Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary of California Lutheran University

Center for Climate Justice and Faith

Read Center Overview

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
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“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:

Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith (English)

Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith (Spanish)

Concentration in Climate Justice and Faith

Community Organizing for Climate Justice as Love in Action

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FEATURED NEWS:

clipping of statement from newspaper

Shut Down Red Hill

For her final project in the Community Organizing for Climate Justice training, Rev. Brianna Lloyd is building an interfaith movement to advocate for the full closure and removal of the Red Hill Fuel Storage Facility that is threatening drinking water in the Kapūkakī (Red Hill) area on Oʻahu, HI. Read more.

FEATURED VIDEO: Hymn sung by Julie, Nathan, and Sam (PLTS students)

“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.

Hear from Concentration in Climate Justice students:

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?

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Description

This certificate program offers a cohort-based, contextually-rooted online curriculum for Spanish-speaking people in Latin American, the Caribbean, and North America. The curriculum equips participants with moral, spiritual, and practical power for leadership in the work of climate justice in communities of faith and in collaboration with others. Topics covered include theology, ethics, and spirituality related to climate justice; climate change knowledge; and social change practices that connect ecological well-being with racial, economic, and gender justice.

Completing this program earns participants six Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits. Participants will spend 2-3 hours per week in the program including implementing a practical project aimed at climate justice. Long-term collaboration and networking are expected to endure well beyond certificate completion.

The inaugural Spanish-language Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith will launch in February/March 2023.

Partner Organizations

  • Seminario Luterano Augsburgo (SEMLA) in Mexico
  • Universidad Luterana Salvadorena in El Salvador
  • Instituto para la Pastoral Contextual of the Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Unida of Argentina and Uruguay
  • Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Tuition

  • $600 for the entire program (optional resources from outside organizations may request contributions).
  • Scholarships of up to $550 are available based on need.

Interested?

Click here to register your interest and receive applications materials when they are available.

Questions?

For more information please contact:

Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo

 

Lee en Español

Working Group (Planning and Advisory):

Rev. Dr. Neddy Astudillo, Coordinator of the Spanish-language Certificate in Climate Justice and Faith at PLTS

Rev. Dr. Mercedes Garcia Bachmann, Director and Professor of Old Testament at the Instituto para la Pastoral Contextual of the Iglesia Evangélica Luterana Unida of Argentina and Uruguay

Elena Cedillo, Program Executive for Climate Justice, Department for Theology, Mission, and Justice, Lutheran World Federation

Rev. Dr. Francisco Javier Goitía Padilla, Director of Theological Formation for Seminaries and Schools of the ELCA

Phoebe Morad, Executive Director for Lutherans Restoring Creation and PLTS Coordinator of Certificates in Climate Justice and Faith

Lic. Fidel Nieto Laínez, Rector of the Universidad Luterana Salvadorena

Rev. Dr. Carmelo Santos, Director for Theological Diversity and Ecumenical and Interreligious Engagement in the Office of the Presiding Bishop of the ELCA

Rev. Dr. Anjela Trejo Haager, Coordinadora of the Seminario Luterano Augsburgo (SEMLA) in Mexico