Ten theological education institutions across the United States were selected to participate in the second cohort of AAAS DoSER’s Climate Science in Theological Education (CSTE) project. These institutions will bring scientific and faith experts together in order to engage climate-related science in ways that are tailored to the specific students, faculty, alumni, and faith communities they serve.
The second cohort includes Central Baptist Theological Seminary (KS), Holy Apostles College and Seminary (CT), Fuller Theological Seminary (CA), Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary (IL), Nazarene Theological Seminary (MO), Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary (CA), St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary (MN), Starr King School for Ministry (CA), United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (MN), and University of Chicago Divinity School (IL). These schools bring the total number of participating institutions in the CSTE project to 30, reaching over 6,000 students and alumni in 17 states, 2 Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia.
Participants at DoSER’s retreat for the project leaders of the first two cohorts of grant recipients from the Climate Science in Theological Education project
The goals of the CSTE project are to equip current and future faith leaders to lead their communities in addressing climate change and to create an atmosphere in places of worship where climate science is considered relevant, complementary, and important to religious worldviews.
“One of the keys to the success of this project is the opportunity that institutions have to contextualize the science they are engaging to the communities they serve. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution to bringing the climate conversation into faith communities, so we focus on empowering these schools to engage climate in ways that will be meaningful and impactful for the congregations that their students will serve,” said Katy Hinman, DoSER’s Director.
Activities undertaken by grantees include capacity building, curriculum engagements, and ministry/leadership-focused activities, and are as varied as the scientific topics each school has decided to engage. “It’s inspiring to see the creativity and care that these educators bring forward in connecting the dots between scientific and religious resources,” said Leif Castren, Program Associate for DoSER. “Their innovative projects promise to expand students’ capacities for seeing clearly and acting responsibly in the face of global climate change.”
Participants at the Climate Science in Theological Education retreat tour the retreat center’s ecological restoration projects and farm.
As one example, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary will be focusing on pollution, public heath, and environmental racism. Seminary students will be working closely with local community organizations, churches, and ecologically-focused community groups to gather data on air pollution around a waste transfer station in a historically Black ward of Evanston, IL. The collected data will be shared publicly and Garrett-Evangelical plans to host an event with their partners in 2025 sharing the results of the study and next steps.
After Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary launched their Center for Climate Justice and Faith in 2020, they received many requests from Spanish-speaking leaders in the Lutheran Church to make the science more accessible to non-English speakers. As part of their grant, Pacific Lutheran will be hosting a series of five Spanish-language webinars on the intersection of climate justice, faith, and science. Topics will range from the impacts of climate change on biodiversity to the e ects of extreme weather events in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Climate Science in Theological Education project builds upon the success of DoSER’s previous Science for Seminaries: Integrating Science into Core Theological Education project (2016-2023), as well as a 2022 pilot project in incorporating climate science into seminary curricula. Initial funding for the initiative has been provided by the David and Carol Myers Foundation and Leslie Sternlieb, private donor. For more information about the Climate Science in Theological Education pilot schools and previous Science for Seminaries cohorts, please visit ScienceForSeminaries.org.
