Rachel Wheeler, theology, will present “Greening the Desert: Reading the Desert Fathers and Mothers in a Time of Ecological Crisis” on Thursday, February 15, at 7:15 p.m., in Franz Hall room 120. Her talk is free and open to all. Wheeler will be sharing stories and teachings from the late antique Christians known as desert mothers and desert fathers. Their stories and teachings reveal profound experience of God, commitment to specific and experimental forms of Christian discipleship and spiritual companionship, and a response to the natural world characterized by curiosity and love. By interpreting their stories and teachings in light of contemporary ecological crisis, Wheeler will demonstrate how “greening the desert” results in a reevaluation of, and deepened appreciation for, the virtuous qualities these individuals’ lives disclose—qualities such as attentiveness, restraint, perseverance, and hopefulness.
For more information contact the theology department at theology@up.edu.