Spiritual and Sustainable: Religion Responds to Climate Change: The conference “Spiritual and Sustainable: Religion Responds to Climate Change” took place at Harvard Divinity School on November 7, 2014. What follows is a partial transcript, which includes the formal presentations but not the discussion afterwards.

Abstract

Spiritual and Sustainable: Religion Responds to Climate Change: The conference “Spiritual and Sustainable: Religion Responds to Climate Change” took place at Harvard Divinity School on November 7, 2014. What follows is a partial transcript, which includes the formal presentations but not the discussion afterwards. Jim Antal(bio), Margaret Bullitt‐Jonas(bio), Tim DeChristopher(bio), Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman(bio), Lama Willa Miller(bio), Munjed M. Murad(bio), and Dan McKanan(bio) Dan McKanan: This session will begin with a series of TED talks from climate activists from a variety of faith traditions. Then we will move into conversation among the panelists, among all of us, and then we separate out into smaller groups for more focused conversation. I am so thrilled to see such a large gathering of people here today and I am thrilled especially that people come from so many different context; students, staff people, faculty here and activists in many, and many faith communities and organizations throughout the area. I am excited about the potential we have to build alliances to develop relationships with mutual support and to hold one another accountable and inspired in all of the work that we do. Before I begin introducing our speakers I do want to join in many expressions of thanks for Leslie MacPherson Artinian. This conference is her brainchild, she has worked diligently for many years to take the wonderful work that Roy and Ralph have done in anchoring the environmental practices of the Divinity School and connecting those to the research and teaching, the people in the faculty do, their explorations and learning that students do and the actual institutional change that all of us are responsible for contributing to. It is Leslie's vision that holds these together here, and we are very grateful thank you. I guess with that, I will start introducing our speakers. I will introduce each of them in turns so you will have who they are fresh in your mind. So, our first speaker is Dr. Willa Miller right here on my left. Willa is currently the visiting lecturer on Buddhist Ministry here at Harvard Divinity School as many of you know. We have a deep commitment to Buddhist Ministry here and Willa is participating in the alliance to make that possible. She is a Lama in Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, Founder and Spiritual Director of Natural Dharma fellowship here in Boston and its retreat center Wonderwell Mountain Refuge in Springfield, New Hampshire. She is the author of three books, Everyday Dharma, Essence of Ambrosia, and The Arts of Contemplative Care, so a real leader in the emerging field of ministerial formation in the Buddhist tradition. This year she organized and hosted an eco‐dharma conference, putting together 35 teachers and practitioners from every major school of Buddhism to discuss the issue of global warming. Willa. Willa Miller: Thank you Dan, I want to begin by expressing my gratitude to be with this community of good and caring people at Harvard Divinity School today. It is a joy and privilege to be among those who care so deeply about our beautiful and endangered planet and its inhabitants, the winged, hoofed, clawed, scaled, and finned creatures who share these ecosystems with us. The gathering in this room is an expression of what the world needs today. Small communities coming together to discuss this critical issue that affects us all, climate change and environmental degradation. But this gathering is not only about discussion, it is about metabolizing the truth, feeling together, and finding mutual support and empowerment in the face of a critical global emergency. It is about leaning into the truth together and thinking deeply about what we can do. I do believe it is these kinds of gatherings the possibility of thinking deeply together in community that yield the most promise for changing the world. We cannot go it alone. This is time to connect to discuss and to process in community. It is the time to make a commitment to a sane and sustainable life that leads a legacy of real care for our children and for our grandchildren. In the few minutes that I have here I want to...