In this special episode of Climate Changed, we’re delighted to share an episode from Religion & Justice, a podcast produced by our partners at the Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt Divinity School.

Hosted by Gabriella Lisi (she/they/he) and George Schmidt (he/him/ours), Religion & Justice explores the intersections of class, religion, labor, and ecology. In this featured episode, titled “Deep Solidarity and Moralizing”, they sit down with theologian Dr. Joerg Rieger to discuss the relationship between economic power structures, ecological devastation, and the role of religion in building alternative systems grounded in deep solidarity.

Dr. Rieger introduces key distinctions between privilege and power, critiques individualistic approaches to climate action, and invites us to imagine economic and spiritual solidarity that moves from the grassroots upward. He explores how worker co-ops, solidarity economies, and faith-rooted organizing might form the foundation of a more just and life-giving future.

🌱 To learn more about the Wendland-Cook Program and their offerings—including their Solidarity Circles for faith leaders—visit: https://www.religionandjustice.org

📖 Read Dr. Rieger’s article “Theology in the Capitalocene”: https://www.religionandjustice.org/interventions-forum-on-privilege-and-power-in-the-capitalocene

We invite you to reflect on how this conversation resonates with your work in a climate-changed world. Share your thoughts with us by text or voicemail at (207) 200-6986 or by email at podcast@thebtscenter.org.

In this deeply personal episode, Harvard Divinity School student and BTS Center intern Jessica David hosts a heartfelt conversation with BTS Center leaders Rev. Nicole Diroff and Rev. Alison Cornish about lament's essential, uncomfortable, and ultimately connective role in our climate-changed world.

Together, they explore the collective practice of ecological grief — not as something to fix or diagnose, but as a sacred response to real, ongoing loss. They reflect on lament’s roots in ancestral spiritual traditions, its embodied and communal expressions, and its relevance for today’s spiritual leaders navigating climate breakdown.

Rev. Nicole Diroff is Associate Director of The BTS Center. Ordained in the United Church of Christ, she is a Maine Master Naturalist, a facilitator, and a DEI leader. She brings heart and strategic insight to the Center’s public programming.

Rev. Alison Cornish coordinates The BTS Center’s Chaplaincy Initiative and has long practiced ecological theology and interfaith facilitation. She draws from traditions such as Joanna Macy’s The Work That Reconnects and community grief rituals to support climate spiritual care.

Ecological Grief Is Real and Sacred Ecological grief encompasses present and anticipated losses from disappearing ice rinks to contaminated farmland. It's not a problem to be fixed, but a response rooted in love.

Lament Is Embodied, Collective, and Ancestral The guests draw on ancient practices—from ripped cloth and psalms to community rituals—to normalize grief and reclaim lament as a spiritually rich, communal act.

Grief Connects Across Time Grief opens connection channels: across communities, generations, species, and histories. When practiced communally, it fosters honesty, solidarity, and renewed purpose.

Lament Is an Act of Witness and Turning The movements of lament include naming harm, expressing sorrow, repenting of complicity, and stepping into something larger — sometimes praise, sometimes action.

"How will your heart break? Will it break into a thousand pieces, or will it break open?" — Shared by Alison, from a rabbi friend

Referenced in the episode:

• Words for a Dying World: Stories of Grief and Courage from the Global Church – edited by Hannah Malcolm
• Season 1, Episode 6 of Climate Changed featuring Hannah Malcolm
• The Work That Reconnects – from Joanna Macy
• The Many – “Is This How the World Ends?” (song featured in Lament with Earth)
• Lament with Earth – Seasonal online grief gatherings hosted by The BTS Center
• Earth Hospice Rites – A twice-monthly global grief space led by Alison Cornish
• Teachings from Vincent Harding, Johnson (unclear exact reference; likely Howard Thurman or Luke Powery-adjacent figures)
• Elizabeth Kübler-Ross – pioneer in grief studies
• “Terraforming” – discussed in context of climate manipulation and river systems, detailed in The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis by Amitav Ghosh
• Spiritual practices like the psalms, lamentations, public ritual, and intergenerational liturgies

How do you practice lament? How does grief show up in your life and leadership? Email us: podcast@thebtscenter.org Leave a voice message: 207-200-6986

About the Podcast

Climate Changed is a project of The BTS Center, a spiritual leadership organization based in Portland, Maine. Produced by Peterson Toscano. Music by EpidemicSound.com.

