“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.” — Genesis 2:15, NRSVUE
This week, thousands of delegates, scientists, environmental advocates, and government officials have come together in Antalya, Türkiye, for COP31, the United Nations’ annual climate conference.1 People from all over the world are working on agreements to cut greenhouse gas emissions, fund adaptation, and slow down global warming.
I’m glad these conversations are taking place. Climate change is a global crisis that no country can solve by itself. We need countries to work together, make shared commitments, and hold each other accountable.
But I have to admit, I feel more and more conflicted about these gatherings.
For over thirty years, world leaders have come together to figure out how to respond to climate change. There has been real progress, like the Paris Agreement and promises to move toward renewable energy. Still, the United Nations keeps warning us that what we’re doing isn’t enough.
Governments keep making new promises, but fossil fuel production goes on. Negotiators celebrate deals, even though scientists say they aren’t enough. Every year, we make just enough progress to feel good about ourselves, but the ecological crisis keeps getting worse.
Sometimes I wonder if these conferences make us think that talking about change is the same as actually making change happen, even though real change is much harder.
My friend Dr. Philip Clayton, who is a philosopher and theologian, has spent years thinking about this through his work on ecological civilization.2 Philip believes that solving our environmental crisis takes more than just new technology or better policies. He says we need to rethink the basic ideas that shape our economies, institutions, and societies.
He asks:
“What actions can we take across the sectors of society in order to turn the structures of human life on this planet toward a genuinely ecological civilization? How can we all ― scholars and activists, secular and religious leaders, the private sector as well as the public ― begin to live and think the way our grandchildren will have to live and think?”
He’s asking us to picture a civilization that focuses on sustaining life, instead of always taking more from the earth.
Think about how we measure progress. Countries celebrate economic growth, more consumption, and rising markets. Businesses get rewarded for making more profit, while the environmental costs are often seen as someone else’s problem.
We’ve created very advanced ways to take resources from nature, but we haven’t done nearly as well at making sure the world can recover from what we take.
Our spiritual traditions give us some interesting alternatives. In the second creation story in Genesis, humans are placed in a garden and given the job of caring for it. The Hebrew words mean both working and protecting. We are part of a living world that came before us, supports us, and needs our care.
Sometimes, people have used biblical teachings about creation to justify humans dominating nature. But the garden story suggests something else: we are part of a living community, and for it to thrive, we need to act with responsibility and self-control.
There’s another creation story I find especially beautiful. In the Haudenosaunee tradition, Skywoman falls from the world above toward an earth covered in water. The birds see her falling, fly up to catch her, and gently set her down on the back of a great turtle. The animals come together to help. One by one, they dive under the water, hoping to bring up some mud to create land.
At last, Muskrat succeeds and brings a small handful of earth to the surface. Skywoman puts it on Turtle’s back, and the land starts to grow. She has seeds from her old world and plants them in the new earth.
Potawatomi botanist and writer Robin Wall Kimmerer explains in Braiding Sweetgrass that Skywoman’s story shows a vision of creation based on reciprocity. The animals help Skywoman survive, and she helps the living world thrive in return. The earth becomes a home because many beings work together, each giving what they can.
These creation stories come from different cultures and have their own spiritual meanings. But both ask us to think about our responsibilities in a world we didn’t make and can’t keep going on our own.
I wonder how our economies and political systems would change if we really took these relationships seriously. In an ecological civilization, success would mean the whole community of life is doing well. Are children growing up with clean water and good food? Can people live with dignity without harming the ecosystems others depend on? Are forests, rivers, oceans, and other species able to thrive with us?
These questions would change how we design cities, grow food, make energy, and share resources. They would also challenge the unfairness that lets some communities use much more than their share, while others suffer the results.
They might also change how we see the spiritual purpose of our congregations. Imagine churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other spiritual communities becoming places of ecological renewal. Their land could offer habitat and food. Their buildings could show how to use energy responsibly. Their investments could support practices that restore the earth. Their members could learn to connect spiritual growth with the daily work of caring for life.
We would still need international climate agreements, scientific research, and governments that can make tough decisions. But those agreements should fit into a bigger vision of what we want human civilization to become.
As COP31 goes on, I hope delegates will make commitments that match how serious this crisis is. I also hope we start asking ourselves a question that might matter even more than the deals made in Türkiye.
What kind of civilization are we trying to save?
