Faith, Education, and the Ecological Crisis: An Online Symposium

About this event "A great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge stands before us [...] Education in environmental responsibility can encourage ways of acting which directly and significantly affect the world around us [...] living our vocation to be protectors of God's handiwork." - Pope Francis, Laudato Si', (2015, 202-217) 

Seven years after the publication of Laudato Si', educators continue to face the challenge of integrating faith and spirituality into teaching about our present ecological crisis. 

How can we empower our young people to take action and become the ecological citizens of the future?

This symposium brings together voices from across the education sector, including teachers, educators, and academics, to explore the themes of education, faith, and ecology. Join us as we share new ideas, lived experiences, and innovative research about climate education in an exciting evening of talks and presentations.

(A full version of the schedule and access links are available after registration through our online event page.)

 Keynote from Sr. Margaret Atkins 

We are excited to welcome Sr. Margaret Atkins, Canoness of St Augustine and Research Fellow at Blackfriars, Oxford University, as our keynote speaker at this symposium. As a writer and lecturer in theology, Sr Margaret has a long-standing interest in questions of faith, ethics and ecology, in Catholic Social Teaching and in the writings of St Augustine.

Her keynote, "Laudato Si’ Goes to School" will examine the key themes of Laudato Si’ in relation to school education, concluding with imagining what a dream ecological school could become.

New reflections and research 

We have a whole host of exciting panels for you, with exciting new research and reflective personal experiences from educators and academics alike. While these panels are subject to change, here is what you can expect from the evening:

Peter Bishop will participate in session 1A: Developing Climate hope for Eco-Anxieties  and will address the topic of Campaiging for Climate Education on behalf of Teach the Future

 Get in touch 

This event is hosted by the Guardians of Creation project in partnership with St Mary's University, Twickenham and the Laudato Si' Centre at the Diocese of Salford.