Find more episodes and transcripts at climatechangedpodcast.org

In this thoughtful second interim episode, host Jessica David talks deeply and candidly with The BTS Center team members Ben Yosua-Davis and Madeline Bugeau-Heartt about hope's complex and nuanced nature in our climate-changed world. They explore what it means to hold hope amidst uncertainty, loss, and the ongoing climate crisis.

Meet the Host and the Guests:

Jessica David is a Master of Divinity candidate at Harvard Divinity School, a community consultant, and an advocate for local investment and social change.

Ben Yosua-Davis is the Director of Applied Research at The BTS Center, shaping their research agenda to support climate-informed spiritual leadership. Ben previously founded innovative spiritual communities and is passionate about building communities and promoting climate resilience.

Madeline Bugeau-Heartt serves as a Program Associate at The BTS Center. With a background in experimental theater and filmmaking, Madeline brings creative imagination and community organizing expertise to exploring how we navigate a radically changing world.

Main Conversation and Themes:

Guests discuss shifting perspectives away from oversimplified solutions towards a deeper understanding of hope.

Ben Yosua-Davis challenges traditional views:

"If by hope you mean am I hopeful that there is a technological or political solution that will fix climate change... the answer is no. But do I believe life can be full of meaning, beauty, and joy regardless? Absolutely."

Madeline Bugeau-Heartt expands the concept:

"Hope isn't an antidote to despair... but I am hopeful that the mystery of the day, spontaneous beauty, and love between people can always be found."

Ben and Madeline explore embracing change through metaphors of hospice and midwifery, recognizing endings and nurturing new beginnings.

Madeline Bugeau-Heartt articulates the dual practice:

"What are we choosing to hospice, and what are we choosing to midwife into being?... It's about being part of what the world is already doing."

Ben Yosua-Davis reflects on communal acceptance:

"When people hit the point [of hospice], there's peace and joy that leads to hope—focusing on living, enjoying, appreciating those closest to us."

The conversation emphasizes hope as fundamentally collective and relational.

Ben Yosua-Davis emphasizes community:

"I don't think you can practice hope individually... humans were not built to be hopeful without community."

Madeline Bugeau-Heartt underscores collective action:

"In community, hope gains muscle… I hope for different things in collective than when I'm by myself, longing for things way beyond myself."

Additional Resources:

• The BTS Center's Research Collaborative – Exploring how faith communities can authentically respond to the climate crisis through grounded, applied research.
• Reports From the Spiritual Frontier – Ben’s podcast chronicling new forms of spiritual community and innovative leadership.

Join the Conversation:

Where do you fall on the hope spectrum? What practices do you use to cultivate hope—or maybe you don't?

Share your reflections via email at podcast@thebtscenter.org or leave a voicemail at 207-200-6986.

Climate Changed Podcast is a project of The BTS Center in Portland, Maine. Produced by Peterson Toscano. Music comes from EpidemicSound.com. Closing song: Home by Ludlow. Visit climatechangedpodcast.org for more episodes of the Climate Changed podcast.

In this special interim episode, guest host Jessica David sits down with Rev. Dr. Allen Ewing-Merrill, Executive Director of The BTS Center, and Debra Coyman, Chair of The BTS Center's Board of Trustees, to explore what spiritual leadership means in a climate-changed world. Together they unpack critical questions around faith, community action, and ecological responsibility.

Meet Our Guest Host:

Jessica David is a Master of Divinity candidate at Harvard Divinity School, founder of Local Return, and President & CEO of Rhode Island Community Investment Cooperative. With 20 years of experience working at the intersection of people and place, Jessica focuses on the intersection of spirituality and money, supporting community wealth-building and strategic organizational development.

Meet Our Guests:

Rev. Dr. Allen Ewing-Merrill serves as Executive Director of The BTS Center. Ordained in the United Methodist tradition, Allen previously co-pastored HopeGateWay in Portland, Maine, and founded Moral Movement Maine. He has a longstanding commitment to social justice advocacy, faith-based organizing, and progressive Christianity, with extensive experience addressing issues such as climate justice and immigrant solidarity.

