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Marianist Environmental Education Center
"The Marianist Environmental Education Center (MEEC) is an environmental education community in the Catholic tradition. In Mary's hope-filled spirit, we preserve and act in communion with the land and educate other communities in sustainability through ecology-based simple living, social justice and spirituality." -
The Case for Animal Spirituality - Part 1: Conceptual Challenges, Methodological Considerations, and the Question of Animal Consciousness
This article, written by Paul Cunningham, explores the case for nonhuman animal spirituality. Spirituality goes beyond language, reflective consciousness, or conceptual thought. Animal spirituality and participation in religious phenomena are growing areas of research at the intersection of animal studies and religious studies, this article is a small but emerging subfield of the subfield. -
Our common home
This is a booklet guide to caring for our living planet created through a joint initiative of the Holy See and Stockholm Environment Institute. This booklet contains ten sections detailing topics such as climate, air, water, and actions to combat climate change. It was partly inspired by and contains quotes from Pope Francis' Laudato si'. -
Catholics look to mindfulness practices to ground climate action, quell eco-anxiety
Eco-anxiety is a fear revolving around the awareness of the climate crisis and the loss of hope for solving environmental issues. Many Catholics have started practicing the role of mindfulness, which is rooted in Buddhist practices. Mindfulness is the act of being present and keeping oneself grounded. The news article discusses how mindfulness leads to an appreciation for the natural world and will push people to pursue ways to help the environmental crisis. -
Going Green at Camp
This article is written by Colleen Earp, a director at Camp Hanover, which aims to practice Environmental Ministry. Earp writes a bit about her own experiences growing up with camp and how they shaped her interest in environmental conservation. The piece discusses the importance of stewardship and a spiritual connection with creation. It also quotes the executive director Doug Walters, who explains the camp's modeling of environmental practices that are easy for campers to pick up and repeat once they have returned home. -
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
Dayenu is a Jewish organization that confronts the climate crisis through spiritual and political action. The organization has several "circles" spread around the United States and Canada that meet at least once a month and participate in 2-3 national campaigns a year. Dayenu offers resources to start a local circle or co-affiliate an already existing organization. -
MTSO and the intersection between faith and food.
At the Methodist Theology School in Ohio, there are several different organizations that focus on the act of sustainability and pro-environmental behaviors, one of these is the Community Food and Wellness Initiative. According to their website, their objectives included creating a stronger connection between the land, ourselves, and the community, as well as "supporting local participation in national and global food justice campaigns". The Community Food and Wellness Initiative also focuses on offering experiences to the community that will further their knowledge of the earth and food production. -
Evangelical Christians and the Environment: “Christians for the Mountains” and the Appalachian Movement against Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
This source deals with past research that connects Evangalicalism with anti-environmental values. The organization “Christians for the Mountains” seems to be contradictory to this prior research. Through a variety of qualitative methods, this research paper goes into the actual attitudes at play and how this might apply more broadly -
The Grail and Environmental Sustainability
This website page can lead women in Cincinnati to the crossroads of environmentalism and christianity. The Grail looks to empower women and environmentalism. The Website offers information on sustainable groups, anti-fracking activism, and group studies of eco-theological literature. The Grail also advertises their learning labs, reforestation and current member's work. -
Indigenous Americans: Spirituality and Ecos
A brief article about the indigenous peoples' traditions and characteristics regarding their religions and religious beliefs and the connection to the environment. Author Jack D. Forbes goes over the "indigenous cosmic visions" and their "conception of creation as a living process, resulting in a living universe in which a kinship exists between all things". He goes through different entries and quotes of indigenous figures in the Americas and their thoughts and connection to land and religion. -
Magic Mushrooms in Religion and Alchemy
This book discusses the roles that the fly agaric mushroom played in human perceptions of God through many religions. The same religious practices and stories present in some of the most prevalent religions of today can be explained by the beliefs held about Amanita muscaria. As it was thought to be eaten by the Gods, when humans consume it, they become closer to the divine. -
Environmental Stewardship In Columbus Catholic Schools
This article highlights environmental actions being taken by students at a variety of grade levels in Catholic schools in the Diocese of Columbus following the release of Pope Francis’s “Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home,” in 2015. These actions include the creation of a greenhouse and gardens, city cleanup days, energy audits, and natural play areas for younger children. -
United Church of Christ Environmental Justice Ministries
"From the birth of the environmental justice movement in the 1980s to the local ministries of churches throughout the country today, the United Church of Christ has been making a profound difference in caring for God’s creation. Learn more about our history, the Creation Justice Church program, Earth Day resources, the Pollinator newsletter, Creation Justice Webinars, and the work of the UCC Council for Climate Justice." -
International Indigenous Youth Council
The International Indigenous Youth Council is a youth-led organization of 9 chapters across Turtle Island. They seek to protect Indigenous land and culture through spiritually-guided community organizing and nonviolent direct action. IIYC was founded after the Standing Rock Indigenous Uprising of 2016, and is credited with successfully defending protecting the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers from the Dakota Access Pipeline construction. Today, they spearhead actions against policy, pipeline construction, and climate finance contributing to the climate crisis directly effecting their communities. -
The Case for Animal Spirituality - Part 1: Conceptual Challenges, Methodological Considerations, and the Question of Animal Consciousness
This article, written by Paul Cunningham, explores the case for nonhuman animal spirituality. Spirituality goes beyond language, reflective consciousness, or conceptual thought. Animal spirituality and participation in religious phenomena are growing areas of research at the intersection of animal studies and religious studies, this article is a small but emerging discussion of this subfield. -
Faith groups increasingly join fight against climate change
There are many faith groups that help with climate disasters. In the article, places like Louisiana, and how places that have been very important to people could soon disappear. It talks about how faith leaders and environmentalists have been working together. -
Faith in the Environment: The Religious Fight to Save Planet Earth
An article discussing the interfaith panel “Ways of Knowing, Ways of Living: Exploring Faith and Conservation” at the 2022 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. The author introduces the four panelists, their faiths, and their respective perspectives on encouraging intersections of faith and environmentalism, with Imam Saffet Abid Catovic representing Muslim faith, Jakir Manela representing Jewish faith, Michael Nephew representing Native American faiths, and Dr. Rachel Lamb representing (Evangelical) Christian faith. -
Religious Groups Combatting Rising Sea Levels in Louisiana
Donald and Theresa Dardar have made it their mission to save the the susceptible coasts of Louisiana from rising sea levels due to climate change. Joining forces with the local Presbyterian church, Donald and Theresa have preserved sacred mounds, refilled oil field canals, and have built elevated greenhouses. Numerous faith groups in Louisiana have prioritized saving the environment as impoverished people experience heightened effects of climate change. Preserving the community around these faith groups drives individuals to maintain the unique and celebrated environment of Louisiana. -
South Side Family Farms, Columbus Ohio
Minister Aaron K. Hopkins started Southside Family Farms as a way of addressing the food desert on Columbus's South Side. The farm utilizes Columbus's Land Bank program to grow fresh produce for distribution within the community. The farm works to connect locals to their land and grow their appreciation for fresh food and the growing process. The farm is rapidly growing and has plenty of volunteer projects to help out with. -
Nature & the Environment
This statement, from the World Zoroastrian Organization, details the environmental perspectives, values, and practices in Zoroastrianism. The web page makes it clear that Zoroastrianism is largely grounded in a heightened environmental consciousness. -
Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action
Dayenu is an American Jewish organization that aims to create environmental change through political action. Dayenu members contact and persuade politicians to pursue climate change solutions. In addition, they partner with businesses and work to realign their investments to stop financially backing the fossil fuel institution. -
The Pope is Concerned About Climate Change: How Do U.S. Catholics Feel About It?
This recent study performed by Pew Research Center found that contrary to popular belief, Catholics in the United States are no more likely than Americans overall to view climate change as a serious issue (57%). Additionally, similar to splits observed in the wider U.S. population, views among Catholics differ based on age, race, and political views. Adults in the U.S. who are 49 or younger, Democratic, or identify as a race or ethnicity other than non-Hispanic White, are generally more likely than those who are 50 or older, Republican, or White to express concern about climate change. They are also significantly more likely to believe climate change is primarily caused by human activity. Ultimately, this study provides evidence that climate concern is more strongly tied to political partisanship rather than religion. -
Protecting nature, act of faith: Muslim women are leading the charge on climate activism
In this news article and accompanying interview, by the Canadian Broadcasting Association (CBC), they highlight a Muslim women, Memona Hossain, who identifies as a Muslim activist. In her research, she has found that religion can play a significant role in climate activism, often viewing it as empowerment, as a lot of the Muslim women she interviewed were involved with climate action because of their faith. These women believed that protecting nature was a form of worship and that they needed to take care of this gift from Allah, the Arabic word for God. -
Vermont Tibetan Buddhist Center to Host Commercial Solar Array
The Milarepa Center, a Tibetan Buddhist retreat located in Vermont, is entering the clean energy scene through their partnership with a local solar panel company. The proposed initiative is to host approximately 500-kilowatts of solar panels on the retreat's property, an endeavour that will provide clean energy to 135 homes in the neighboring area. The retreat center is a force for sustainability in the region, not only with this initiative, which passed unanimously by its board members, but in its commitment to the Buddhist tradition of bodhicitta, which is to bring peace and good will to all. It is important to note; however, that the Buddhist community, while being present within the environmental movement, does self-proclaim their need to improve, such as in attending protests or furthering initiatives like these solar panels on a greater scale. -
A Movement Is Born: Environmental Justice and the UCC
After the ban of PCBs in the late 1970s, a landfill in Warren County, North Carolina had been designated as a place of disposal. This county had one of the highest rates of black residents, as well as poverty rates. This sparked leaders in the United Church of Christ including Dollie Burwell, Rev. Leon White, Rev. Benjamin Chavis Jr. and the UCC’s Commission for Racial Justice to become a leading force in the environmental justice movement. This article highlights the work of these leaders in fighting against environmental racism.