The Forum on Religion and Ecology Newsletter
8.5 (May 2014)
Contents:
1. Editorial, by Elizabeth McAnally
2. Baha’i and Ecology (New Section of the Forum Website)
3. Ecology and Religion (New Book by John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker)
4. “Living Cosmology: Christian Responses to Journey of the Universe” (November 7-9, 2014 at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT, USA)
5. “The Journey of the Universe – A New Story for Our Times” (Schumacher College Course with Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, June 23-27, 2014)
6. New Publications
7. New Film: The Wisdom to Survive: Climate Change, Capitalism & Community
8. Journey of the Universe Film Screenings
9. Events
10. Calls for Papers
11. Great Transition Initiative Launches New Website
12. Worldviews: Global Religions, Culture, and Ecology
1. Editorial, by Elizabeth McAnally
Greetings,
Welcome to the May issue of the newsletter for the Forum on Religion and Ecology. We 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.
The Journey of the Universe film continues to move out into the world. It is now available on Netflix, and since it went up in December, it has been rated by over 43,000 people. For more about the Journey project, visit: http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/
John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker will be showing Journey of the Universe this summer in England in London (June 19), Bristol (June 21), Schumacher College in Devon (June 24), and Manchester (July 4). These showings will be accompanied by discussions and workshops focused on Journey – the film, book, and conversations.
To hold a screening of the Journey of the Universe film, you need to purchase a public performance right or license. You can find these fees listed here: http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/upcoming-events/
We are delighted to let you know about the recent publication of a new volume edited by Heather Eaton entitled The Intellectual Journey of Thomas Berry: Imagining the Earth Community (Lexington Books, 2014). This book includes contributions by Brian Swimme, Mary Evelyn Tucker, John Grim, Christopher Key Chapple, Dennis O’Hara, Cristina Vanin, Anne Marie Dalton, Brian Brown, Paul Waldau, and Stephen Dunn. For the flyer with a 30% off discount, visit: http://fore.research.yale.edu/files/Eaton_flyer.pdf For more, visit: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739185902
We are happy to announce that Hinduism and Ecology: The Intersection of Earth, Sky, and Water, edited by Christopher Key Chapple and Mary Evelyn Tucker, is now back in print as of April 2014. We thank Anne Monius and Francis Clooney, the directors of the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, for their help in making this happen. For more about this book, visit: http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780945454250
We 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. Baha’i and Ecology (New Section of the Forum Website)
The Forum on Religion and Ecology website now has a new section on Baha’i and Ecology. This section includes an introductory essay, bibliography, sacred texts, statements, additional essays, and links. We offer deep gratitude to Arthur Lyon Dahl for writing the introductory essay and to Peter Adriance for compiling the material for the other pages.
To view this new section, visit:
http://fore.research.yale.edu/religion/bahai/
3. Ecology and Religion (New Book by John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker)
Ecology and Religion
By John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker
Island Press, 2014
http://islandpress.org/ip/books/book/islandpress/E/bo8053388.html
(For a 20% discount, use the code 4ECOREL)
From the Psalms in the Bible to the sacred rivers in Hinduism, the natural world has been integral to the world’s religions. John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker contend that today’s growing environmental challenges make the relationship ever more vital.
This primer explores the history of religious traditions and the environment, illustrating how religious teachings and practices both promoted and at times subverted sustainability. Subsequent chapters examine the emergence of religious ecology, as views of nature changed in religious traditions and the ecological sciences. Yet the authors argue that religion and ecology are not the province of institutions or disciplines alone. They describe four fundamental aspects of religious life: orienting, grounding, nurturing, and transforming. Readers then see how these phenomena are experienced in a Native American religion, Orthodox Christianity, Confucianism, and Hinduism.
Ultimately, Grim and Tucker argue that the engagement of religious communities is necessary if humanity is to sustain itself and the planet. Students of environmental ethics, theology and ecology, world religions, and environmental studies will receive a solid grounding in the burgeoning field of religious ecology.
