If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know that one of our frequent—and recent—guests is Victoria Loorz, one of the founders of the Wild Church movement. In this conversation, she discusses her book Field Guide to Church of the Wild, which serves as a resource for individuals and communities seeking to reconnect with nature and spirituality. The book is a collection of stories, practices, and prayers from the Wild Church Network, aimed at fostering a deeper relationship with the natural world. Loorz emphasizes the importance of listening to nature, the diversity of spiritual practices, and the role of community in creating a sacred space outdoors. The conversation also touches on environmental concerns and the hope found in nature, encouraging listeners to embrace their kinship with the earth.

About the book Field Guide to Church of the Wild

Wild Church Network

Center for Wild Spirituality

Takeaways

• The book is a follow-up to Church of the Wild
• It provides resources for starting wild church gatherings.
• Nature invites us into a sacred relationship with God.
• Listening to our own yearnings is the first step.
• Wild Church is an emerging spiritual practice.
• Diversity in spiritual practices enriches community.
• The field guide format encourages exploration and play.
• Practices in the book can be adapted by anyone.
• Community gatherings can include diverse spiritual backgrounds.
• Hope can be found in nature amidst environmental crises.

Keywords: Church of the Wild, spirituality, nature, field guide, community, environmental care, kinship, diversity, listening, hope, Wild Church, Seminary of the Wild, Center for Wild Spirituality

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As always, Earthkeepers is on the lookout for stories of faith communities who are creating new, imaginative ways to integrate creation care into the values and practices of faith life. In episode 121 for example, we spoke with folks at the Rainier Avenue Church about their urban community garden and their creation care study group. In this episode, Forrest talks with Matt and Mary Anne Ryan about their church’s efforts to engage in social justice by growing fresh produce for their community’s foodbank. Their faith community—called Vineyard Christian Fellowship, located just north of Chicago—has converted a large part of their property into what they call the Vineyard Farm. In that context, Matt and Mary Anne are pioneering some great new ideas in community-based earth care.

Evanston Grows

Evanston Vineyard Christian Fellowship

Vineyard Farm

Vineyard Farm Photos and Vids

Keywords: Evanston Grows, Vineyard Church, food insecurity, community farming, environmental justice, volunteer opportunities, creation care, sustainable practices, church initiatives, local produce, nature, environmental stewardship, church, community, creation care, theology, sustainability, future generations, partnership, small beginnings

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This is a podcast interview that took place almost five years ago. We’ve chosen to air that episode again because it really speaks about the formative stages of the Earthkeepers podcast, and serves as a reminder that one of our core purposes has always been, even from the very beginning, to give more air space to “corrective voices from the margins” as often as we can. And that includes Indigenous voices.

In this episode Forrest talks with Lenore Three Stars. Lenore is a member of the board for Circlewood—and Circlewood, as you may know, is the larger creation care community to which the Earthkeepers belongs. In many ways, Lenore has had a shaping influence on the priorities and values of this podcast. In particular, as a member of the Lakota people, she has helped us to understand and embrace elements of an indigenous world view.

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Earthkeepers podcast is committed to helping communities think creatively and boldly about ways they might care for the places where they live. In this episode, Forrest chats with three people—Rachel, Logan, and Celize—about the ways in which Rainier Avenue Church, an urban faith community in Seattle, is trying to actively integrate earth care and faith practice. Among other things, these folks have been seeking to learn and grow in their understanding of earthkeeping through a multi-week group discussion. Notably, all of their themed sessions are oriented both around readings, but also on episodes of this podcast. We love that idea, of course, and appreciate the creative, community building experimentation that it represents. Here then are Rachel, Logan, and Celize discussing how they have been promoting creation care thinking and action in their urban Seattle neighborhood.

Rainier Avenue Church
Rachel's Creation Care Discussion Group Curriculum

Takeaways

• Community living fosters deeper connections and support.
• Eco-theology bridges the gap between faith and environmental care.
• Oral storytelling enhances understanding of scripture.
• Sustainability is a journey that evolves over time.
• Gardening connects individuals to their heritage and community.
• Church communities can be catalysts for environmental awareness.
• Diverse experiences enrich discussions on earth care.
• Scripture reveals a strong connection to creation care.
• Healthy soil is fundamental to human health.
• Community engagement is essential for fostering relationships.
• The use of different lenses impacts our understanding of scripture.
• Creation care is often overlooked in church discussions.
• The gospel should encompass restoration of all creation, not just souls.
• Awareness of environmental degradation can lead to a sense of hopelessness.
• Churches need to take ownership of their impact on the environment.
• Social justice and environmental justice are interconnected.
• Community engagement is essential for meaningful impact.
• Love of place fosters deeper connections within communities.
• Younger generations seek tangible connections between faith and real-world issues.
• Hope exists in grassroots movements and indigenous teachings.
  
  Keywords:
  community, eco-theology, environmental justice, earth care, communal living, sustainability, social justice, gardening, faith, scripture, creation care, environmental justice, church responsibility, social justice, community engagement, faith praxis, ecological theology, hope, interconnection, love of place
  
  
  

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At the end of last year, Forrest spoke with Victoria Loorz about the ways in which a more ecologically-conscious faith offers hope for “edgewalkers”— a term used to describe Christ followers who have moved away from the center of conventional church, and moved toward the creative edges of the institution—those generative marginal spaces where new imaginings and alternative expressions of faith life are being explored. In this episode, the conversation continues with Victoria — cofounder of the Wild Church movement, and current director of the Center for Wild Spirituality. This episode focuses on a pragmatic question: What are some things we can actually do to practice a more ecologically informed faith life? Here is part two of that conversation with Victoria Loorz.

