February 21-28, 2015
Brooklyn, NY, USA
This special service learning journey for seminarians combines study and theological reflection on climate change, with a vivid, hands-on experience of the justice issues that arise as our climate warms.
Hurricane Sandy hit the Eastern Seaboard of the United States on October 29, 2012. It was the second most costly hurricane in U.S. history and affected a total of 24 states, but the New York area was particularly hard hit. Many thousands of housing units were damaged or destroyed along with hundreds of small businesses that formed the backbone of their communities. Roads, subway systems, parks, and other public infrastructure were also severely damaged. As we move into 2015, thousands of homes remain uninhabitable, hundreds of small business owners cannot yet reopen the sources of their livelihoods, and those who were already the most vulnerable have found themselves even more marginalized.
Working and learning in the aftermath of Sandy is one way to build our capacity to speak out and act on the most critical issue of our times, climate justice. During the program, participants will receive training in basic demolition and rebuilding skills, and the bulk of several days will be spent on urgently needed recovery work. We will also meet with leaders from immigrant and tenants’ rights organizations and will gain insight into how our own religious leadership can include solidarity with those most marginalized — both before and in the wake of disasters like Sandy.
The program has been designed to complement the March 23-27 course offering “Cosmos and Ethos: Religious Naturalism and the Climate Crisis” at Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago. Students from other seminaries are also welcome! You may register for this journey as a stand-alone experience, or you may also register for the full course through Meadville Lombard.
Date of service learning course: February 21-28, 2015
Register by December 21, 2014
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