When: Thursday, June 8, 2023 7:00 PM pacific
Where: Zoom, Register here

On this webcast, Dr. Mary Evelyn Tucker, Co-Director of the Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale and global visionary, hosted by Bishop Marc Andrus and Dr. Paloma Pavel, will explore the Universe Story, the Cosmic Walk and Eco-Confirmation. They will be joined by Caren Miles who coordinates Eco-Confirmation within the diocese incorporating the Cosmic Walk.

Professor Tucker has joint appointments at Yale’s School of the Environment and the Yale Divinity School. She convened ten Harvard conferences on world religions and the environment and recently authored a definitive biography of her mentor, “geologian” Thomas Berry (Thomas Berry: A Biography). She co-authored Journey of the Universe, a book and film that offers an outline of “the universe story”—a moving narrative of cosmic evolution from the origins of the cosmos until our present moment. This project, drawing inspiration from the vision of Teilhard de Chardin and Thomas Berry, awakens a sense of wonder and awe in the face of cosmic processes, and evokes an ecological consciousness that inspires our commitment to the flourishing of a vibrant Earth community. Thomas Berry called this “the Great Work” of our times. Click here for a recent article about Mary Evelyn and her husband John Grim and their work with the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology.

Mary Evelyn currently works with the United Nations Faith for the Earth Program and on Laudato Si in integral ecology. She writes: “The Environmental Crisis…calls the religions of the world to awaken to a renewed appreciation of matter as a vessel of the Sacred. (This) implies a decentering of the human and recentering our lives within, not apart from, the myriad species with whom we share the planet”

Our guest musician is Benjamin Mertz, who was raised in the Episcopal Church and has served as music director in many congregations. He is the Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Berkeley Executive Coaching Institute (BECI), on the board of directors of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, and the founder/director of the Joyful Noise! Gospel Singers.  Benjamin is a composer, performer, and song leader who specializes in music of the Black Spiritual tradition. He can often be found leading songs at benefit concerts, vigils, protest actions, sacred services, and workshops. Benjamin’s most recent album of Black Spiritual music, called “Climbing Up the Mountain,” is available here.

Benjamin is a human rights and racial justice activist. When not performing music, he writes and speaks on issues of racial justice, economic justice, Black History, and works on creating interfaith and interracial alliances.

Registration here

Past presentations and registration available at https://faithinformed.org/sacred-earth