2021 Religion and Ecology Summit
Indigenous Lifeways, Cosmologies & Ecology: Connecting to Past, Restor(y)ing Present & Future

It has been brought to our attention that the title of our event overlaps with the non-profit Indigenous Lifeways. To be clear, our event is not affiliated with this organization.

In partnership with local advisors and with the support of Fetzer Institute, Kalliopeia Foundation, the Forum for Religion & Ecology and other anonymous donors, the 2021 Religion & Ecology Online Summit gathers to recognize sacred land stewardship and current ecological initiatives in Native and Indigenous communities of California territories. Indigenous approaches to biocultural stewardship and sacred sites offer insight to the inquiry of Religion and Ecology, which explores how spiritual beliefs and practices affect the natural world.

A series of panel discussions, film screenings, and community forums explore the biocultural stewardship and restoration work of Native and Indigenous communities through the interconnected areas of food sovereignty, stewardship of ancestral lands, and environmental justice within the broader context of Religion & Ecology. Our esteemed presenters offer diverse perspectives on the theme, bridging worldviews and pedagogies to enrich our exploration of Religion & Ecology through the interconnected areas of food sovereignty, stewardship of ancestral lands, policy, and protection of sacred sites. Explore the links below to watch the presentations and engage with ongoing projects from the community.

At CIIS, we recognize and deeply respect that our university’s building in San Francisco occupies traditional, unceded Ramaytush Ohlone  land. We remember the violence and forced removal of Indigenous people from this land, and we grieve their lives and the ongoing trauma that is endured by their descendants. We grieve never truly knowing the vitality of Earth beneath these paved streets. We grieve the pervasive impacts of colonialism and vow to unlearn ways of life that perpetuate this harm. It is only through an acknowledgement of this shared reality that we can take the first steps in honorable relationship.

If you are interested in learning more about native lands, languages, and territories, the website native-land.ca is a helpful resource from Native Land Digital that supports education about and acknowledgement of those who host us on ancestral land.

Access the video archive for the 2021 Religion & Ecology Summit in the conference schedule below. Click on the title for each presentation to view the recording of that segment.

Watch the Convener's Welcome here!