Al Gore on the Antarctic Isle of Patmos (Revelation)
Cataclysms and bad news aren’t the only things that can cascade. So can thoughts and memories and connections. I remembered that the first time I had ever heard about the possible collapse of what is called the global ocean conveyor belt was in Al Gore’s 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth.
Should the 1.5° Climate Target Be Sent to Hospice Care?
Hope for the possibility of the 1.5°C target has been an illusion for nearly a decade; an assessment by experts siloed within their narrow disciplines projecting a possible case provided that, if everything outside of their realm goes just right (e.g. politics, international relations, military conflict, banking systems, religious engagement, etc.), then maybe they can still model their 1.5°C scenario.” Glibness? Cruelty? Irrelevance? Whatever it felt like, it made me wake up and realize that desperate hospital waiting rooms are populated by more than just medical experts, grieving families, and timid siblings. Chaplains—professional in their own right—are also common figures at hand in a hospital when calamitous pronouncements are made. It is an act of great leadership—spiritual, emotional—for a chaplain to step forward and compassionately suggest, “It may be time that we consider a different approach to care.” Read More
Lazarus's Sisters Emote over the IPCC Report (John 11)
Excerpt: There is no doubt about it, John 11 is the story of a miracle. Jesus calls Lazarus forth from the grave and it is another one of Jesus’s seven signs in this gospel that he is divine, another occasion for one of his seven I AM statements, in this case, “I am the resurrection and the life.” I will begrudge no one in our Climate Intercessors prayer network who wants to pray for the miracle of preventing a 1.5°C warming. Yet, as I read John 11, while it is obviously the story of a miracle, I don’t believe it is a story about miracles. It is about death and life, and about how in Jesus we live, and breath, and have our being even unto eternity. Read More.
Book Review: Curveball
Our colleague, Sean Curran recently wrote a book review for the WCIU Journal of Peter Enns’ new book, ‘Curve-ball.” Read the full article on the WCIU Journal webiste.
Celebrating a Contemporary Scholar!
In honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to celebrate a contemporary scholar and friend, Dr. Gina Zurlo.
Getting to Know the New President
Listen in as our Executive Vice President, Peter McLallen, Ph.D. interviews WCIU’s new President, Paul Cornelius, Ph.D. We hope you enjoy getting to know Paul as much as we do!
Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Mullin
Recently, I had the pleasure of connecting with WCIU alumni, Sarah Mullin. Sarah works with a creative access people group by making strategic connections at her local college campus. Working mostly with refugees, Sarah has been able to conduct research, provide practical care through relational community building and give much-needed support to her vulnerable neighbors…
“It is NOT Al Jaber’s COP28.”
Dear Ed and Julia: I am concerned about God’s creation and so I try to stay informed and engaged about climate change. I am greatly troubled by the recent announcement that the host government for COP28, U.A.E., has appointed Sultan Al Jaber to serve as the president of the climate summit. Meanwhile, Al Jaber intends to retain his role as CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world’s largest petroleum producers. Read More
Climate Change’s Mental Health Crisis is a lot like Sea Level Rise, but There’s Hope
It’s December 2018 at the COP24 climate summit in Katowice, Poland, and I am as depressed as I have ever been. It didn’t help that I had an attack of kidney stones during my layover in Brussels. It didn’t help that my normal set of colleagues at these climate summits weren’t attending this one. I was alone. I was alone on a mattress on the floor of my price-gouging AirBnb, touk and gloves on to try and ward off the cold. And then there was the summit itself. Poland was hosting COP24 in their coal-mining region, promoting “just transition” seemingly as a way to keep promoting the fossil fuel itself. When the climate march rolled around on the Saturday after the first week, phalanxes of Polish police in riot gear were out in full force. COP24 is generally considered a “failed” COP, precisely at the time when the Paris Agreement needed to shift into a higher gear.
Jael, Mary, and Serpent Heads
Jael, like Mary, the mother of Jesus, is hailed as the “most blessed of women,” (Judges 5:24). Yet Jael’s story has raised some eyebrows. These objections, in turn, have contributed to her not being seen as a hero, but as an example to avoid.
Praying into a New Season
As we quickly approach the close of 2022 and prepare to welcome incoming President, Dr. Paul P. Cornelius the leadership of William Carey International University would like to invite our esteemed colleagues, networks, family, and friends to join us in praying for our academic community as we continue to pursue greater flourishing in line with our vision statement.
William Carey International University Selects New President
The Board of Directors is pleased to announce Paul P. Cornelius, Ph.D. has been selected to serve as the 10th President of William Carey International University (WCIU). This marks the end of a nine-month discernment process that included a competitive pool of candidates from all over the world. Dr. Cornelius is expected to begin his tenure in January 2023.
Deuteronomy and the Paris Covenant in Sinai
Deuteronomy is about the 'treaties' that we make with God that supersede any treaty, like the Paris Agreement, that nations make with each other. Its stated motivation behind its restatement of the Ten Commandments is markedly humanitarian. And its theme that 'the past is always present' should encourage us that God is still as active in 2022 as he was when the shekinah glory fell on Moses.
China’s Foreign Minister Addresses the Asia Society in New York
In his address, Wang references various issues at stake in the China-U.S. relations and expounds their historical context and development to illuminate his points. He calls for attention to the great potential of China-U.S. cooperation...
2022 Convocation Address
On September 15th we celebrated this year’s Convocation to commence our new academic year. Our Acting Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Grace May encouraged our community with an address to “Pray, and don’t give up.” Watch her full address in this post.
Press Release: Eden Vigil Institute for Adaptive Leadership and the Environment
Today, William Carey International University is officially launching our newest Institute, The Eden Vigil Insitute for Adaptive Leadership and the Environment under the direction of Lowell Bliss. We are continually humbled by the caliber of people who have made WCIU their home and nothing could be truer about Lowell Bliss and the work he has done with Eden Vigil. We invite you to read further and get to know the vision behind the Eden Vigil Institute for Adaptive Leadership and the Environment, Its history, and where we see things heading. READ MORE…