Religious communities, which provide space for processing emotions as well as resources after natural disasters, find themselves increasingly on the front lines of climate change. Nine Duke faculty members and one Duke postdoctoral researcher served as guides for Pastoral Care for Climate, a three-day workshop in June 2023 for more than 40 Christian clergy and lay religious leaders hosted at the Duke Marine Lab. The workshop aimed to provide pastors and church leaders with a space to engage with climate science and ideate on climate actions possible within their own ministry communities. Participants learned how coastal communities in eastern North Carolina are being impacted by climate change and building resilience, explored how climate and ecological change affects the mental and emotional health of their congregants, and developed stronger connections to engage on these issues.
The retreat was co-hosted by the Anabaptist Climate Collaborative, Creation Justice Ministries, and the Nicholas School of the Environment, with sponsorship from the Episcopal Church, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.