March 2012

 
The Forum on Religion and Ecology Newsletter
6.3 (March 2012)

Contents:

1. Editorial, by Elizabeth McAnally

2. “Summer Symposium: Religion and Environmental Stewardship” (June 5-7, 2012 at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT, USA)

3. “Exploring Synergies between Faith Values and Education for Sustainable Development”

4. New Documentary: John Muir in the New World

5. Journey of the Universe Film Screenings

6. Events

7. The Ash Wednesday Declaration

8. Calls for Papers

9. “The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment” (Webcast on April 21, 2012)

10. ExtinctionWitness.org Research Opportunity for Graduate Students

11. PhD Scholarships in Political Ecology

12. “From Preaching to Investing: Attitudes of Religious Organisations towards Responsible Investment”

13. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology

1. Editorial, by Elizabeth McAnally

Greetings,

Welcome to the March issue of the newsletter for the Forum on Religion and Ecology. I have much to share with you this month with regards to developments in the field of Religion and Ecology, including publications, conferences, events, calls for papers, and more.

I am happy to let you know about a symposium taking place June 5-7, 2012 at Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT, USA.  The symposium, “Religion and Environmental Stewardship,” is organized by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, and it is sponsored by the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale, Yale Divinity School, Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, and Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies.  The symposium will focus on environmental education that brings together science, theology, and ethics.  Aimed at clergy, lay leaders, and seminary faculty, the symposium will engage experts from Yale and across the country to address topics such as the greening of seminaries and churches, curricular initiatives in eco-theology, climate change, environmental justice, and preaching and liturgical approaches to environmental stewardship.  Students, ministers, and lay people are welcome to attend.  For more information, see below or visit: http://summerstudy.yale.edu/environmental-symposium

I want to remind you that Tuesday, March 13, is the deadline for submitting proposals for the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR), held this year on November 17–20 in Chicago, IL.  Please see below for the calls for papers for the Religion and Ecology Group and the Animals and Religion Group.  You can find the full call for papers on the AAR website: http://www.rsnonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=842&Itemid=963

I also want to inform you that we have now completed the Journey of the Universe Trilogy (film, book, and educational series of interviews). The book is available through Yale University Press, your local bookstore, and Amazon.com. The film and Educational Series are available through the website: www.journeyoftheuniverse.org We are also making copies for use overseas, as well as Blu-Ray which plays in high definition.

The film is being broadcast again on PBS for their pledge drive this month and will continue over the next 2 years.  In December, the film was broadcast on PBS nationwide and was carried by 67% of the stations (with 520 showings).  The PBS broadcast consists of the film and an interview with Mary Evelyn Tucker.  It is wonderful to have this opportunity for the New Story to be available for an even wider audience. Inspired by the New Story described by Thomas Berry, the Journey of the Universe draws on the latest scientific knowledge to tell the story of cosmic and Earth evolution. It aims to inspire a new and closer relationship with Earth in a period of growing environmental and social crisis. 

The DVD Educational Series was completed in December and consists of 20 interviews. The first 10 are conversations with scientists and historians discussing the evolution of universe, Earth, life, and humans. The last 10 are discussions with environmentalists who are working on issues such as eco-cities, eco-economics, permaculture, energy, and arts and justice.  We think these interviews will be very useful to complement the film and book. They will be excellent sources of discussion in your communities, churches, learning centers, and schools. You can see an overview of the series and short selections of each person interviewed online at: www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/ed-series-previews

There is also a helpful set of Curricular Materials that accompany the Journey of the Universe project.  Prepared by Matthew Riley, these Curricular Materials contain scientific summaries, discussion questions, and resources. They can be downloaded free of charge at: http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/curriculum/

I hope this newsletter supports your own work and helps you further your own engagements with the field of Religion and Ecology.

Warm wishes,
Elizabeth McAnally
California Institute of Integral Studies
Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale
Website Manager & Newsletter Editor
http://www.yale.edu/religionandecology
news@religionandecology.org

2. “Summer Symposium: Religion and Environmental Stewardship” (June 5-7, 2012 at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT, USA)

“Summer Symposium: Religion and Environmental Stewardship”

Environmental Education For Clergy, Lay Leaders, and Seminary Faculty
Bringing Together Science, Theology, and Ethics

Organized by Mary Evelyn Tucker & John Grim, Co-Directors of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale

Sponsored by:
Yale Divinity School
Berkeley Divinity School at Yale
Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale

June 5-7, 2012 at Yale Divinity School, 409 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT, USA

Cost for participants in the symposium will be $100.  Students can attend for free.
The registration deadline is May 1.
To register please contact:  joanne.vanvlack@yale.edu 

http://summerstudy.yale.edu/environmental-symposium

3. “Exploring Synergies between Faith Values and Education for Sustainable Development”

“Exploring synergies between faith values and education for sustainable development” is the new publication of Earth Charter International.

