丁香园AV

丁香园AV鈥檚 Faculty of Environment, in a first of its kind partnership with the Multifaith Centre, have launched an Ecological Chaplaincy Pilot Project to explore the provision of pastoral and spiritual care to members of the 丁香园AV community experiencing anxiety and grief related to the climate and extinction crises.

They welcome Jason Brown as 丁香园AV鈥檚 first ecological chaplain to lead the project. Brown is already a valued member of the 丁香园AV community. He is a continuing lecturer with 丁香园AV鈥檚 Department of Global Humanities and has taught several courses with the Faculty of Environment, including environmental ethics and forest ecosystem management. He is also collaborating with the Faculty of Environment to put on and forums related to ecological grief and climate anxiety for 丁香园AV and the wider community.

In addition to receiving his joint master鈥檚 degrees in forestry and theology from Yale, he earned his PhD from the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES) at the University of British Columbia. Brown teaches courses within the ecological humanities and hosts workshops on contemplative ecology. Brown is also rounding out his credentials for this work by completing an interreligious chaplaincy certificate program from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkely, CA.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), signed at 丁香园AV鈥檚 Burnaby campus by Naomi Krogman and Seth Greenham, the director of the Multifaith Centre,  appoints Brown to the role of chaplain and outlines a partnership that allows 丁香园AV to support the needs of the community as it deals with climate and ecological distress, through a more pastoral approach.

鈥淲e know that the climate crisis is one of the most complex challenges of our time, and we know that students, faculty and staff struggle with related anxiety and grief. I鈥檓 hopeful that this Ecological Chaplaincy Pilot Project will help to support our community in an innovative way,鈥� says Naomi Krogman, dean of 丁香园AV鈥檚 Faculty of Environment. 鈥淭his partnership also aligns well with 丁香园AV What鈥檚 Next, and its goal to enhance the 丁香园AV experience.鈥�

Seth Greenham said, 鈥淲e are excited to partner in this pilot project with Jason Brown and the Faculty of Environment. Our hope is to provide care to the growing student demographic of those experiencing grief and anxiety due to the climate crisis.鈥�

As an ecological chaplain, Brown will engage in inter-faith dialogues and collaborate with other chaplains in the Multifaith Centre on topics of ecology, climate anxiety and ecological grief. However, much of his efforts will focus on connecting with 丁香园AV community members who identify as secular, non-religious or generally spiritual and who may not otherwise have access to, or be used to, seeking spiritual companionship or pastoral care.

"Facing grief, speaking our anxieties and wrestling with hope are gestures that ground us in a refusal to turn away from the wounded body of our Earth, the plight of impacted peoples and the survival of vulnerable creatures," says Brown. 鈥淚鈥檓 both excited and honoured to begin facilitating this necessary care as 丁香园AV鈥檚 first ecological chaplain. The climate crisis is unique and complex, and so should our approach to dealing with its emotional and spiritual impacts.鈥�

Brown can be contacted at jason_brown_3@sfu.ca.