The Seminary Faith and Ecology Project engages divinity schools, seminaries, and schools of theology, encouraging them to educate their students on the relationship between religion and ecology. We work to upgrade the capacity of emerging clergy to speak to ecological issues.
In conjunction with this Project, ICSD has published multiple reports about courses for seminarians on faith and ecology being offered by seminaries around the world. The Project promotes and enables the sharing of resources and course syllabi between seminaries, as well as co-organizes Symposia on ecologically informed theological education for seminary deans and faculty.
Religion and Ecology Conferences
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD), in collaboration with multiple partners, has co-organized ten interfaith environmental conferences since 2011. The events provided an opportunity for religious leaders and scientists to address issues of environmental sustainability, and created a forum for clergy, seminary deans, faculty, and students, politicians, and faith members to participate in a wide array of interactive sessions on faith and ecology. Over 1,000 people participated in these conferences, which were held in Jerusalem (five); New York City; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Dallas; Columbus, Ohio; and Durban, South Africa. The conferences received broad media coverage in over 60 international media outlets.
Our Most Recent Conferences
The Interfaith Seminary Symposium on Sustainable Behavior took place in Jerusalem on October 28, 2019 at University of Notre Dame at Tantur. Religious figures spoke about religious imperatives for promoting environmentally sustainable practices. The Symposium engaged over 100 seminary deans, faculty, and students in how to integrate environmental sustainability into seminary education. Click here for more information.
The Los Angeles Symposium on Ecologically Informed Theological Education took place from Sunday evening to Tuesday afternoon, November 3 to 5, 2019 at American Jewish University’s Brandeis Bardin Campus in Simi Valley, CA. The Symposium was intended for faculty, staff and administrators from California and other Western U.S. seminaries, theological schools, and rabbinical schools, and clergy, who wished to explore how theological education can address our ecological reality. Click here for more information.
The Southwest Symposium on Ecologically Informed Theological Education took place on March 13-14, 2019 at Brite Divinity School on the campus of Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas. To read more, click here
The Southeast Symposium on Ecologically Informed Theological Education took place at the Columbia Theological Seminary near Atlanta, Georgia in March 2018.
The Midwest Symposium on Ecologically Informed Theological Education took place at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, near Columbus in October 2017.
Reports on Religion and Ecology in Theological Education
Report on Faith and Ecology Courses in North American Seminaries
This report highlights ecologically themed courses offered at seminaries in North America, Rome, and the Holy Land.
This groundbreaking report includes course descriptions of over 170 courses on ecology offered in over 60 theological schools and seminaries.
Report on Catholic Ecology Courses For Priestly Formation
Released in October 2016, the Report on Catholic Ecology Courses For Priestly Formation highlights courses on ecological themes offered at a number of Catholic seminaries in North America, Rome, and the Holy Land. It follows the release of Pope Francis’s Encyclical, Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home, which has significantly increased global awareness of the strong link between faith and ecology and called for seminaries and houses of worship to provide creation-care education.
Click here to view the report.
Report on Faith and Ecology Teaching in Holy Land Seminaries
Released in March 2016, the Report on Faith and Ecology Teaching in the Holy Land Seminaries highlights the faith and ecology courses offered by various seminaries in the Holy Land, with a focus on Christian and Jewish seminaries.
Click here to view the report.
Religion & Ecology Online Syllabus Collection
In collaboration with the Green Seminary Initiative and the Seminary Stewardship Alliance, ICSD provides an online, searchable syllabus collection of courses on faith and ecology. Click here to view the syllabus collection.
Ecology in Bible, Theology, Ethics Online Syllabus Collection
In collaboration with the Green Seminary Initiative and the Seminary Stewardship Alliance, ICSD has created an online, searchable syllabus collection of courses on Ecology in Bible, Theology, and Ethics. Click here to view the syllabus collection.
The Scientists and Seminaries Engagement Project
This project matches environmental scientists with seminaries and theological schools in the same locality to bring scientists to seminaries to give guest lectures on global environmental issues. Click here to learn more.
The Holy Land Seminarians Faith and Ecology Project
Holy Land Seminarians Faith and Ecology Project brings together Muslim, Christian, and Jewish seminary students from the Holy Land for interactive seminars on human coexistence and environmental sustainability. The Project educates emerging clergy about current sustainability challenges and the religious teachings that can address them. Click here to learn more.
2019 Catholic Seminarian Essay Contest
The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development (ICSD) invited global seminarians to participate in our second annual essay contest – Catholic Teachings & Ecologically Sustainable Behavior – aimed at revealing the depth of Catholic teachings on ecologically-sustainable behavior.
ICSD holds affiliate status with The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, but is not an accredited member of the Association. ICSD works on a global basis, with current engagement in Africa, the Middle East, North America, and Europe.