Edited by Rick Clugston and Steve Holt, with a preface by Mary Evelyn Tucker, this publication provides a space for the voices of different religions and faith traditions to be shared and linked with the efforts of Education for Sustainable Development. In this issue, the points of convergence between ESD and faith values are examined, with emphasis on potential synergies between them. This effort recognizes the valuable role faith traditions play in creating a sustainable world, and in making a substantial contribution to the efforts of the United Nations Decade on Education for Sustainable Development.

This publication is the result of a collaborative effort between Earth Charter International, the University for Peace and the UNESCO San Jose office. The work was commissioned by the Education for Sustainable Development section at UNESCO in Paris and received the financial support of the Japanese Funds-in-Trust for ESD. It is the first publication of the new UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainable Development and the Earth Charter. 

This publication presents seventeen articles from Indigenous Traditions, Abrahamic and Asian Religious Traditions.  Download the full text for free at:
http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/articles/811/1/New-Faith-Values-and-ESD-Publication/Page1.html

4. New Documentary: John Muir in the New World

A lover and champion of the American wilderness, Muir believed that it was our responsibility as citizens to protect our natural surroundings. Through his tireless advocacy and his writings, Muir helped preserve the Yosemite Valley, led the fight against the Hetch Hetchy dam – the first nationwide battle of the environmental movement – and was the force behind the creation of the National Park Service. John Muir in the New World explores the influence of his Calvinist father, Daniel; the writings of Alexander von Humboldt and Ralph Waldo Emerson; his friend and mentor Jeanne Carr; marriage to Louie Strentzel; and friendship and work for Robert Underwood Johnson, editor of The Century Magazine; to illustrate how Muir developed his ideas about nature and became a respected scientist, writer and “publicist for nature” during a critical period in U.S. history.

Watch the full program at:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/john-muir-in-the-new-world/watch-the-full-documentary-film/1823/

5. Journey of the Universe Film Screenings

Knox United Church
Calgary, AB, Canada
March 13, 20, 27 and April 3, 2012

Friends House Retirement Community
Sandy Spring, MD, USA
March 14, 2012

Ecotrust
Portland, OR, USA
March 16, 2012

Madison Senior Center
Madison, CT, USA
March 20, 2012

Glastonbury Abbey Center
Hingham, MA, USA
March 22, 2012

Jacob Burns Film Center
Pleasantville, NY, USA
March 29, 2012

Field Museum
Chicago, IL, USA
Intro by Sir Peter Crane; discussion with Brian Swimme, Mary Evelyn Tucker, and John Grim
April 5, 2012

Southern Connecticut State University
New Haven, CT, USA
Discussion with Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim
April 11, 2012

For more information about these and other upcoming screenings, visit:
http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/upcoming-events/


6. Events

“Flyways: A Celebration of the Great Bird Migration from Africa through the Middle East to Eurasia”

Presented by Paul Winter Consort and the Great Rift Valley Orchestra

St John the Divine
New York City, NY, USA
March 16-17, 2012
http://www.stjohndivine.org/Flyways.html 

“A Green Symposium”
Orange Congregational Church
Orange, CT, USA
March 17, 2012
www.orangecongregationalchurch.org

“Making Peace with the Earth: A Spiritual Imperative, A Survival Necessity”
With Dr. Vandana Shiva
Lecture: James Memorial Chapel
Reception:  The Social Hall
Union Theological Seminary
New York City, NY, USA
March 22, 2012
https://www.utsnyc.edu/sslpage.aspx?pid=2646

“Getting Greener Faithfully”
Annual Spring Convocation
Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg, Gettysburg, PA, USA
April 17-18, 2012
http://www.ltsg.edu/Lifelong-Learners/Spring-Convocation

“Religious Response to Ecological Challenges”
International Conference
Nilackal St. Thomas Church Ecumenical Centre
Kerala, India
April 17-20, 2012
http://www.nilackaltrust.org/

“Creation, Creatureliness, and Creativity: The Human Place in the Natural World”
The Society for Continental Philosophy and Theology Conference
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, CA, USA
April 20-22, 2012
http://www.scptonline.org

For more events, visit: http://fore.research.yale.edu/calendar/

7. The Ash Wednesday Declaration

Climate change and the purposes of God: a call to the Church

Operation Noah launched The Ash Wednesday Declaration on February 22, 2012 at the start of the Christian season of Lent. The Declaration, written by Operation Noah’s theology think tank, challenges the church to realise that care for God’s creation – and concern about climate change - is foundational to the Christian gospel and central to the church’s mission.

