NORTH ADAMS — Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ (MCLA) Green Living Seminar series is back this spring, launching January 28 with a thought-provoking exploration of “Nature and Spirituality.” The 12-week series will delve into how faith, religion, and spiritual traditions shape our connection to the natural world, offering a timely and resonant discussion for a planet facing ecological challenges.
The inaugural session, beginning at 5:30 p.m. in The Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation (FCSI), Room 121, features poet David Crews presenting ‘Land & The Spiritual Journey.’ All sessions are free and open to the public, inviting community members to engage with these critical ideas.
“This semester’s theme examines the profound connections between spirituality and environmental stewardship,” said Elena Traister, MCLA professor of environmental studies and the series’ organizer. “From Indigenous perspectives to climate activism rooted in faith, these conversations are more relevant than ever.”
A Spring Semester of Exploration
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The spring 2026 schedule is packed with diverse perspectives. On February 4, Nimah Mazaheri, Professor of Political Science and Dean of Academic Affairs at Tufts University, will present ‘Faith Under Fire: How Religion Shapes Climate Concern in the Middle East.’ The following week, February 11, Dave Edson, an educator and naturalist, will lead ‘Mindful Birding and the Science of Awe: Improving Our Health & Saving the Planet.’
Did you know? Studies show that spending time in nature can reduce stress and improve mental well-being, highlighting the interconnectedness of human health and environmental preservation.
February 18 brings Alexander de Sherbinin, Director and Senior Research Scientist at Columbia Climate School’s Center for Integrated Earth System Information (CIESIN), to discuss ‘How Religion Influences Our Relationship with the Environment.’ The series continues on February 25 with ‘Tribal Historic Preservation in the Stockbridge-Munsee Ancestral Homeland,’ led by Bonney Hartley, tribal historic preservation manager of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community.
Indigenous Wisdom and Ecological Thought
March 4 features Wahieñhawi “Hawi” Hall, assistant director of Counseling and Psychological Services and Community Liaison for Indigenous Students at Cornell Health, exploring ‘Nature, Well-Being, and Indigenous Perspectives on the Interconnectedness of People and Creation.’ Russell C. Powell, a research associate at Harvard Divinity School Center for the Study of the World Religions, will present ‘Emerson’s Transcendentalism and Ecology: Politics Beyond Cynicism’ on March 11.
The latter half of the series includes Jessica Brown, executive director of New England Biolabs Foundation, discussing ‘Caring for the Sacred in Nature: The Role of Cultural and Spiritual Values in Landscape Stewardship’ on March 25. April 1 welcomes Rev. Jim Antal, a denominational leader, activist, and public theologian, to address ‘How the Church Can Engage with the Urgent Moral Crisis of Climate Change.’
Protecting Biodiversity and the Future of Faith
April 8 will feature Meredith Barges, chair of Lights Out Central NY and PhD Student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, presenting ‘How Laws Protecting Birds Strengthen Human Communities.’ Sam King, project manager at Journey of the Universe, will discuss ‘The Call of the Ecozoic: Religions Enter Their Planetary Phase’ on April 15. The series concludes on April 22 with ‘Landscapes of the Secular: Law, Religion, and American Sacred Space’ with Nicolas C. Howe, professor of Environmental Studies at Williams College.
All presentations will be recorded as podcasts and made available at www.mcla.edu/greenliving.
For more information, contact Elena Traister at [email protected] or (413) 662-5303.
