Religion, Education, and Deep Adaptation in the Time of Collapse

We are in a polycrisis: ecological, economical, and societal systems are in varying states of breakdown. Even if enormous changes were implemented immediately, climate chaos will continue for decades. Deep Adaptation is a concept, agenda, and international social movement which includes a framework for constructive action to adapt to an unraveling of Western industrial lifestyles. This session uses Deep Adaptation to consider the roles of education, religion, and grassroots action as we do our best to respond to extreme weather events, food insecurity, economic instability, and ecosystem collapse. We discuss how educational institutions, houses of worship, and community organizing might contribute resourcefully to our mental health and well-being. And suggest changes within academic education and spiritual formation around readiness and capacity building so that communities can respond with love and care even as polycrisis conditions increase in frequency or severity.