And I think so much of a spiritual life is about bearing witness. And by bearing witness, we bring forth action based out of our own lived experience.

I think bearing witness is an act of conscience and consequence. I think oftentimes, we think bearing witness is a passive act. How do we bring these two hands together in prayer.Īnd for me, it is about bearing witness. On the other hand, we have this destruction. And I believe it's about bearing witness to both that which is beautiful in the world and that which pains us in the world, that on one hand, we have this beauty. And I said no, I just choose not to look away. TTW: I remember, years ago a friend said to me, Terry, you're married to sorrow. How have you found the strength to not look away from all that is breaking our hearts? How have you found the courage to not look away from destruction? And why is that important to do? How do we find the strength to not look away from all that is breaking our hearts?' I know this question is specifically meant for your students, but I'd love to ask it of you. In the syllabus for your spring 2021 course, “Finding Beauty in a Broken World,” you say: 'Beauty and brokenness surround us. Today, I’m speaking with Terry Tempest Williams, activist, conservationist, Harvard Divinity School writer-in-residence, and author of numerous books, including the environmental literature classic, Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place.įor Earth Day 2021, I wanted to speak with Terry about the course she’s teaching this semester, and about the spiritual implications of climate change, and how we can still find beauty despite the chaos that surrounds us. I’m Jonathan Beasley, and this is the Harvard Religion Beat, a podcast examining religion’s underestimated and often misunderstood role in society. So, how do we face the harsh realities and the loss associated with climate change, while still finding joy in the natural wonder that surrounds us? How do we reconcile beauty and brokenness? Yet today, as species continue to face extinction, and as weather events, heatwaves, floods, and wildfires around the world wreak havoc on populations and our planet, it can seem like, when it comes to protecting and healing our natural world, we’re taking one step forward but two steps backward. The modern environmental movement was born 51 years ago when millions of people took part in protests and rallies in streets, parks, auditoriums, and on college campuses as part of the first-ever Earth Day. Terry Tempest Williams, HDS Writer in Residence / Photo: Zoe Rodriguez

Red by Terry Tempest Williams