Operation Noah sees this Declaration as a call of considerable significance. It marks a definitive line for the church: if we are Christians these are key issues which we need to respond to – as individuals, as local churches and as a national Church.

To read, download, or sign the declaration, visit:
http://www.operationnoah.org/ash-wednesday-declaration

8. Calls for Papers

American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting

Chicago, IL, USA
November 17–20, 2012

Submission Deadline: March 13, 2012

Religion and Ecology Group is seeking papers or panels on several themes:

  • Ecological evil

  • Time — linear, cyclical, seasonal, mythic, no time

  • Ecological restoration and service learning

  • Rio + 20

  • Queer ecologies

  • Exploring, in a cosponsored session with the Religion and Disability Studies Group, intersections of environmental crisis and disability — the social/religious refiguring of disability in light of the Anthropocene, the relationship between environmental health, toxics, and disability, and critical race/class implications of how bodies are affected by environmental risk

http://www.rsnonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=939&Itemid=1093

Animals and Religion Group is seeking papers or panels on all topics that engage religion scholars with the emergent field of animal studies. The following submissions are especially encouraged:

http://www.rsnonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=867&Itemid=985

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“The Ethical Challenge of Multidisciplinarity: Reconciling ‘The Three Narratives’—Art, Science, and Philosophy”

A Workshop at the 13th International Conference of the International Society for the Study of European Ideas

University of Cyprus, Nicosia
July 2 – 6, 2012

Deadline for abstracts: March 15, 2012

http://issei2012.haifa.ac.il/

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“Environmentalism, Spatiality and the Public Sphere”

NIES Research Symposium VII

Oslo, Norway
September 27–30, 2012

Deadline for abstracts: May 1, 2012

http://philevents.org/event/show/1926

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“Sustainable Alternatives for Poverty Reduction and Ecological Justice”

International Conference for Justice and Sustainability

Orthodox Academy of Crete
Chania, Greece
September 27-30, 2012

Deadline for proposals: June 30, 2012

http://saprej2012.webs.com/

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“Religion and Rethinking the Human”

Journal for the Academic Study of Religion: Special Postgraduate Issue

Deadline for abstracts: July 1, 2012

Deadline for complete articles: December 1, 2012

http://philevents.org/event/show/1838

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Journal of Daoist Studies

Deadline for articles: September 30, 2012

To view the table of contents for Vol. 5 (2012), visit:

http://threepinespress.com/?p=6

9. “The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment” (Webcast on April 21, 2012)

On April 21, the Episcopal Church will sponsor a forum on a critical topic: “The Intersection of Poverty and the Environment.” Originating from St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral in Salt Lake City, UT, the two-hour ecumenical forum will be live webcast beginning at 10 am Mountain (9 am Pacific, 11 Central, noon Eastern).

Moderated by Kim Lawton of PBS’s Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly, featured speaker at the forum will be Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who was an oceanographer prior to ordination and is well-versed in environmental matters.

 
Bonnie Anderson, author of Spirituality and the Earth: Exploring Connections and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources, will be a key panel member along with experts in the fields of the environment and poverty, as well as ecumenical representatives.

The forum will feature speakers, videos, and thought-provoking discussion. Viewers will be able to submit questions to the participants during the live webcast.
 

The forum is ideal for group watching and discussion, or on demand viewing for Earth Day observations as well as Sunday School, discussions groups, community gatherings, and other get-togethers.

The event leads the way in implementing the recommendations of the Environment and Climate Change Committee of the President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships to hold regional conferences on engaging faith and community groups in environmental stewardship.
 

For more info contact: Neva Rae Fox, Public Affairs Officer, The Episcopal Church, publicaffairs@episcopalchurch.org, 212-716-6080 Mobile: 917-478-5659

10. ExtinctionWitness.org Research Opportunity for Graduate Students

ExtinctionWitness.org

Leveraging human empathy and genius to allay the 6th Great Mass Extinction of species and cultures.