Reviews
“Grim and Tucker integrate vast personal experiences and serious scholarship across multiple global cultures and disciplines to produce keen, fresh insight for today’s world. A compelling, inspirational, and hopeful look at a path to a meaningful and sustainable future.”
- Jane Lubchenco, Former Administrator of NOAA
“A must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of ecology, religion, and ethics, and in the role that religions could play in resolving the complex environmental concerns of today.”
- Eleanor Sterling, Director, Center for Biodiversity and Conservation, American Museum of Natural History
“An astonishingly comprehensive view of human relations with the natural world.”
- John Cobb, Co-Director of the Center for Process Studies, Claremont University
“The almost unimaginable environmental challenge humanity faces—a daunting Gordian knot of science, plus ethical and moral values—demands ways forward. Those will be found at the intersection of science and religion. Nobody understands this thicket—so filled with hope, promise and complexities—better than John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker. Ecology and Religion lights the path forward.”
- Thomas E. Lovejoy, University Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University
“How wonderful to have the world’s leading authorities on religion and ecology, John Grim and Mary Evelyn Tucker, offer this profound but accessible examination of the field just as the world’s religions are entering their ecological phase. This book is more than a source of deep understanding–it is an inspiration.”
- James Gustave Speth, author of America the Possible: Manifesto for a New Economy
4. “Living Cosmology: Christian Responses to Journey of the Universe” (November 7-9, 2014 at Yale Divinity School, New Haven, CT, USA)
The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale will be hosting a conference November 7-9, 2014 at Yale Divinity School in honor of Thomas Berry’s 100th birthday. “Living Cosmology: Christian Responses to Journey of the Universe” will offer participants an opportunity to hear from dozens of scholars and religious practitioners on the Christian response to the Emmy Award winning film, Journey of the Universe.
Admission to the conference is free, but space is very limited.
Register to reserve your space at:
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/living-cosmology-christian-responses-to-journey-of-the-universe-tickets-11105664341
For more information, including a detailed program, visit:
http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/living-cosmology-conference/
5. “The Journey of the Universe – A New Story for Our Times” (Schumacher College Course with Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim, June 23-27, 2014)
Schumacher College, The Old Postern, Dartington, Totnes, Devon, UK
June 23-27, 2014
For many years we have been looking to science, engineering, policy, law and economics to provide information to help us understand and resolve our complex environmental issues. We now have a great deal of knowledge in these areas, but we still lack the collective will to engage in long-term changes essential for the continued flourishing of our ‘Earth Community’. Now we are beginning to recognise that other types of knowledge are needed alongside this information – knowledge from the humanities, from spirituality and ethics.
In this course we will explore the Journey of the Universe – a film, a book and a series of conversations with leading scientists and environmentalists, born out of Thomas Berry’s call in 1978 for a ‘New Story’ and developed by Mary Evelyn Tucker, John Grim and Brian Swimme. The Journey of the Universe is a cosmological narrative that transcends the boundaries between disciplines and integrates science and values to tell the story of our Universe and its evolution.
From this story we will take a new orientation and context as we reconsider our relationship with the Earth Community, looking at the many symbolic and lived expressions of interconnection between us and how they inspire us to action. Our goal for the week is to explore how this new story can evoke the ‘Great Work’ of our time for social and environmental transformation.
On this course you will gain a fuller understanding of the epic of evolution as a context for inspiring wonder and evoking creativity. We will explore how it is possible for humans to work to enhance Earth’s life systems, looking at examples ranging from bioregionalism and transition towns to international efforts like the Earth Charter.
Contact: admin@schumachercollege.org.uk
For more information and to register, visit:
http://www.schumachercollege.org.uk/courses/the-journey-of-the-universe-a-new-story-for-our-times
6. New Publications
The Intellectual Journey of Thomas Berry: Imagining the Earth Community
Edited by Heather Eaton
Lexington Books, 2014
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780739185902
For the flyer with 30% off discount, visit:
http://fore.research.yale.edu/files/Eaton_flyer.pdf
Thomas Berry had a gentle yet mesmerizing and luminescent presence that was evident to anyone who spent time with him. His intellectual scope and erudite manner were compelling, and the breadth, depth, clarity, and elegance of his vision was breathtaking. Berry was an intellectual giant and cultural visionary of extraordinary stature.
