Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University

Center for Climate Justice and Faith

Connecting Ecological Healing to Racial and Economic Justice

Hear from our students:

“Through this course, I have been deeply connected to God…. My life has transformed since I began this program… I am excited to work with everyone in my congregation to raise awareness of climate justice and empower people made vulnerable as a result of the climate crisis and migration. It’s going to be an amazing experience!”

Sabi Elizabeth Aitiya
—member of Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria and founder/CEO of a social justice non-profit

“Participating in the cohort at PLTS has strengthened my understanding of the situations others face outside my own realm of experience….Now, I feel called to create resources, communications, liturgies and more for people from small congregations, especially in rural areas.”

Lisa Swanson Faleide
— writer, theologian and farm-owner, Fargo, North Dakota

“The reality of climate change is fast becoming a crucial issue in Nigeria, change in rainfall pattern and drying streams is posing challenge to faith and religious community. I seek to be equipped in raising ethical and theological discussion on climate actions.”

Kolade Fadahunsi
— Director of Institute of Church and Society- Ibadan, Nigeria

“I have learned and grown much through my relationships with those in my cohort who share the realities of how the climate crisis has impacted their lives, and I’ve been inspired by the ways they have helped heal their communities. The Certificate program at PLTS has provided me with many tools to use to discover faith responses to the climate crisis.”

Larry Ryan
— retired high school teacher, member of Delaware-Maryland Synod Creation Care Team

“I was fascinated by the course materials and the cohort style. The opportunity to learn how other siblings in Christ view their relationships with God, creation and humanity has been indescribable….I absolutely cannot wait to see what our cohort accomplishes!”

Ashley Procanyn
— activist and graduate student in Natural Resources/Sustainable Development, Pennsylvania

“The desire to be an advocate for climate justice led me to this program….Working with the other students has made me realize that…climate change has affected almost every corner of the world in different ways. In my own community, I have been planting trees on a small scale. This is the work I will continue to pursue after I finish the certificate, since my region is fast becoming a desert due to deforestation.”

Kwanele Ncube
— Pastor and Dean in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe

Learn more about our programs:

Want to learn more? Sign up for our newsletter to get connected with the Center for Climate Justice and Faith community through monthly newsletters and periodic announcements.

Featured News:

Applications for the 2023-24 cohort of the Certificate in Climate Justice & Faith are open! Applications due June 15, 2023. Apply here.

FEATURED VIDEO:

“Climate justice” holds that the climate crisis is inherently a crisis of racial, gender, and economic inequity. The humans suffering first and foremost the ravages of climate change are disproportionally the world’s people of color and economically poor people. Thus, climate justice weds efforts to address climate change with efforts toward racial and economic justice.

Why did you choose to do this Concentration in Climate Justice and Faith?

What excites you about being a student in the Concentration?

What is your dream for incorporating what you’ve learned at PLTS into your ministry?

Why did you choose to do this Concentration in Climate Justice and Faith?

Why did you choose to do this Concentration in Climate Justice and Faith?