Other R&E Scholars & Organizations

Here you'll find a small selection of general Religion & Ecology-themed talks by other scholars in the field, organized chronologically with the most recent listed first.
See the multimedia pages of each tradition in our World Religions section for many more talks by other scholars. 

Interfaith Panel - Graduate Conference on Religion and Ecology
Yale Divinity School
March 13, 2023
Moderator: Christopher Freimuth ’25 M.Div., Conference Co-chair; Speakers: Steve Kanji Ruhl, Zen Buddhist minister, poet, journalist and memoirist; Jason Rubenstein Rabin, Rabbi and chaplain at Yale University; Stephanie Johnson, Episcopal priest grid chair of the churchwide Task Force on Care of Creation and Environmental Racism; Abdul-Rehman Malik, research scholar and Director of the Muslim Leadership Lab at Yale.

Paul Waldau lecture: “The Animal Invitation”
Canisius College
January 20, 2018
Lecture by Paul Waldau to faculty and graduate students of Canisius College's Anthrozoology graduate program describing forthcoming book “The Animal Invitation – Science, Ethics, Religion and Law in a More-than-Human World”

Dr. Elizabeth McAnally: “Practices for Cultivating Love and Compassion for Water”
Second Annual “Religion & Ecology Summit”
California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS)
March 10, 2017
Water is a precious, vital element connecting all living beings on Earth.  Yet many of us often take water for granted, forgetting the tremendous importance this common element holds for our own survival and for the continuation of life on Earth.  The dominant modern mindset views water as a mere resource and commodity.  This view is part and parcel of the exploitation, pollution, and privatization of water.  In an attempt to counter this dominating mindset, I explore an “integral water ethic” as a crucial component in the urgent task of cultivating mutually enhancing relations between humans and our Earth community, what the cultural historian Thomas Berry calls “the Great Work.”  As opposed to the commoditized construct of water as lifeless matter that must be controlled and manipulated for maximum profit, an integral water ethic recovers the individual and community experience of water as an active agent, a teacher and guide, a vital, intrinsically valuable member of our Earth community.  This presentation explores various contemplative practices that can contribute to an integral water ethic by cultivating a deeper sense of intimacy and empathy with water and the Earth community, thus leading to more compassionate and engaged responses to water crises.  These practices share the theme of mindfulness and are inspired by taiji walking meditation, as well as Buddhist meditation and compassion practices.  Through the cultivation of love and compassion for water, humans are better able to see water as more than a mere resource and commodity, but as a loving and compassionate member of the Earth community who nourishes all beings.

“Religions for Peace New Faiths for Earth Campaign”
Religions for Peace International
June 24, 2015
Religions for Peace is the world’s largest and most representative multi-religious coalition advancing common action for peace by working to advance multi-religious consensus on positive aspects of peace as well as concrete actions to stop war, help eliminate extreme poverty and protect the earth. The global Religions for Peace network comprises a World Council of senior religious leaders from all regions of the world; six regional inter-religious bodies and more than ninety national ones; and the Global Women of Faith Network and Global Interfaith Youth Network.

Norman Wirzba: “Why Theological Education Needs Ecology”
 Yale Divinity School
April 14, 2015
In this lecture, Norman Wirzba, professor of theology and ecology at Duke University, discusses why theological education needs ecological wisdom. He explores the importance of caring for the world and explains why it is crucial to recover the doctrine of creation. He notes that theological education has the potential to help students see everyone and every place as the material expressions of God’s love.

“Environmental Humanities in a Changing World”
Princeton University
March 8-9, 2013
This video is from the “Environmental Humanities in a Changing World” conference hosted by the Princeton Environmental Institute at Princeton University. An introduction is given by Steve Pacala. Tom A. Barron gives a lecture on the power of story and language in the context of environmental humanities. Then, Ken Hiltner provides an overview of the environmental humanities and explains how speakers throughout the conference address environmental issues in terms of art, poetry, theater, music, writing, philosophy, religion, politics, ethics, history, literature, and more.

Jewish Environmentalism: Bridging Scholarship, Faith, and Activism
Hava Tirosh-Samuelson
Ben Gurion University
In this presentation at the “Jewish Thought and Jewish Belief International Conference,” Hava Tirosh-Samuelson considers Jewish environmentalism and the intersection of scholarship, faith, and activism. She gives a brief overview of the Jewish environmental movement in America and offers a portrait of Jewish environmental organizations with some comparisons to the Jewish environmental movement in Israel. She then considers Jewish ecotheology and reflects on the claim that it reflects the reemergence of paganism. She ends by clarifying some challenges that confront Jewish environmentalism and suggests how to address them.

One Earth, Many Religions Part 1
Heather Eaton, St. Paul's University
Scarboro Missions TV
There is a global and vital quest for a new vision for our times. It must inspire a dynamic spirituality, foster social and ecological justice, and strengthen commitments for a sustainable future. It is emerging as a blend of science, spirituality, and insights from social movements. This lecture discusses the global efforts for an adequate vision for our times.

One Earth, Many Religions Part 2
Heather Eaton, St. Paul's University
Scarboro Missions TV
(See part 1 above for description)

One Earth, Many Religions Part 3
Heather Eaton, St. Paul's University
Scarboro Missions TV
(See part 1 above for description)

One Earth, Many Religions Part 4
Heather Eaton, St. Paul's University
Scarboro Missions TV
(See part 1 above for description)

Religion, Ethics, and Animals: A Conversation with Paul Waldau, Canisius College
Paul Waldau, Canisius College, discusses religion, ethics, and animals with Mary Evelyn Tucker of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology. Waldau reflects on the 1996 Harvard conference on animals and religion and the book that arose from the conference, A Communion of Subjects: Animals in Religion, Science, and Ethics (edited by Waldau and Kimberley Patton). He also addresses the Great Apes Project and his Harvard course on animals. Waldau and Tucker consider animals in the contexts of culture and morality, empathy and sympathy, social skills, personality, multiple intelligences, wonder and awe.