Thomas Berry’s vast knowledge of history, religions, and cultural histories is a unique blend revealing a genuine, original thinker. The ecological crisis, in all its manifestations, came to dominate Berry’s concerns. He perceived that the greatest need was to offer the possibility of a viable future for an Earth community. Many know of his proposal for a functional cosmology, the need for a new story, and a vital Earth sensitive spirituality. Few know of his rich and varied intellectual journey.
The Intellectual Journey of Thomas Berry: Imagining the Earth Community is about the roots and insights hidden within his ecological, spiritual proposal. These essays, written by experts on Thomas Berry’s work, probe into, and reveal distinct themes that permeate his work, in gratitude for his contribution to the Earth.
Contributions by: Brian Swimme, Mary Evelyn Tucker, John Grim, Christopher Key Chapple, Dennis O’Hara, Cristina Vanin, Anne Marie Dalton, Brian Brown, Paul Waldau, and Stephen Dunn.
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Creating a Sustainable and Desirable Future: Insights from 45 Global Thought Leaders
Edited by Robert Costanza and Ida Kubiszewski
World Scientific Publishing Company, 2014
http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscibooks/10.1142/8922
The major challenge for the current generation of mankind is to develop a shared vision of a future that is both desirable to the vast majority of humanity and ecologically sustainable. Creating a Sustainable and Desirable Future offers a broad, critical discussion on what such a future should or can be, with global perspectives written by some of the world’s leading thinkers, including: Mary Evelyn Tucker and Brian Thomas Swimme, Wendell Berry, Van Jones, Frances Moore Lappe, Peggy Liu, Hunter Lovins, Gus Speth, Bill McKibben, and many more.
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Spindrift: A Wilderness Pilgrimage at Sea
By Peter Reason
Vala Publishers, 2014
http://www.valapublishers.coop/spindrift
Spindrift is the story of a sailing odyssey, but also of an inward journey into deep truths about who we are and how we belong in the universal scheme. A meditation on sailing and life, it is a hugely enjoyable and thought-provoking book for landlubbers, sailors, philosophers and naturalists alike. It is a story of pilgrimage, of reflection through solitude and through connection with nature. Peter Reason invites us to share in the minute-by-minute challenges of seamanship and navigation. Exploring far more than the seaways, the author successfully manages to tell the story of a journey with another dimension - that of investigating and reflecting on our human place in the ecology of the planet. He reaches towards his stated aim of re-opening the ‘great conversation’ with the Earth, in contrast to our modern ways of living, which leave us speaking only to ourselves. Above all, this book shows us that Nature is not just a place to visit, but our home. Along the way we have been given glimpses of ‘the gorgeous arc of the universe’ and shown how we ourselves are part of this immense, continuing process of evolution.
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Beyond the Sacred Forest: Complicating Conservation in Southeast Asia
Edited by Michael R. Dove, Percy E. Sajise, and Amity A Doolittle
Duke University Press, 2011
https://www.dukeupress.edu/Beyond-the-Sacred-Forest/
This book is the product of a unique, decade-long, interdisciplinary collaboration involving research in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, and it reflects new thinking about conservation in Southeast Asia. Scholars from these countries and the United States rethink the translation of environmental concepts between East and West, particularly ideas of nature and culture; popular understandings of ‘sacred’ landscapes and their proper role in conservation; and the ways that conservation policy is applied and transformed in the everyday landscapes of Southeast Asia.
7. New Film: The Wisdom to Survive: Climate Change, Capitalism & Community
Directors and Writers: John Ankele and Anne Macksoud
Released in 2013
This film accepts the consensus of scientists that climate change has already arrived, and asks—what is keeping us from action? In discussions with thought leaders and activists, we explore how unlimited growth and greed are destroying the life support system of the planet, the social fabric of the society, and the lives of billions of people.
