Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
The objective of the Forum on Religion and Ecology (http://fore.yale.edu) is to create a new academic field of study that has implications for the development of religion and ecology as a discipline, for environmental humanities, and for environmental policy. To this end, the forum has organized numerous conferences, published books and articles, developed hybrid (online and classroom) courses, and created a comprehensive website on world religions and ecology. The largest international multireligious project of its kind, the forum recognizes that religions need to be in dialogue with other disciplines (e.g., science, economics, education, public policy). This is especially significant in understanding ways in which religious traditions have framed human-Earth interactions and in seeking comprehensive solutions to both global and local environmental problems. To this end, the forum works closely with students in the joint master’s degree program in religion and ecology between the Yale School of the Environment and the Divinity School, and with those in the M.A.R. program on Religion and Ecology at YDS. Six open online classes on world religions and ecology are available at http://www.coursera.org/yale.
In 2011 the forum released a highly acclaimed film, Journey of the Universe (http://journeyoftheuniverse.org), that narrates the epic story of universe, Earth, and human evolution. The film won an Emmy and has been shown widely on PBS and Amazon Prime Video. Accompanying the film is a book from Yale University Press and a series of twenty conversations on DVD with scientists and environmentalists. In addition, three open online classes on Journey of the Universe and Thomas Berry are available through Coursera at http://www.coursera.org/yale. The directors of the forum are Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim.