Southwest Symposium on Ecology in Theological Education
Date/Time
Date(s) - 03/13/2019 - 03/14/2019
All Day
Location
Bass Conference Center
Categories No Categories
The Southwest Symposium on Ecologically Informed Theological Education
March 13 and 14 at Brite Divinity School on the campus of Texas Christian University
Dear Colleague,
We are writing to invite you to the Southwest Symposium on Ecologically Informed Theological Education: Implications for Teaching, Learning and Seminary Life. It will be held March 13 and 14 at Brite Divinity School. This symposium will bring together key faculty, staff and administrators from seminaries and theological schools throughout the Southwest to explore how theological education can address our ecological reality.
We are able to offer this opportunity at no cost to invited faculty, staff and administrative participants, thanks to a generous grant from the Luce Fund for Theological Education. We will provide meals and reimbursement for lodging and travel. Students also are welcome to join us, with their institutions’ support.
An increasing number of people in the United States are turning to their pastors, priests, rabbis, imams and spiritual leaders for wisdom and guidance regarding ecological sustainability, lifestyle and learning to live faithful lives in relation to our shared world. We all are becoming more aware of the injustice and inequity of climate change, pollution and waste. The Southwest Symposium will offer you resources to explore how your institution can address these concerns from a theological and pedagogical perspective. It will further enable your institution to equip the next generation of religious leaders to effectively respond to and engage with creation care and ecological justice.
CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Wednesday, March 13
1 p.m. Arrival and registration
1:30 p.m. Welcome and introductions
2:45 p.m. Opening address by Tim Van Meter
3:45 p.m. Talking About Climate Change in Church/Seminary: A Conversation Across Ideological Lines by Laurel Kearns and Chris Doran
5 p.m. Dinner
6 p.m. Discussion: “Climate Chaos: A Pedagogical Manifesto”
Thursday, March 14
8 a.m. Morning liturgy
9 a.m. Animals in Comparative Religious Perspectives: Pedagogical Strategies by David Aftandilian
9:30 a.m. Pedagogical and Institutional Resources from Creature Kind by Sarah Withrow King
10 a.m. Integrating Ecology and the Disciplines: Break out sessions
11 a.m. Ecologically Centered Soul Care and Spiritual Direction by Steven Chase
12 p.m. Lunch
1 p.m. Keynote by Melanie Harris
2:45 p.m. Interreligious Perspectives Panel
3:45 p.m. Facilities
4:15 p.m. Final processing and next steps
5 p.m. Closing
The Southwest Symposium is being organized by Brite Divinity School, Methodist Theological School in Ohio, the Green Seminary Initiative, and the Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development.
Our time together at Brite will inform and invigorate all of us as we strive to better incorporate the care of our planet into our work as educators. We encourage you to register today.
If you have any questions, please email Dr. Timothy Robinson at tim.robinson@tcu.edu. See you in March.
Sincerely,
Dr. Timothy Robinson
Associate Professor
Brite Divinity School
Rev. abby mohaupt
Director
Green Seminary Initiative
Dr. Laurel Kearns
Co-founder of Green Seminary Initiative
Associate Professor
Drew University
Dr. Timothy Van Meter
Grant Director
Associate Professor
Methodist Theological School in Ohio