The film includes interviews with Bill McKibben, Joanna Macy, Gus Speth, Roger Payne, Herschelle Milford, Quincy Saul, Stephanie Kaza, Amy Seidl, and more.
“This film is deeply moving and profoundly engaging. Indeed, it has the potential to transform lives because it provides visions of how we should live in the midst of massive environmental challenges. I cannot recommend it more highly!” – Mary Evelyn Tucker of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale
Bullfrog Films is the educational distributor for The Wisdom to Survive. It’s available for individual purchase on the Old Dog Documentaries website at:
http://olddogdocumentaries.org/
For recent press releases about this film, visit:
http://fore.research.yale.edu/news/item/new-documentary-asks-will-we-have-wisdom-to-survive/
8. Journey of the Universe Film Screenings
To hold a screening of the film, you need to purchase a public performance right or license. You can find these fees listed here: http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/upcoming-events/
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Film Screening: Farmington, CT, USA (May 11, 2014)
St. James Parish
3 Mountain Road
Farmington, CT, USA
6:30pm
Contact: Matt Riley, matthew.riley@yale.edu
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Film Screening: New Haven, CT, USA (June 6, 2014)
Yale University Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics
238 Prospect St.
New Haven, CT, USA
7:30pm
Hosted by Christy and Matt Riley
Contact: matthew.riley@yale.edu
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Film Screening: Bernardsville, NJ, USA (June 7, 2014)
St. Bernard’s Episcopal Church
88 Claremont Rd
Bernardsville, NJ, USA
7pm
Discussion with Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim
Sponsored by St. Bernard’s Episcopal Church, GreenFaith, and Interweave
Contact: Rev. Frank Vilas, revfvilas@comcast.net
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Film Screening: Niantic, CT, USA (June 11, 2014)
East Lyme Public Library
39 Society Road
Niantic, CT, USA
7pm
Contact: Matt Riley, matthew.riley@yale.edu
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Film Screening: London, UK (June 19, 2014)
Kings Place
Auditorium for The Guardian newspaper
90 York Way
London, UK
7pm
Contact: Jane Riddiford, Jane@globalgeneration.org.uk
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For more events, visit: http://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/upcoming-events/
9. Events
“Nonviolence: A Weapon of the Strong – Advancing Nonviolence, Spirituality, and Social Transformation”
Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
May 8-11, 2014
http://ustpaul.ca/en/conference-nonviolence-a-weapon-of-the-strong-mahatma-gandhi-advancing-nonviolence-spirituality-and-social-transformation_1601_17.htm
“Geographies of Man: Environmental Influence from Antiquity to the Enlightenment”
Interdisciplinary conference
University of Warwick, UK
May 16, 2014
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/arts/hrc/confs/gm/
“Just Water: Making Water Visible in Theology and Ethics”
Lecture by Christiana Z. Peppard, Ph.D.
Maryknoll Mission Center, Ossining, NY, USA
May 18, 2014
RSVP to this free event: MaryknollSpeakersSeries@maryknoll.org
http://www.maryknollsociety.org/images/stories/events/2014_speaker_peppard.pdf
“Climate Stewardship: Sustainability, Eco-Justice and Well-Being”
15th Anniversary Conference of Wisconsin Interfaith Power and Light (formerly Wisconsin Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign)
Keynote Speaker: Professor Calvin B. Dewitt
Central United Methodist Church, Milwaukee, WI, USA
May 18, 2014
http://wisconsinipl.org/15thanniversary.htm
“Communities We Can Count On: A Response to Climate Change and a New Epoch”
Summer Intensive with Dr. Larry Rasmussen
Union Theological Seminary, New York, NY, USA
Register by May 26: Contact Rafael Ortiz, rortiz@uts.columbia.edu
June 2-13, 2014
http://fore.research.yale.edu/calendar/item/communities-we-can-count-on-a-response-to-climate-change-and-a-new-epoch/
“Welcome to the Anthropocene: From Global Challenge to Planetary Stewardship”
Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences (AESS) 2014 Annual Meeting
Pace University, New York, NY, USA
June 11-14, 2014
http://www.aess.info/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=939971&module_id=148423&actr=4&sl=228853867
“From Sabbath Economics to Watershed Discipleship: A Theology and Practice for Transition”
Featuring Ched Myers
Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC, USA
June 16-20, 2014
http://divinity.wfu.edu/watershed/
“Retreat into the Universe Story”
June 22 – 28, 2014: IL Ritiro Franciscan Retreat Center, Dittmer, MO, USA
July 21 – 26, 2014: Our Lady of the Prairie Retreat, Wheatland, IA, USA
http://fore.research.yale.edu/files/US_Retreat_2014.pdf
“The Legacy of Thomas Berry in Journey of the Universe”
Sophia Summer Institute 2014
In celebration of the centenary of Thomas Berry’s birth
Holy Names University, Sophia Center, Oakland, CA, USA
July 17-20, 2014
Presenters: Mary Evelyn Tucker, John Grim, Sister Helen Prejean, Brian Swimme, Carl Anthony, Paloma Pavel, Marya Grathwohl, Ursula King, Dedan Gills, Belvie Rooks, Drew Dellinger, Peter Mayer, and Jim Conlon.
