In partnership with Harvard Medical School’s Center for Health and the Global Environment, Mercer’s Atlanta campus will host a multidiscplinary conference, titled “Caring for Creation: Ethical Responses to Climate Change,” Feb. 27-28, in the Atlanta Administration and Conference Center. The conference is being organized by the Atlanta Campus’ Quality Enhancement Plan Team for Mercer faculty, students and staff on the Atlanta campus.
With Harvard’s help, Mercer has secured the participation of leading scientists for this conference, such as Dr. Paul Epstein, a professor at Harvard who has written extensively on the impact of climate change on human health; Dr. Judith Curry, a professor at Georgia Tech and an expert on climate modeling and climate change; and Dr. Howard Frumkin, director of the National Center for Environmental Health, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Caring for creation is a moral obligation incumbent on every human being. It should be especially important to Christians and other people of faith who recognize that creation belongs to God and that we are called to be good stewards of it,” said Dr. David Gushee, Distinguished University Professor of Christian Ethics and conference organizer. “Climate change is recognized by scientific authorities around the world as one of the leading long-term threats to the well-being of creation — especially to human beings, our health and our civilizations. This conference will bring together some of the world’s leading experts on climate and on creation care to explore these critically important issues.”
Conference Schedule:
Atlanta Administration and Conference Center
Friday, Feb. 27
5:30 p.m. Registration (ground floor atrium)
6-7:15 Dinner (second floor atrium)
7:30-9:15 Program (auditorium, 2nd floor)
Welcome:
David P. Gushee, Mercer University
Paul Epstein, Harvard Medical School
Moderator Comments:
Michael Battle, Interdenominational Theological Center
Plenary Addresses:
Judith Curry, Georgia Institute of Technology
“The Science of Climate Change”
Howard Frumkin, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
“The Health Effects of Climate Change”
Cheryl Bridges Johns, Church of God Theological Seminary
“Religious and Ethical Reflections on Climate Change”
Discussion
Saturday, Feb. 28
8:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast (2nd floor atrium)
9-10:15 Breakout No. 1 (room locations to be announced)
Basic Climate Science: Judith Curry
Local Environmental Policy: Michael Battle
Climate Change and Human Health: Howard Frumkin
National and International Climate Policy: Paul Epstein
Greening the Campus/Lifestyle Changes: Richard Bohannon and Corrine Williams
Religious and Ethical Issues: Cheryl Bridges Johns and David Gushee
Sustainable Agriculture: Daron Joffe (“Farmer D”)
10:15-10:45 Coffee Break
10:45-noon Breakout No. 2 (sessions and locations repeated)
Noon-1 p.m. Closing Lunch (by schools, with discussion and evaluations during lunch)
For further information or to secure a spot, contact:
Theology: David Gushee, gushee_dp@mercer.edu
Education: Jacque Culpepper, culpepper_jm@mercer.edu, Wynetta Scott Simmons, scottsimm_wa@mercer.edu or Penny Elkins, elkins_pl@mercer.edu
Business: Jody Blanke, blanke_j@mercer.edu
CCPS: David Lane, lane_wd@mercer.edu
Nursing: Tanya Sudia-Robinson, robinson_ts@mercer.edu, or Brenda Rowe, rowe_bs@mercer.edu
Pharmacy: Susan Miller, miller_sw@mercer.edu
Student Life: Claire Dyes, dyes_c@mercer.edu
Library: Peter Otto, otto_pj@mercer.edu
