As part of Augustana College's expanded educational opportunities for its students and faculty, The Rev. Dr. Nancy Wilson will speak on Saturday, March 21, 2pm, on the topic, "A Faith Big Enough for an Epic Climate Crisis!" at Ascension Chapel.
Dr. Wilson is the global moderator of the Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) which was founded in 1968 as a church which welcomed, and was led by, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer Christians. MCC today has a presence in over 40 countries. Dr. Wilson was part of the first LGBT faith delegation to meet with White House staff in 1979, and served as a member of President Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
MCC was the first to publically celebrate same-sex marriages and were the originators of World AIDS Day. Today, MCC is breaking new ground by working across all lines of difference and at the intersection of issues to make the world a better place for all living creatures. In 2014, Rev. Wilson was named as one of the spokespeople for Blessed Tomorrow, a team of twenty-one top ecumenical and interfaith leaders to spearhead an effort to mobilize religious communities to address environmental concerns. Blessed Tomorrow emerged from EcoAmerica MomentUs, a group that invited Rev. Wilson to join in 2013 as they began to formalize their strategy to secure grassroots support through faith groups to work toward climate solutions in their congregations, communities, and homes.
As Dr. Wilson writes,
"The question for us today is, can we unpack our own queer stories to read the signs of the times and become leaders in this movement to make this planet home for every living creature -- not just human creatures?"
There will be an opportunity for students and the public to meet Dr. Wilson and ask questions after the presentation.
