EcoPreacher: Spiritual Leadership for a Climate-Changed World

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Author:

Marquisha Lawrence Scott

PIs:

Marquisha Lawrence Scott

Leah Schade

Rebecca Gould

CO-PIs:

Ben Yosua-Davis

Community Partners:

The BTS Center

Research Type:

Active

Unit:

Graduate School of Social Work

Research Interest:

civic and community engagement, community organizing and community development, environment, leadership and organizations

June 05, 2023

This project examines what physical location tells us about the questions that clergy are asking related to climate change.

As our climate-changed and changing world continues to demand courage, imagination, and resourcefulness, congregations and their leaders have a unique opportunity to offer voices of truth and possibility. With their skills and community connections, preachers are in a special position to offer spiritual guidance in the quest for understanding and resilience in a world in need of environmental healing and wholeness.

This cohort will offer monthly meetings to help preachers understand climate change and other environmental justice issues more deeply as spiritual crises that required creative, faith-rooted action. The research team will analyze the learnings, ideals, and approaches of participating clergy through surveys and interviews.