Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
26.5
Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale
A Forum on Religion and Ecology was formed at the culminating conference at the
United Nations and the American Museum of Natural History in 1998. It is now
based at Yale. Moreover, a major international website was created to assist research,
education, and outreach in this area. The website provides introductions to the world
religions and their ecological dimensions along with annotated bibliographies of the
topics and articles in English on this topic. It also identifi es over a hundred engaged
projects of religious grassroots environmentalism. It contains a lengthy bibliogra-
phy on religion and poverty issues. It includes educational materials such as syllabi,
videos, CDs and DVDs (
http://fore.research.yale.edu
).
26.6
Field and Force of Religion and Ecology
One of the outcomes of the conference series at Harvard and the ongoing Forum
work is the emerging alliance of religion and ecology both within academia and
beyond. Over the dozen years since the conference series began a new fi eld of study
has emerged in colleges and secondary schools. Moreover, a new force has arisen
within the religions from leaders and laity alike. Both the fi eld and the force are
contributing to a broadened perspective for a future that is not only sustainable, but
also fl ourishing (Grim and Tucker
2014
).
Within academia, religious studies departments are offering classes in this area;
divinity schools and seminaries, focused on training Christian ministers, are includ-
ing courses (
http://www.greenseminaries.org/
)
; and high school teachers have
developed creative curriculum as well (
www.rsiss.net.rsissfore.html
). There are
graduate programs being offered at Drew University and the University of Florida,
as well as a joint Master's degree program in religion and ecology at Yale. Many
environmental studies programs are encouraging the participation of religious stud-
ies and the humanities in what have been predominantly science and policy oriented
programs. Moreover, a two-volume encyclopedia on religion and nature has been
published and two academic journals have been launched. A Forum on Religion and
Ecology was established in Canada; a Society for the Study of Religion, Nature, and
Culture has been formed in the United States; and a Forum for the Study of Religion
and the Environment has been created in Europe.
Within the religions, statements on the environment, on climate change and on
eco-justice have been released by the major world religions and indigenous tradi-
tions. Leaders such as the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Pope, and the Dalai Lama have
spoken out regarding the urgency of these issues. The Patriarch, Bartholomew, has
presided over six international symposia focused on water issues and more recently
climate change (
www.rsesymposia.org
)
. Rowan Williams, the head of the Anglican
Church in England has written sermons on this topic (
www.archbishpofcanterbury.org
)
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