Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation: Laudate Deum

Presbyterians for Earth Care presented a webinar to discuss the new papal document, Apostolic Exhortation Laudate Deum (“Praise God”) of Pope Francis to all people of good will on the Climate Crisis, that was released October 4, 2023 as a sequel to Laudato Si and to discuss its importance for churches and God’s creation.  The webinar was hosted by Presbyterians for Earth Care and sponsored by Center for Climate Justice and Faith at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary

Date: Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Presenters: William P. Brown, Ph.D., Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Ph.D., Mark Eakin, Ph.D., and Bruce Gillette 

William P. Brown, Ph.D. is an ordained minister of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Ga. He is the author of several books on biblical interpretation and theology, including Sacred Sense and The Seven Pillars of Creation: The Bible, Science, and the Ecology of Wonder. As a member of the Center of Theological Inquiry, Brown worked collaboratively with scientists, philosophers, and ethicists, exploring the “societal implications of astrobiology.” He has been the popular Bible study teacher for two national Presbyterians for Earth Care conferences. 

Cynthia Moe-Lobeda, Ph.D. is Professor of Theological and Social Ethics at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Church Divinity School of the Pacific, and the doctoral faculty of the Graduate Theological Union. She is founding director of the PLTS Center for Climate Justice and Faith. She has lectured or consulted in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, Oceania, and many parts of North America addressing matters of climate justice as related to race and class, economic globalization, moral agency and hope, public church, faith-based resistance to systemic injustice, and ethical implications of resurrection and incarnation. Her ethical approach weds Earth ethics to liberation theologies including eco-feminist theology. Moe-Lobeda is author or co-author of seven volumes including the award-winning Resisting Structural Evil: Love as Ecological-Economic Vocation. She is editing a new book series called Building a Moral Economy: Pathways for People of Courage.

Mark Eakin, Ph.D. worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for over 25 years and directed Coral Reef Watch, a program that monitors coral reef ecosystems through satellite and in water observations. Dr. Eakin holds a Ph.D. from the University of Miami and publishes on coral reef ecology, especially the impact of climate change on coral reefs. He has testified before Congress on the impacts of climate change, was a contributing author on the 2014 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report, and a Chief Scientific Advisor for the 2017 Emmy-winning film Chasing Coral.  Dr. Eakin taught the most well-attended seminars at the 2021 and 2023 PEC Conferences and PEC webinars.  He is a William Gibson Eco-Justice Award recipient.  He serves on the Presbyterians for Earth Care Steering Committee.  This October his congregation is dedicating their solar project that not only powers their building but is also a community solar provider.

Bruce Gillette is the Moderator for Presbyterians for Earth Care.  He wrote the overture approved by the 2016 PC(USA) General Assembly and Presbyteries that amended the Book of Order by adding the phrase “caring for God’s creation” to the ministry of all church members.  He also wrote the original draft of the “Creation and Unity” report approved by the World Communion of Reformed Churches’ 2017 General Council meeting in Germany. Additionally, Bruce helped found Delaware Interfaith Power & Light.  Bruce and his wife, Carolyn Winfrey Gillette (a gifted hymn writer), were the co-pastors of Limestone Presbyterian Church in Delaware when it installed 180 solar panels on its sanctuary roof and built community and rain gardens.  They earlier served the First Presbyterian Church in Pitman, NJ, a community that was once the number one clean-up site for the EPA Superfund.  Bruce and Carolyn are the pastors of the First Presbyterian Union Church in Owego, NY.