FORE Spotlights Archive

Season One
The Spotlights series began in September 2020. Our host, Sam Mickey, interviewed dozens of scholars, authors, artists, activists, and more in this first season of 53 episodes. 

Season Two
Our second season launched in September 2021 and contained 44 episodes of rich content. Also see Sam's end of season roundup of topical episodes:
Ecojustice; Climate Change; Art, Spirituality, and Ecology 

Season Three
Our third season included 25 episodes with figures such as Sigurd Bergmann, Larry Rasmussen, Beatrice Marovich, and Michael Northcott. Our host Sam dove into topics such as climate justice, ecological existentialism, petro-theology, and psychedelics and climate work. 

Season Four
Our fourth season included 23 episodes and included some truly fascinating guests, such as Timothy Morton on “Hell: In Search of a Christian Ecology,” Christiana Zenner on Laudate Deum, Blair Nelsen on her work with Waterspirit, and many more. 

Season Five
Our fifth season of Spotlights included 23 episdoes and featured Philip Arnold, Les Sponsel, Paul Waldau, Beth Norcross, Rachael Petersen, and many others. Sam also discussed the New Ecozoic Reader.

Season Six
Our sixth season of Spotlights began on November 3, 2025 by featuring the new Living Earth Community website. Stay tuned for more rich and insightful content this season with our host Sam Mickey.

Spotlights, 6.8, Some Reflections on the Pope's New Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas
This episode of Spotlights features Sam Mickey, a core team member for the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology. In this episode, our host reflects on the new encyclical from Pope Leo XIV, Magnifica Humanitas. While this letter focuses on artificial intelligence and integral human development, there are also several points that connect with the intersection of religion and ecology, including the idea of integral ecology as well as an ecology of communication.