Sacred Earth Sacred Action

A Climate Science and Spirituality Conference

Saturday, February 8th, 1:00-7:00 PM MST

Sacred Earth, Sacred Action (SESA), brings together environmental scientists, theologians, poets, and faith leaders to inspire meaningful change within communities of faith and activism in the Rocky Mountains and beyond.

In person and live-streamed.

 

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About the Event

Grow With Us

Sacred Earth, Sacred Action focuses on the ways that Colorado communities are impacted by climate change and how elemental wisdom can deepen our collective resilience in the face of the challenges we face.

This one-day, hybrid event creates a powerful opportunity for community leaders to explore the intersection of climate science, spirituality, and justice. Funded by a Climate Science in Theological Education Grant from the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER), SESA is designed to equip current and future ministers and community leaders with the knowledge and tools to integrate climate science into their work.

Join us as we deepen our collective ability to take justice-driven and spiritually-rooted actions to care for the places we call home for this generation and those who will follow. 

 

Line art drawing of a tall, healthy tree

Keynote & Special Guest

Camille Dungy

Keynote
Planting Restorative Love: Some Spiritual and Practical Reasons to Rewild a Garden

Nadia Bolz-Weber

Session 2
Religion scholar Dr. Timothy Beal in conversation with Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber

Event Schedule

Saturday, February 8, 2025 | 1:00-7:00 PM

1:00-1:15   Check-in

1:15-1:30   Welcome + Opening Ritual 

1:30-2:25   Session 1 | Where Science Meets Mysticism

Environmental scientist Dr. Heidi Steltzer in conversation with Dr. Albert Hernández.

Have you ever thought ‘that’s so cool’ when you heard something wonderful about our planet? And then thought, how do scientists know that? And also thought, but there’s so much more. As we open our exploration of Sacred Earth, Sacred Action, we’ll reflect together on how we know what we know through science and mysticism. And ponder what if these are ways of knowing to be woven together, spoken out loud, and included when we take action to address the climate crisis and many related environmental woes.

2:25-2:40   Break

2:40-3:35   Session 2 | Composting Christianity: The Bible, the Anthropocene, and Cultivating Earth Creatureliness

Religion scholar Dr. Timothy Beal in conversation with Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber.

How have the Bible and Christianity contributed not only to climate crisis but also to the denial of our own finitude as a species? How might they be reimagined in ways that can help us break through that denial and find hope — deep hope, as opposed to shallow optimism — on the horizon of environmental collapse? 

3:35-3:50    Break

3:50-4:45   Elemental Wisdom Workshops – choose 1

Our workshops draw upon the wisdom of the 4 elements: earth, air, water, and fire. Our presenters bring a wealth of knowledge related to caring for Earth and local communities that are finding ways to mitigate climate change and create more resilient futures. Choose a 1-hour workshop to bring new ideas and skills back to your community’s climate justice efforts.

EARTH | Ramon S. Parish – Naropa University and Sacred Earth

AIR | Janel Apps Ramsey + Thomas Weiler – Together Colorado Climate Justice Committee

WATER + FIRE | Rev. Kelly Dignan – UU Ministry for the Earth 

4:45-5:30    Reception sponsored by the Iliff Women’s Alliance

5:30-6:15    Keynote: “Planting Restorative Love: Some Spiritual and Practical Reasons to Rewild a Garden”

Camille Dungy, Colorado poet and author of Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden

6:15-6:45  Conversation with Camille Dungy facilitated by Heidi Steltzer

6:45-7:00    Sending Ritual

 

Conference Presenters

Dr. Amy Erickson

Amy Erickson is Professor of Hebrew Bible at the Iliff School of Theology, Assistant Director of the DU/Iliff Joint Doctoral Program in the Study of Religion, and the event organizer. She teaches courses and lectures widely on creation, nature, place, and ecologies in the Bible and is the author of Jonah: Introduction and Commentary (Illuminations; Eerdmans, 2021). She is currently working on a book on the ecology of the Priestly narrative.

Camille Dungy

Camille Dungy is the author of Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden which features the nexus of nature writing, environmental justice, and prose to encourage you to recognize the relationship between the peoples of the African diaspora and the land on which they live, and to understand that wherever soil rests beneath their feet is home. Dungy’s interest in the intersections between literature, environmental action, history, and culture led her to edit Black Nature: Four Centuries of African American Nature Poetry (University of Georgia Press: 2009), the first anthology to bring African American environmental poetry to national attention. Dungy is a University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University, Dungy’s honors include the Academy of American Poets Fellowship, a Guggenheim Fellowship, an American Book Award, an Honorary Doctorate from SUNY ESF, and fellowships from the NEA in both prose and poetry.

Rev. Nadia Boltz-Weber

Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber is an ordained Lutheran Pastor, founder of House for All Sinners & Saints in Denver, Co, the creator and host of The Confessional and the author of three NYT bestselling memoirs: Pastrix; The Cranky, Beautiful Faith Of A Sinner & Saint (2013 and re-released in 2021), Accidental Saints; Finding God In All The Wrong People (2015) and SHAMELESS; A Sexual Reformation (2019). She writes and speaks about personal failings, recovery, grace, faith, and really whatever the hell else she wants to. She always sits in the corner with the other weirdoes.

Dr. Heidi Steltzer

Heidi Steltzer is an environmental scientist, a theologian and a mystic who has been studying the planet for 30 years. And then she had an epiphany. What if there are ways to know without seeing? Ways to be in relationship with all? Ways we are guided as we explore in us and our world? Which led to Iliff and pursuing a Master’s in Theological Studies.

