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A Convening on Climate Collapse and Interrelated Global Injustices in our Pedagogy and Degree Programs
Proposal abstract :
The current climate crisis calls for innovative approaches to theological education for chaplains and leaders of congregations and other organizations of sacred social change. The current headwinds within theological education, including lingering inflation and widespread decreases in enrollment in higher education especially in theological schools in the liberal and progressive traditions, call for new ways of conceptualizing degree programs with fewer students and fewer resources. The confluence of these realities creates challenges and opportunities for small seminaries. This project will allow faculty from the Starr King School for the Ministry to gather in person for a weekend retreat to deeply engage pedagogical questions around 1) effectively addressing the implications of climate collapse and interrelated systemic global injustices for future religious leaders and 2) re-imagining our degree programs for fewer students and fewer resources.
Learning Abstract :
This project will build on work already begun as a result of receiving a Climate Science in Theological Education Grant from the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. The faculty has sketched out a series of reflections throughout the spring semester during our faculty study times to help us deepen our understanding of what we each already are incorporating in our courses, collectively explore areas of alignment, and challenge ourselves to dig deeper and relate wider to the current national and planetary moment. We have also agreed our school-wide annual gathering in August will center around similar themes. Enabling the faculty to gather in person for extended conversation in March of 2025 will be a key component towards allowing this season of dialogue to truly impact how and what we teach, leading to changes in the curriculum in the Fall of 2025 and a generative school-wide Symposium next August.
The current climate crisis calls for innovative approaches to theological education for chaplains and leaders of congregations and other organizations of sacred social change. The current headwinds within theological education, including lingering inflation and widespread decreases in enrollment in higher education especially in theological schools in the liberal and progressive traditions, call for new ways of conceptualizing degree programs with fewer students and fewer resources. The confluence of these realities creates challenges and opportunities for small seminaries. This project will allow faculty from the Starr King School for the Ministry to gather in person for a weekend retreat to deeply engage pedagogical questions around 1) effectively addressing the implications of climate collapse and interrelated systemic global injustices for future religious leaders and 2) re-imagining our degree programs for fewer students and fewer resources.
Learning Abstract :
This project will build on work already begun as a result of receiving a Climate Science in Theological Education Grant from the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion of the American Academy for the Advancement of Science. The faculty has sketched out a series of reflections throughout the spring semester during our faculty study times to help us deepen our understanding of what we each already are incorporating in our courses, collectively explore areas of alignment, and challenge ourselves to dig deeper and relate wider to the current national and planetary moment. We have also agreed our school-wide annual gathering in August will center around similar themes. Enabling the faculty to gather in person for extended conversation in March of 2025 will be a key component towards allowing this season of dialogue to truly impact how and what we teach, leading to changes in the curriculum in the Fall of 2025 and a generative school-wide Symposium next August.