holding numerous chapel services through the year centered on earth care and spirituality, in the past FERNS has also put on the Environmental Awareness Week at YDS, focusing on issues of stewardship and how our community can best commune with our place here in New Haven. FERNS also connects Yale Divinity students with local activism opportunities related to climate change, as well as other resources in the larger New Haven area related to sustainable farming, alternative transportation, and local ecological education.
At Duke Divinity School, there is a group called Creation Matters, whose mission statement is as follows:
We believe in God, who created heaven and earth; in Jesus Christ, who through the power of his cross is reconciling to himself all things on heaven and on earth; and in the Holy Spirit who gives and renews all life. Therefore, we, Creation Matters take as our mission to inspire students, faculty, staff, and all Christians to recognize our interdependence with all God’s creation, to support biblical and theological reflection on God’s redemptive activity in and for creation, to engage in lifestyles of service and care in response to God’s call to till and keep our garden homes, and to empower Christians to take practical steps to reorder and restore humanity’s broken relationships to creation and the Creator.
For more information on Creation Matters, contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
Harvard Divinity has a group called EcoDiv. The following statement from their organization sums up their activity and intentions:
EcoDiv brings ecological perspectives to bear on the study and practice of religion and ministry. EcoDiv promotes and hosts speakers, conversations, films, workshops, advocacy, ritual spaces, and creative ecological engagement.
The Divinity School at the University of Chicago has 2 organizations that look at climate change. For information about the Climate Action Network, contact: Sandy Carter [email protected]. For information about the Green Campus Initiative, contact: Willy Gu [email protected]; Green Campus Initiative, Reynolds Club, 5706 S. University Ave. Suite 001, Chicago , IL 60637. Organization Purpose: Promote environmental sustainability and increase awareness of environmental issues on campus.
These organizations are just samples of all of the good work going on at seminaries all over the country. For more information, check out: http://www.greenseminaries.org/