Debra Coyman has served on The BTS Center Board since 2017, including roles as Treasurer and Vice Chair. With an extensive background in business strategy and human resources leadership at IDEXX Laboratories, Debra brings significant nonprofit governance experience. She actively volunteers for conservation and animal welfare organizations, serves on multiple boards, and passionately engages in outdoor recreational activities.

Join the Conversation:

What do you think is the most important contribution spiritual leaders can make in responding to climate change?

Share your reflections via email at podcast@thebtscenter.org or leave a voicemail at 207-200-6986.

Climate Changed Podcast is a project of The BTS Center in Portland, Maine. Produced by Peterson Toscano. Visit climatechangedpodcast.org for complete show notes, transcript, and more.

In this special episode, Nicole Diroff introduces a thoughtful exchange between Rev. Dr. Andi Lloyd, an ecologist and theologian, and Rev. Andy Nagy-Benson, her pastor. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they explored deep connections between ecological science and Christian theology through heartfelt letters. These letters are now compiled in their book, Letters from the Ecotone: Ecology, Theology, and Climate Change.

Rev. Dr. Andi Lloyd and Rev. Andy Nagy-Benson engage in a thoughtful dialogue about the ecological and theological definitions of self-interest versus the common good. Key discussion points include:

• Ecological interconnectedness and the relational essence of all life.
• Complexities of defining "the common good" in environmental and theological contexts.
• Reflections on human behavior, ethical reasoning, and moral responsibilities in environmental conservation.
• Insights from theologians and ecologists on self-interest, self-love, and community solidarity.
• Personal stories illustrating the tension between self-centered actions and caring for the common good.

• Participate in the Listener Survey: Share your feedback about the podcast and suggest future topics. Take the survey here.
• Engage with Reflection Questions: Consider your understanding of self-interest and the common good. Leave a voicemail or text your reflections to +1 207-200-6986.
• Explore The BTS Center's Resources: Visit thebtscenter.org to learn more about spiritual leadership and ecological stewardship programs.

• Book: Letters from the Ecotone: Ecology, Theology, and Climate Change by Rev. Dr. Andi Lloyd and Rev. Andy Nagy Benson
• Book: Journey to the Common Good by Walter Brueggemann
• Westminster Catechism: Reflection on purpose and interconnectedness

Rev. Dr. Andi Lloyd is an ecologist and professor whose work bridges ecological science and Christian theology. She explores ecological interconnectedness and moral responsibility in the context of climate change.

Rev. Andy Nagy-Benson serves as a pastor deeply engaged in theological explorations of community solidarity, ethical responsibility, and ecological consciousness, reflecting thoughtfully on the intersection of personal spirituality and ecological ethics.

Next Month:

Join Jessica David, BTS Center intern and divinity school student, as she steps behind the mic for a special mini-season of Climate Changed. In this behind-the-scenes series, Jessica explores big questions about spirituality, hope, grief, and imagination—diving deep into how we navigate a complex world with curiosity and compassion.

In this episode, Ben Yosua-Davis speaks with Jose Aguto, a passionate advocate for climate action deeply rooted in his Catholic faith. Together, they explore the intersection of moral responsibility, theology, and the Catholic Church’s response to the climate crisis.

Grounding:

This episode begins with a reading from Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home, written by Pope Francis, emphasizing the moral imperative to address climate change. The reading, shared by Peterson Toscano and Madeline Bugeau-Heartt, highlights humanity’s collective responsibility to care for creation and the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental issues.

Main Conversation:

Jose Aguto discusses his transition from secular policy work to faith-based advocacy for climate action, reflecting on how his Catholic faith provides moral grounding for addressing the climate crisis. He examines the significant influence of Pope Francis’ encyclicals, Laudato Si and Laudate Deum, and their call for ecological conversion and systemic change.

Key themes include:

• The role of moral and spiritual leadership in mobilizing communities.
• The challenges and opportunities within the American Catholic Church compared to global contexts.
• Inspiring stories of dioceses committing to net-zero emissions and engaging diverse stakeholders.
• Practical advice for initiating climate conversations that resonate across divides.

