More than 40 speakers are taking part in this hybrid gathering
by Columbia Theological Seminary | Special to Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE — Following environmental concerns brought about by last month’s train derailment in Ohio, Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, is offering the national conference “Just Creation — Shalom for Our Common Home” March 16-18. The conference is available both in person and online.
Focused on environmental justice, the conference brings together nationally known theologians, scientists, activists and artists to reflect on ways for the church to move forward during a time of precipitous climate change, catastrophic loss of biodiversity and rapid proliferation of pollutants, especially as the costs of such changes are distributed inequitably around the world.
Centering the conference are opening and closing keynote addresses by nationally known speakers and three plenary sessions. Each plenary session will feature a theologian, a scientist and an activist who will dialogue and guide conferees’ reflections on “Earth,” “air” and “water.” Conferees will also have opportunities to take part in a range of workshops and worship opportunities as well as engage artists and their work.
Among the conference’s prominent speakers:
Heather McTeer Toney
- Heather McTeer Toney, an environmentalist and activist and the former mayor of Greenville, Mississippi, the opening speaker March 16
- Tink Tinker, professor emeritus at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, the closing speaker March 16.
- David Barnhart, filmmaker with Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, who will screen “Flint: The Poisoning of an American City” on March 17.
The conference will take place both online and on the campus of Columbia Theological Seminary, 701 S. Columbia Drive in Decatur, Georgia. In all, more than 40 speakers and workshop leaders, including faculty at Columbia Theological Seminary, will take part.
Register here. See the schedule here. The list of speakers and workshop leaders is here, while the list of sessions can be found here.
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