http://fore.research.yale.edu/files/2014-Summer-Flyer.pdf
http://www.hnu.edu/sophia/summerInstitute.html
“Sustainability and the Sacred”
Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, USA
July 24-27, 2014
http://fore.research.yale.edu/files/SS_brochure_2014.pdf
http://www.hampshire.edu/specialprograms/25435.htm
For more events, visit: http://fore.research.yale.edu/calendar/
10. Calls for Papers
“Living in the Cosmos: Ethical and Ascetic Reflections on Patristic and Contemporary Theology”
Durham University, PG20, The Palace Green, Durham, UK
June 9, 2014
Submission Deadline: May 16, 2014
http://livinginthecosmos.wordpress.com/
“Spiritual Ecologies and New Cosmologies Convergence”
University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
September 22-25, 2014
Submission Deadline: July 1, 2014
http://fore.research.yale.edu/files/PROPOSALS-SpiritualEcologiesandNewCosmologies.pdf
“Security, Sustainability and Human Flourishing”
9th International Conference on Applied Ethics
Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
October 31 - November 2, 2014
Submission Deadline: June 30, 2014
http://ethics.let.hokudai.ac.jp/en/events.html#9ae
“Ways of Knowing”
3rd annual graduate student conference on religion at Harvard Divinity School
Special module on “Religion and Environmental Imagination”
Harvard Divinity School, Cambridge, MA, USA
October 23-25, 2014
Submission Deadline: July 1, 2014
http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/gradreligionconference/call-papers-2013
11. Great Transition Initiative Launches New Website
For over a decade, the Great Transition Initiative has advanced a visionary scenario of a future rooted in human solidarity, well-being for all, and ecological sustainability. It now enters a new phase with renewed energy and heightened sense of urgency. Its reimagined website — www.greattransition.org — serves as a platform for exploring bold visions and change strategies.
The new site features:
• An open-access journal of ideas publishing new essays, book reviews, and interviews.
• A MacroScope highlighting current developments that carry long-term global significance.
• Educational material such as videos, an overview of critical ideas, and archival literature.
• A GT Network Space for those seeking more intensive engagement.
GTI offers a unique and valuable resource for understanding our present moment and shaping our collective future.
12. 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: brill.com/wo
For the online edition, visit: http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/15685357
Table of Contents for Volume 18 (2014):
• When you have seen the Yellow Mountains (Ole Bruun)
• Environmental Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage (Paul Sarfo-Mensah, Akwasi Owusu-Bi, Samuel Awuah-Nyamekye, Steve Amisah)
• Ecology and Vision (Matthew T. Eggemeier)
• Of Gardens and Prosperity (Paul Walker)
For the archive of previous Forum newsletters, visit:
http://fore.research.yale.edu/publications/newsletters/
To download this newsletter as a PDF, visit:
http://fore.research.yale.edu/files/May_2014_Newsletter.pdf
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