environment

A sign of life in one of the most contaminated places on the planet

La Oroya, Peru is one of the most contaminated places in the world. Poisoned by the emissions of a U.S.-owned metals smelter, nearly 1,000 miles of surrounding land is contaminated as much as four inches deep with lead, cadmium and arsenic.

Spiritually stitching what is torn

In just the same way mending can repair a damaged garment, we can spiritually mend relationships that are in need of repair.

‘Is this the apocalypse?’

In the latest edition of Everyday God-Talk, host So Jung Kim asks theologian Dr. Catherine Keller of the Drew Theological School a simple direct question. With the pandemic and the ecological crisis — which they had been discussing — Kim, associate for Theology in the Office of Theology and Worship, wondered, “Is this the apocalypse?” 

A just economy can provide six keys to help humans thrive

Climate change, according to the rev. abby mohaupt, has made it more difficult for many people, especially the poor, to access six keys to human existence — food, access to water, rest, home, safety and love.

Environmental justice leader speaks on fossil fuel divestment

As the Rev. José González-Colón was preparing his keynote speech for this year’s Peace Breakfast, his drafts were left in tatters by a fast-changing world rocked by protests and a pandemic raging in the midst of climate change.

A new tool for evangelism

The Rev. Dr. Leah Schade has noticed an unexpected phenomenon emerging from the coronavirus pandemic: The pastors she mentors and the students she teaches at Lexington Theological Seminary in Kentucky are feeling something akin to relief.

Presbyterian Church of Kabuga transforms schools

The Presbyterian Church of Kabuga, Rwanda, has two primary schools — Kabuga (with 310 students) and Muyumba (with 192 students). Parents, students and teachers are celebrating the fourth consecutive school year that students in Primary 6 in both schools have achieved a perfect score on Rwanda’s national examination.

Addressing climate change requires reconciliation with indigenous communities

Over the past few months, some of the world’s attention has turned to the burning of the Amazon rainforest with a primary focus on Brazil, which is home to over 60% of the primordial forest that serves as the thermostat and lungs for the planet. However, the burning and loss of forest lands in Brazil have also taken place in neighboring countries, including Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay.

Racism and environmental justice

As you travel on a patchwork section of Interstate 75 in Southwest Detroit and cross the River Rouge, this scene emerges before you: towers and tanks spreading out on both sides of the road, constituting a massive Marathon petroleum refinery.