This week I’ll begin a distance learning course on the topic of climate change, and I’ll be joined by a few friends. We’ll be studying the materials on our own and as a group, then hopefully we’ll be sharing what we learn with others through discussion nights, workshops, or other methods.

The course is offered by the Wilmette Institute, a Baha’i learning site. Baha’is are members of a religious group who believe in the science of climate change, and think about how the spiritual life of humanity figures into the attitudes, beliefs, and practices that fuel social and environmental problems.

Here’s a description of the course, from the Wilmette Institute:

“Climate change is one of the greatest social-justice issues of our time because its devastating effects hurt people of color, indigenous people, and the poor first–all of whom have contributed the least to global warming. Climate change is also an issue of justice for future generations because human actions now and in the next twelve years will determine how warm the Earth will get, which will have an impact on the climate for centuries to come. With only 1°C warming so far, we have already experienced more devastating storms, heat waves, droughts, wildfires, floods, and sea-level rise. The Baha’i teachings offer the spiritual foundation and ethical guidance to address this problem effectively. This Climate Change course provides knowledge about the causes and impacts of climate change and stimulates reflections on possible actions at the individual, community, and institutional levels while connecting with deeper spiritual principles.”

I’ll be getting access to course materials soon. If I learn anything especially compelling, I’ll share the highlights.