Dr. Steltzer has served as faculty at Fort Lewis College (Durango, Colorado), as the lead author of the High Mountain chapter for the 2019 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, as an author on scientific publications on the function of High Mountain and Arctic ecosystems in a changing world, and the Founder of Center for Earth Theology.

Dr. Albert Hernández

Hernández joined the Iliff faculty in 2001. He teaches courses in the history of Christianity from Medieval to Early Modern times with additional expertise in the history of the ancient Hellenistic-Roman period. His research and teaching areas include the history of mysticism and pneumatology; Muslim and Christian relations beginning with the Crusades; religious diversity in medieval Iberia and the Spanish Empire; and the history of medicine and pandemics. Hernández led the faculty design team that created the Authentic Engagement Program™ focusing his contribution on human flourishing and the philosophy of Happiness.

Hernández is the author of Subversive Fire: The Untold Story of Pentecost (Emeth Press), and co-author with Miguel De La Torre of The Quest for the Historical Satan (Fortress Press), a theological best-seller exploring Satan’s story and the problem of evil.

Dr. Timothy Beal

Timothy Beal is Distinguished University Professor and Florence Harkness Professor of Religion at Case Western Reserve University. He has sixteen books, most recently When Time Is Short: Finding Our Way in the Anthropocene (Beacon, 2022), and has published essays on religion and culture for The New York Times, The Christian Century, The Wall Street Journal, Harper’s Magazine, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, among others.

Thomas Weiler

Thomas Weiler is a Denver resident, husband and father of two, and Lead Organizer with Together Colorado.  Thomas graduated from the University of Notre Dame where he majored in Political Science and International Peace Studies.  Since 2012, as a faith-driven community organizer and labor organizer – Thomas has worked to organize communities to fight the systemic roots of injustice and put their faith into action to address threats to human dignity and the planet.

Janel Apps Ramsey

Janel Apps Ramsey is the moderator of the Climate Justice Committee with Together Colorado. She is also Co-Director of Brew Theology, an organization that facilitates interfaith discussion groups. She loves her family, mountains, and doing paper crafts.

Rev. Kelly Dignan

Rev. Kelly Dignan is a Unitarian Universalist (UU) minister and the Executive Director of UU Ministry for Earth. She also offers spiritual direction to individuals and teaches UU History at Iliff School of Theology where she earned her MDiv in 2013.

Ramon S. Parish

Ramon S. Parish is Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at Naropa University, teaching courses on food and environmental justice, diversity, embodiment, and African cosmologies. With a background in Deep Ecology and Sacred Theology, his work bridges social justice, sustainability, cultural technologies, and the arts, fostering equity and regeneration. As co-founder of the social and environmental justice organization Once & Future Green, Ramon offers consulting through interactive workshops and events to help organizations adopt forward-thinking practices. He is deeply committed to community and cultural renewal through his involvement with Golden Bridge, Youth Passageways, and the board of Frontline Farming.

Registration

Registration costs are kept low thanks to the generous support of our funders.

Grant Funding

This event is generously funded by “The Climate Science in Theological Education” initiative. This is a project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program. The project provides grants to seminaries to engage climate science and climate change in the context of theological education and ministry. Iliff is proud that Dr. Amy Erickson has received this grant as part of her commitment to integrating climate science into theological education. Integrating science into seminary education and events will encourage interest within seminaries and surrounding communities about the relevance of science to theological education, and will produce a growing number of religious leaders equipped to help their congregants find answers to science-related questions. 

The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. The nonprofit is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. Building upon its mission, AAAS established the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program in 1995 to facilitate communication between scientific and religious communities. For the latest information and news about AAAS DoSER and the Climate Science in Theological Education project, visit AAAS.org/DoSER, ScienceReligionDialogue.org, and ScienceforSeminaries.org.

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Randy Woodley

“Impediments to Peace in a Wounded Land”

The Everding Lecture: Continue the Conversation

On the Tuesday following the SESA Conference, join Iliff School of Theology for the Winter 2025 Everding Lectureship featuring Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley, Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture Emeritus at George Fox University/Portland Seminary and the former Director of Intercultural and Indigenous studies.

Event Details

  • Tuesday, February 11, 2025
  • 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM MDT
  • Iliff School of Theology Shattuck Hall
Women's Alliance: A proud supporter of Sacred Earth, Sacred Action

The Women’s Alliance at Iliff is a dynamic group of volunteers that includes Board members, faculty, administrators and staff, alumni and community members. Founded in the mid-1990s, its original purpose was to connect Iliff to the wider community and make the school’s resources available through public lectures, conferences and workshops. Its focus continues to be on issues of importance for women and on uplifting a wide variety of women’s voices and expertise. All members of Iliff and the public are welcome to participate in the programming and work of the Alliance.

In 2008, the Alliance broadened its mission to include financial support for women through the establishment of a scholarship. The scholarship embodies the Alliance’s belief in the transformative power of theological education for women and for the communities they seek to serve.

The Alliance is proud to support the Sacred Earth, Sacred Action Conference and the work of Dr Amy Erickson. The Conference embodies the Alliance’s commitment to bringing deep intellectual research to bear on the most profound political and spiritual issues of our day and continues the recognition of the importance of women’s voices in addressing the challenges that confront us.