McCormick Theological Seminary

Now, in the face of the present climate crisis, we are moving to deepen and extend our responsiveness to the challenge this presents. At present, we offer one course on Environmental Leadership and Ministry. With the funding received from the AAAS/DoSER grant for Climate Science in Theological Education, we will expand this offerings by creating a new four-unit micro-credential in Environmental Leadership and Ministry (ELM). Climate science will be an essential ingredient in all four units. The first unit will be “Climate Change – Climate Justice.” This unit will offer a science-based understanding of the dynamics and impact of climate change and a foundation for understanding why this is a justice issue and therefore an issue for the life of faith. The second unit will be “Action and Advocacy for a Just and Sustainable Future: Science-Based Solutions.” Here we will delve into science-based approaches to addressing the causes and mitigating the effects of climate change.

The micro-credential format, due to its flexibility and accessibility, lends itself to broad engagement and will serve not only the McCormick community but also a wider public of clergy and community leaders. Each of the four units in the micro-credential will be launched with an all-day event open to the community including a keynote speaker whose expertise is climate science. Participants may include students, faculty, alums, board members, pastors, and any local community/religious leaders who want to address climate-related challenges in their contexts. Practical applications for ministry and community leadership will be a crucial ingredient in all four units.