Next Steps:

• Engage in Lectio Terra: Reflect on scripture and nature through this contemplative spiritual practice. Learn more.
• Join the Catholic Climate Covenant: Stay updated with news and resources. Visit their website.
• Support Climate Organizations: Explore directories of faith-based and regional climate justice organizations, such as:
  • Blessed Tomorrow’s Directory (PDF)
  • Bentley University’s Climate Justice List
• Promote Philanthropy: Consider regular donations to local or global climate initiatives.

Additional Resources:

• Katharine Hayhoe’s TED Talk: Saving Us
• Collective Honesty and Complicated Hope: An Evening with Katharine Hayhoe, an event held by The BTS Center in May 2024
• Books: Saving Us by Katharine Hayhoe and Singing the Psalms With My Son by Wilson Dickinson.
• Laudato Si and Laudate Deum

Jose Aguto is a seasoned advocate for climate action with over two decades of experience in legal and policy positions. Formerly the Associate Director of the Catholic Climate Covenant, he has worked to promote ecological conversion within the Catholic Church. His career includes roles at the Friends Committee on National Legislation and the National Congress of American Indians. Jose’s work emphasizes the integration of faith, social justice, and environmental stewardship.

Connect with the Catholic Climate Covenant

In this episode, hosts Ben Yosua-Davis and Nicole Diroff examine the evolving role of chaplains in a climate-changed world. They are joined by author, chaplain, and grief circle facilitator Terry LePage, as well as Rev. Alison Cornish, coordinator of The BTS Center's Climate Conscious Chaplaincy Initiative. Together, they explore how chaplains offer spiritual and emotional support amidst environmental crises, foster resilience, and address ecological grief.

Grounding:

Rev. Alison Cornish begins with a grounding reflection centered on a personal story about a tree near her home that was cut down. Alison explains how this ritual of acknowledgment and grief mirrors chaplaincy practices of care, presence, and connection to the more-than-human world.

Main Conversation:

Ben and Nicole engage Terry LePage and Alison Cornish in a conversation about chaplaincy in a climate-changed world.

Terry LePage:

Terry shares insights from her book Eye of the Storm: Facing Climate and Social Chaos with Calm and Courage. She introduces concepts such as the "Collapse-Aware" framework and "Islands of Compassion," which she attributes to Margaret Wheatley's "Islands of Sanity." Terry also highlights her work with the Deep Adaptation Forum, which fosters spaces for resilience and grief processing in the face of climate uncertainty.

Alison Cornish:

Alison outlines key skills chaplains bring to a climate-conscious world, including trauma-informed care, meaning-making, and support for communities navigating ecological grief and displacement. She underscores the importance of chaplains as spiritual guides during times of environmental upheaval.

Next Steps:

Here are some ways listeners can engage further:

• Join a Grief Circle: Learn how to host or join a grief circle using tools from Terry’s book, Eye of the Storm.
• Explore Deep Adaptation: Visit the Deep Adaptation Forum for resources on resilience and climate-related challenges.
• Learn About Collapse Readiness: Read Professor Jem Bendell's reflections on societal collapse and recovery.
• Engage with The BTS Center: Explore the Lament with Earth Series for reflections on ecological grief and faith-based responses.

Additional Resources:

• Beyond Climate War: Writings on Deep Adaptation to Societal Collapse
• Margaret Wheatley: Islands of Sanity
• Lament with Earth series at The BTS Center
• Professor Jim Bendell: Thoughts on Collapse Readiness and Recovery: I was wrong to conclude that collapse was inevitable.
• Beyond Climate War: Writings on Deep Adaptation to societal collapse.

Meet Guest(s):

Guest bio with social media links + headshot

Terry LePage Terry LePage is the author of Eye of the Storm: Facing Climate and Social Chaos with Calm and Courage. She facilitates grief circles and teaches nonviolent communication practices through the Deep Adaptation Forum.

Rev. Alison Cornish Rev. Alison Cornish is the coordinator of the Climate Conscious Chaplaincy Initiative at the BTS Center. She is a seasoned faith leader with a background in environmental advocacy and interfaith work.