Guest: Victoria Loorz
Center for Wild Spirituality
Wild Church Network

Takeaways

• Wild spirituality encourages a connection with nature.
• Creation-centered practices can rejuvenate faith.
• Encountering the sacred requires courage and intentionality.
• Urban environments can also be spaces for spiritual practice.
• Reverence transforms our relationship with the natural world.
• Gardening fosters a long-term relationship with nature.
• Understanding life cycles deepens our spiritual awareness.
• Emotional expressions, like tears, are sacred experiences.
• Awareness of the divine presence is essential in daily life.
• Faith is meant to be constantly evolving and reborn.

Keywords: wild spirituality, creation-centered practices, sacred encounters, urban spirituality, reverence, gardening, life cycles, emotional connection, awareness, evolving faith

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In recent past episodes you might recall hearing the term “edgewalkers”—and by that term, we mean those of us who have moved away from the center of conventional church and faith praxis, and moved toward the creative edges of the institutional church where new imaginings and alternate expressions of faith life are being explored. That includes, of course, new ways of thinking about and experiencing God in and through creation. In our interview with John Phillip Newell earlier this season, he described that mode as dwelling in the space between temple and the wilderness. In this episode, Forrest talks with a good friend and fellow edgewalker Victoria Loorz—cofounder of the Wild Church movement, and current director of the Center for Wild Spirituality, or Seminary of the Wild, as it is also known. In this, part one of their conversation, they explore the idea of what it means to practice prophetic critique of the mainstream church while still loving the church and seeking to be part of its reformation and renewal.


Guest: Victoria Loorz
Center for Wild Spirituality
Wild Church Network

Takeaways

• Victoria shares her personal journey of caregiving and its impact on her work.
• The shift in worldview is essential for creating a new narrative in spirituality.
• Community is vital for those feeling disconnected from traditional church settings.
• Edgewalkers play a crucial role in exploring new spiritual paths.
• Restoring sacred relationships with nature is fundamental to wild spirituality.
• Fear and resistance often hinder creativity in faith practices.
• The concept of othering is prevalent in both culture and spirituality.
• The church has a significant role in addressing the climate crisis.
• Love is the foundation of stewardship and ecological care.
• Practicing wild spirituality involves intentionality and openness to new experiences.

Keywords: wild spirituality, edgewalkers, sacred relationships, community, climate crisis, love, stewardship, othering, church, worldview shift, Newell, wild church, seminary of the wild

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Toward the end of the year Earthkeepers podcast always releases a special holiday episode that breaks from the usual interview mode. In this episode, we’re gifting a passage from our friend Christine Sine’s book called Celtic Advent: Following an Unfamiliar Path Through Advent. Earthkeepers recommends this book because in it, Christine brings fresh, life-giving perspective on the conventional Western practices of advent. According to those Western practices, the advent season this year begins on Sunday, December 1—so why offer an advent reflection in November? In her book, Christine explains: “for Celtic and Orthodox Christians, advent begins the evening of November 15th – forty days before Christmas Day. Celtic Christians always prayed and fasted for 40 days in preparation for any major life event, whether it be the planting of a new monastic center, the beginning of a new adventure, as well as for preparation for Christmas and Easter.” Given the Celtic theme of the passage, it is read by Brother Seán Aherne, an Irish monk who is very familiar with the St. Kevin story that is featured in this episode.

Christine’s website, Godspacelight
Book: Celtic Advent: Following an Unfamiliar Path

Brother Seán Aherne ( born 1946 ) is a Celtic Christian monk living in a small monastery on outskirts of Dublin. He is Director & founding member of the John Moriarty institute for Ecology & Spirituality in Dingle, County Kerry. Together with Míchael W.Higgins he edited : Introducing John Moriarty In His Own Words. He is a passionate supporter of John Moriarty’s vision for a Christian Monastic Hedge School for Adults called Slí na Fírinne. Over the years he animated & directed many retreats on Celtic Spirituality & the Native Irish Wisdom Tradition.

Keywords: Advent, Celtic Advent, creation care, Saint Kevin, spirituality, environmentalism, community, nature, God, reflection, Glendalough, John Scotus Eriugena, John Philip Newell, Christ of the Celts, Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael

Takeaways

· Celtic Advent begins 40 days before Christmas for preparation.
· Creation is an expression of God, not a void of nothingness.
· Our view of creation reflects our attitude towards God.
· Saint Kevin exemplifies a deep connection with nature.
· The incarnation of Christ emphasizes God's care for creation.
· Recognizing God's concern for all creation is vital.
· Engaging with nature can enhance our spiritual lives.
· Reflection on creation can deepen our understanding of God.
· Welcoming creation into our lives can be an Advent practice.

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What are the prospects for the planet now that Trump has been re-elected? What are the implications of the recent election in terms of how we advocate and care for the earth? In this urgent no-frills episode, James and Forrest offer thoughts on how we might care for ourselves AND how we can persist and persevere in our calling as earthkeepers. They reflect on the recent election's impact on future progress in climate action and the emotional responses it has elicited in many. They discuss the importance of grieving without falling into despair, finding community support, and taking actionable steps towards environmental care. The dialogue emphasizes the need for resilience, the power of letting our actions speak louder than words, and engaging with nature as a source of healing and comfort.

Takeaways

• Grieving is essential, but it should not lead to despair.
• Finding community is crucial during difficult times.
• Actions speak louder than words in climate advocacy.
• We must define our beliefs and live them out fiercely.
• Nature can provide solace and healing.
• It's important to reach out to others who share your concerns.
• Witnessing a better way can inspire change.
• Taking action, no matter how small, is vital.
• Look for the divine in everyone, even those with opposing views.

Keywords: climate action, grief, community, environmentalism, hope, divine presence, healing, sustainability, post-election, earth care, Trump, Inflation Reduction Act, global leadership, global warming, renewable energy

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