Philip invites us to start living the way our grandchildren will need to live. Skywoman’s story reminds us that our survival depends on the generosity of the living world and the give-and-take we offer in return.
Maybe the future is asking us to realize that humanity’s well-being is tied to the well-being of the earth.
We have inherited an amazing living world.
Now we need to learn how to belong to it.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
How have the creation stories that shaped your spiritual imagination influenced your understanding of humanity’s relationship with the earth?
What might change in our understanding of prosperity if we measured success by the flourishing of ecosystems, communities, and future generations?
Philip Clayton asks how we might begin living and thinking as our grandchildren will need to live and think. What would that mean for one decision you or your community are making today?
A Prayer for the Day
A Prayer To Teach Us the Ways of Belonging
Holy One, breath of the forests, life within the waters, presence in the soil beneath our feet, Awaken in us the memory that we belong to the earth and to one another. Forgive our careless taking, our restless hunger for more, and the harm we have mistaken for progress. Give wisdom to those who gather to shape the future of our planet. Give courage to those who speak for the vulnerable and the voiceless. Teach our hands to restore, our economies to nourish, and our communities to practice the sacred work of reciprocity. May we leave behind a world more generous and more alive than the one we inherited. Amen.
Spiritual Practice: A Gift Returned
In the story of Skywoman, the animals offer what they have to help create a home for a newcomer. Skywoman responds by bringing seeds and cultivating the earth. Their relationship is sustained through mutual gifts.
Today, spend a few minutes outdoors, if possible, and identify something from the living world that supports your life. It might be a tree providing shade, birds participating in the ecology of your neighborhood, soil growing food, or water flowing through a nearby stream.
Consider what this part of creation gives without requiring your recognition. Then ask what you might offer in return.
Choose one practical act of reciprocity. You might plant native species, help restore a habitat, reduce pollution, support Indigenous-led conservation, or join a community effort to protect a threatened ecosystem.
If possible, make your action part of an ongoing relationship rather than a single gesture. Return to the place you have chosen over the coming months and notice what is changing.
Let this practice remind you that caring for the earth begins with recognizing ourselves as participants in its life.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
My team and I launched a new experiment we are calling “The Commons.” It’s an online space centered around communities of practice: groups of people who share a common concern, set of problems, or passion for a topic, and deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting on an ongoing basis. Join the community here.
November 17, 2026 - 12:30 - 1:30pm ET - ONLINE BOOK CLUB - As we move through the holiday season, The Commons Book Club (which I host) is trying something a little different. Rather than reading a full book together, we’ll gather each week through December around a thoughtfully selected article, poem, podcast, or short video that invites us into meaningful conversation. Our selections will explore the questions that matter to our community: How do we nurture hope in uncertain times? What does it mean to live with compassion and courage? How might spirituality, creativity, justice, and our relationship with the natural world help us imagine new possibilities for ourselves and one another? There’s no long reading commitment, and you can join us whenever your schedule allows. Each gathering stands on its own, making this an especially welcoming opportunity for newcomers and longtime members alike. Learn more here.
November 20, 2026, 7-8:45pm ET - I will be joining Jackie Sussman for an online session on practicing eidetics as part of our “Reclaiming the Power of Imagination” monthly series. Eidetic Imagery is a powerful tool for pastors, denominational leaders, coaches, and spiritual directors working with others, and for individuals seeking deeper integration and healing in their own lives. Jackie is a psychotherapist, author, and leading expert in Eidetic Image Psychology, and has spent over forty years helping leaders and individuals unlock creativity, uncover hidden strengths, and move through limiting patterns. During this session, she will lead a live Eidetic process shaped by mythic imagery, offering a direct experience of the work. REGISTER HERE.
December 1, 2026 - 7-8:30pm ET, ONLINE EVENT - Theologian Matthew Fox and I are teaming up again in a series called Journeying with the Mystics. The mystics have always emerged in times of uncertainty. They appear when old certainties are crumbling, when institutions no longer provide easy answers, and when people find themselves longing for a deeper experience of the Sacred. Join us for a 24-session exploration of the teachings of St. John of the Cross, Thomas Merton, Hildegard of Bingen, Kabir and Rumi, Meister Eckhart and more. This is more than a lecture series. It is an invitation into a living spiritual journey. Learn more and REGISTER HERE!
