None of us are immune from the reality of a changing climate, or perhaps even from the local disasters that seem to accompany it. But what does a changing climate mean for the ways people live out their faith? How is religion tied up with the ways communities actually respond to climate shocks and challenges? Dr Philip Jenkins is a professor of history at Baylor University in the United States, and co-director for Baylor's Program on Historical Studies of Religion in the Institute for Studies of Religion. He is the author of Climate, Catastrophe, and Faith: How Changes in Climate Drive Religious Upheaval. Dr Sureka Goringe is National Director of UnitingWorld, the international aid and partnerships agency of the Uniting Church in Australia.

Future of religion — A changing climate

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What does it mean to live skilfully in a world that's constantly changing? And what wisdom can Chinese philosophy offer to this question? We meet a philosopher and a master calligrapher, who have a go at tackling these big questions.

Chinese wisdom for turbulent times

Today, we're taking a break from all the noise and distraction –  to pay attention to the quality of silence. Why is so precious in so many of the world's spiritual traditions? And where, or how, do we find it? An artist shares her encounter with a transforming silence in Antarctica, and a Quaker shares her habits around seeking silence. 

Embracing silence in a noisy world

How do you cultivate curiosity? That mindset has propelled Amy-Jill Levine through a lifetime of discovery. She's learned about all kinds of things, but especially about sacred texts, and the people who read them. Today, Amy-Jill is a distinguished professor of New Testament and Jewish studies. 

Cultivating curiosity with Amy-Jill Levine

When Donna Mulhearn quit her job to go travelling, she found herself on an unusual path. First, to an Irish monastery, then to Baghdad during the Iraq War where she volunteered as a human shield. Later, she would break into a highly secure facility in Australia's Red Centre, all in the name of peace — and her pilgrimage isn't over yet. Donna Mulhearn is a labyrinth facilitator, pilgrim and storyteller. A former journalist and political advisor, when she discovered a contemplative spirituality it changed her religious outlook and set her on a new journey. She is the author of Ordinary Courage, which tells the story of her time in Iraq as a human shield.

From Iraq to Alice Springs — a pilgrim for peace

"It's not coming out, but inviting in." For Benjamin Oh, storytelling is an act of courage and hospitality, sharing his multilayered identity: gay, Chinese, Catholic. Benjamin has been an advocate for LGBTIQ+ people inside the Catholic Church and beyond for 20 years. Benjamin Oh is co-Chair of Equal Voices, a national ecumenical alliance of LGBTIQA+ Christians and allies in Australia. He is also the Chair of Rainbow Catholics Interagency Australia and Convenor of the GLBTIQA+ Interfaith & Intercultural Network (GIIN) and national Convenor of the Asian Australian Alliance. He is a contributor to Blessed Are Those Who Mourn, a collection of Chinese Tongzhi Catholic's tales and the Amplify Queer Faith portrait collection.

Future of religion — A changing climate

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