Russell Powell
Russell Powell on Religion, Racism, and Rethinking Environmental Responsibility
Russell Powell
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
“Ecological care isn’t an add-on to religious life—it’s embedded in the tradition, whether that’s been recognized or not.”
In this episode of Reflections on Religion and Ecology: Yale Alumni Speak from the Field, Dr. Russell Powell—religion scholar and environmental ethicist—joins host Tali Anisfeld for a probing conversation about the spiritual roots of American environmentalism, the limitations of its legacy, and the urgent work of theological reconstruction.
As Research Affiliate for the Thinking with Plants & Fungi initiative at Harvard Divinity School’s Center for the Study of World Religions, Russ explores the religious, ethical, and political dimensions of ecological crisis. With teaching experience across Princeton, Amherst, Boston College, and Holy Cross, his work invites both scholars and spiritual leaders to rethink what “creation care” actually demands.
In this episode, we explore:
– The intellectual roots of American environmentalism
– How racism has shaped mainstream environmental movements
– Why religious communities often hesitate to fully engage climate work
– What it takes to move from spiritual complicity to responsibility
– The possibilities (and pitfalls) of the Religion and Ecology field today
Russell Powell on Early Influences and the Roots of Religious-Environmental Thought
Russell Powell
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
Russell Powell traces the intellectual and spiritual currents that shaped his journey into the field of Religion and Ecology. He reflects on early mentors, moral questions, and how environmental ethics became inseparable from his theological exploration.
Russell Powell on Racism, Religion, and the Environmental Movement
Russell Powell
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
Russell Powell confronts the religious dimensions of racism within the American environmental movement. He unpacks the historical exclusions baked into the mainstream narrative—and calls for an anti-racist, spiritually rooted vision of ecological justice that centers historically marginalized voices.
Russell Powell on Why Ecological Care Is Core to Religious Life
Russell Powell
Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
2025
“A challenge I see is that many religious communities are still hesitant to fully embrace ecological responsibility as a central concern…” In this short but powerful excerpt, Russell Powell reframes climate care not as an add-on to faith—but as a sacred responsibility embedded in every tradition.