December 5, 2026 - A Way in the Wilderness: An Online Advent Silent Retreat, 9:00 a.m.–4 p.m. ET - I’m delighted to be leading a special Advent retreat with my friends at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. A Way in the Wilderness is an invitation to step away from the noise and demands of daily life and enter a spacious day of contemplative prayer, sacred reading, Sabbath rest, and silence. Together, we’ll explore the biblical wilderness as a place where new possibilities emerge and discover the peace that comes from recognizing the Sacred’s presence even in uncertain times. There is nothing to accomplish and no experience to manufacture. Just an opportunity to rest, listen, and remember that we do not travel through the wilderness alone. LEARN MORE.
December 8, 2026, 7-8:00pm ET - The holidays can be especially tender when we are carrying grief. Whether we are mourning someone we love, navigating changes in our health or relationships, or grieving the uncertainty of the world around us, this season can bring losses both old and new to the surface. Join us on The Commons for a special one-hour online gathering led by my friend Joy Gaertner, an Advanced Loss & Grief Recovery Specialist. Together, we will create a welcoming space to acknowledge our losses, honor what we carry through meaningful rituals of remembrance, and discover sources of hope for the season ahead. This will be a gentle evening of connection and care, with room for whatever grief you may be holding. The gathering is donation-based, and all are welcome. LEARN MORE.
December 15, 7-8:30pm ET - FREE WEBINAR - I will be joined by Dr. Charissa Mikoski, Assistant Professor of Research and Hartford Institute for Religion Research for a presentation on “The State of American Congregations: What the Latest Data Tell Us.” This webinar explores findings from the 2025 Faith Communities Today survey, including changes in worship attendance, congregational vitality, finances, volunteering, programming, and leadership. It will also examine what more than 24,000 individual attenders tell us about participation and their experiences of congregational life. Together, these findings offer a picture that is neither simply one of decline nor one of revival, but of significant change and uneven recovery. REGISTER HERE.
Fun Things My Friends Are Up To…
I get to work with such amazing, creative people. This section is my way of celebrating them—no paid promotions, just joy in what they’re creating.
THIS FRIDAY, November 13, 2026 - My friends at The Sacred Slope are hosting a timely conversation with special guest John Fugelsang, hosted by Pastor Joe Smith and Alexis Rice called The Sacred Slope Virtual Lab: We The People — Speaking Across the Faith Divide. As the recent election brings renewed attention to progressive Christian voices, this gathering reminds us that Christianity has never belonged to one political movement, denomination, or nation. Together, they’ll explore the rich diversity of Christian faith beyond American white evangelicalism, examine how religion and politics intersect, and offer practical ways to recognize misinformation, challenge harmful narratives, and build trust across deep divides. If you’re a pastor, organizer, writer, or simply someone who longs for a more compassionate and informed public conversation, this promises to be a worthwhile gathering. Learn more here.
Orchestrating Transformational Experiences — January 27–31, 2027 - My friend Gary Muszynski is offering a wonderful opportunity for those who design and lead experiences that help people and organizations change. Orchestrating Transformational Experiences is an immersive, five-day gathering among the beautiful redwoods of Marin County, California. Through storytelling, music, creative facilitation, and hands-on learning, Gary will help participants move beyond simply delivering good workshops toward designing experiences that create lasting transformation. The program is limited to an intimate cohort of 12–18 participants and is especially relevant for consultants, coaches, educators, and organizational and spiritual leaders. The retreat takes place January 27–31, 2027, with early registration pricing available through November 20. Learn more at Orchestrating Excellence
Every Monday, 12pm ET - ONLINE WRITING GROUP - My dear friend, Meryl Marshall-Daniels, is leading a writing group open to all. This is a simple and spacious writing circle for people who want time to listen inwardly and put words on the page without overthinking, performing, or polishing. Meryl offers a prompt designed to invite reflection, imagination, and attunement to what is already alive within you. The practice honors writing as a way of listening, of letting images, memories, questions, and insights surface in their own time. Learn more here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.
https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop31
https://www.philipclayton.net/
Talk is cheap enough…
climate crisis calls for deeds.
Real change, much harder.
…
Life-sustaining Earth…
shows wise, fair give-and-take work.
Wide we-world vision.
Once again exquisite and challenging. The Sky Woman video is beautiful. Having read two of Robin's books and I Eat the Stars recently, you have summarized beautifully what is ours to do! Thanks always, Cameron!