Tyler Mark Nelson
Tyler Mark Nelson on Creatureliness, Climate Justice, and Eco-Theology
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
“What does it mean to be a creature among creatures?” For Tyler Mark Nelson, that question isn’t metaphor — it’s a lifelong orientation. In this episode of Reflections on Religion and Ecology: Yale Alumni Speak from the Field, Tyler joins host Tali Anisfeld for a thoughtful and deeply embodied conversation about eco-theology, creaturely belonging, and the sacred lessons offered by worms, forests, and faith communities.
A graduate of Yale Divinity School and Research Associate with the Forum on Religion and Ecology, Tyler weaves together theology, environmental justice, grief rituals, and spiritual imagination in ways that challenge and heal. From working in vermiculture to launching the Living Earth Community project, his life is a testament to ecological humility and interspecies kinship.
In this interview, we explore:
– What compost and theology have in common
– How vermiculture, gardening, and grief are all forms of worship
– Why climate justice belongs at the center of religious life
– How Tyler’s journey from the soil to the seminary redefined his faith
– What it means to center more-than-human wisdom in environmental ethics
Tyler Mark Nelson’s Message to Future Students of Religion & Ecology
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
Thinking of studying Religion and Ecology? Tyler Mark Nelson offers a heartfelt reflection to future students—inviting them to approach this work not as a degree, but as a vocation. One that serves life, beauty, and the sacred complexity of Earth.
Tyler Mark Nelson on Interfaith Climate Action and Greenfaith
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
From Greenfaith trainings to public protests, Tyler Mark Nelson reflects on how climate action becomes spiritual practice—and why interfaith collaboration is essential to meet this moment. This is what sacred courage looks like.
Tyler Mark Nelson on Sentience and the Living Earth Community
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
What if the Earth is not a resource, but a relative? Tyler Mark Nelson introduces the Living Earth Community project and reflects on the growing recognition of nonhuman sentience in both science and spiritual traditions.
Tyler Mark Nelson on Worms, Theology, and Composting the Past
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
What can worms teach us about the sacred? Tyler Mark Nelson shares how vermiculture became a portal into theology—how composting isn’t just about decay, but divine transformation. It’s about letting old stories break down to make room for what wants to grow.
Tyler Mark Nelson on the Question That Changed Everything
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
“How do I live as a creature among creatures?”
That question sent Tyler Mark Nelson on a path to Yale Divinity School. In this intimate clip, he names the moment his ecological ethics became spiritual inquiry—and how that shift opened a whole new way of being.
Tyler Mark Nelson on Environmental Justice and the Sacred
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
What happens when religion ignores justice?
Tyler Mark Nelson argues that environmental justice isn’t optional in spiritual work—it’s foundational. In this bold clip, he explores why our faith must reckon with harm and help repair what’s been broken.
Tyler Mark Nelson on Becoming a Creature Among Creatures
Tyler Mark Nelson
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
What happens when you stop dominating nature and start remembering you’re part of it? Tyler Mark Nelson reflects on his hands-in-the-soil journey—through horticulture, backpacking, and wild spaces—and how those experiences shaped his sense of spiritual belonging in the more-than-human world.