ExtinctionWitness.org is looking for two to three highly motivated graduate students to conduct research in one or more focus areas of a bold on-line community networking project (see project summary below). Students will have the opportunity to choose their focus area of choice (ex. Innovative Food Systems, Institutions, Architecture, Industry and Energy; Faith Communities; Education; Direct Action; Philanthropy; Cultural Survival). Students’ research will result in a comprehensive annotated bibliography for cutting-edge efforts in any given focus area. Research will begin mid-March and carry through April 2012. This is an opportunity to contribute to an on-line commons that will amass and profile the variety of activities required to address the present mass extinction of species and cultures. For more information, contact: Megan Elizabeth Drimal, megan@extinctionwitness.org, 406.224.2560
 

Project Summary: ExtinctionWitness.org is a web project that uses provocative short films, stunning images, and updated posts to ignite human empathy and catalyze innovative solutions. As a virtual commons, ExtinctionWitness.org profiles a broad range of human responses to the 6th great mass extinction. The website houses regularly updated posts and comment threads in a variety of focus areas, including Innovative Human Systems, Cultural Survival, Right to Life (for all in existence), Education (includes reform), Faith Communities, Ritual (includes celebration and species memorials), Creative Witness, Direct Action and Philanthropy. Intelligent, respectful debate serves as a foundation of the site to foster the cross-fertilization of ideas and support practical, radical (root) change in human thinking, processes, and systems. Archives of comment threads may also fuel qualitative research in psychology, sociology, and thanatology. Anticipated site launch is autumn 2012. To learn more, contribute, comment and share, please visit http://www.indiegogo.com/ExtinctionWitnessorg


11. PhD Scholarships in Political Ecology
 

The European Network for Political Ecology (ENTITLE) offers 11 generously-funded three-year PhD scholarships available to candidates from all over the world. ENTITLE is an EU-funded Initial Training Network whose aim is to promote European research and advanced training on the field of political ecology, including: the study of the commons; social metabolism and environmental conflicts; movements; disasters; ecological democracy; and environmental justice. Successful applicants will be hosted in one of the participating institutes of the network in Barcelona, Coimbra, Manchester, Lund, Berlin, Athens, Istanbul or Santiago de Chile. For information on eligibility criteria, conditions and application procedures, visit: http://www.politicalecology.eu/ or email for further information: entitle2012@gmail.com   Deadline for applications: April 20, 2012.

12. “From Preaching to Investing: Attitudes of Religious Organisations towards Responsible Investment”

You can now freely access the academic paper “From Preaching to Investing: Attitudes of Religious Organisations towards Responsible Investment” published by the Journal of Business Ethics. The Journal is a high impact journal on the themes of Philosophy, Ethics, Economic Growth, Management and Quality of Life Research. It is the first time ever that the main academic journal on Business Ethics includes research on Religious Investing.

To read the abstract of the paper, visit: http://www.3ignet.org/documents/WebsiteJan2012JoBEpublication.pdf

To read the full article, visit: http://www.springerlink.com/content/24lw238v18291527/

3iG is continuing its partnership with ESADE Business School and Vlerick Leuven Gent School of Management. The current research relates to Religious Shareholder Engagement. Please contact us if you would like to participate in future research projects or if you have suggestions on the improvement of our work.

Kindest regards,

Katinka C. van Cranenburgh
Secretary General 3iG
katinka.vancranenburgh@3ignet.org
www.3ignet.org

13. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology


Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology has as its focus the relationships between religion, culture and ecology world-wide. Articles discuss major world religious traditions, such as Islam, Buddhism or Christianity; the traditions of indigenous peoples; new religious movements; and philosophical belief systems, such as pantheism, nature spiritualities, and other religious and cultural worldviews in relation to the cultural and ecological systems. Focusing on a range of disciplinary areas including Anthropology, Environmental Studies, Geography, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Sociology and Theology, the journal also presents special issues that center around one theme. For more information, visit: http://www.brill.nl/wo 

For more information on other journals related to religion and ecology and to environmental ethics/philosophy, visit: http://fore.research.yale.edu/publications/journals/index.html.  If you know of a publication that needs to be added to this list, email news@religionandecology.org 

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For the archive of previous Forum newsletters, visit:

http://fore.research.yale.edu/publications/newsletters/index.html