On Feb 20-21, 2025 the Ecology, Faith and Justice Conference brought together nearly 100 attendees to discuss creation care and stewardship in our changing climate. Keynotes were delivered by Dr. Norman Wirzba (Professor of Theology and Ecology at Duke Divinity School), Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman (President & CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network) and Dr. Thomas Chesnes (PBA Professor of Biology). The event also featured three paper panels, showcasing PBA students, international guests, and our conference collaborator, Knox Theological Seminary. These discussions sparked meaningful dialogue about caring for the planet and its interconnectedness with caring for others.
Attendees had the chance to experience nature, enjoying activities such as a Lake Worth Lagoon boat tour or visiting the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary also made a special visit, bringing four rescued animals to campus.
The conference’s evening ecology fair and panel discussion showcased local organizations, including Green the Church, Beach Bucket Foundation, Manatee Lagoon, Reef Institute, PEACE (People Engaged in Active Community Efforts), Evangelical Environmental Network, CROS Ministries, and the Florida Trail Association. A highlight of the fair was a performance by the PBA Dance Ensemble, who presented a special commission set to a prayer for World Environment Day. We look forward to continuing these essential conversations and brainstorming how we, as a community, can take further steps to protect creation.
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Norman Wirzba is the Gilbert T Rowe Distinguished Professor of Theology and the Director of Research in the Office of Climate and Sustainability at Duke University. He is the author of multiple books, most recently Love’s Braided Dance: Hope in a Time of Crisis, Agrarian Spirit: Cultivating Faith, Community, and the Land, and This Sacred Life: Humanity’s Place in a Wounded World. He loves to cook, bake, make things with wood, and play the guitar.
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The Rev. Dr. Jessica Moerman is a climate and environmental scientist, pastor, educator, and advocate. She serves as the President and CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network and is a Board Member of the National Association of Evangelicals. Jessica earned her Ph.D. in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from Georgia Tech and has held research positions at Johns Hopkins University, the University of Michigan, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, studying climate change throughout Earth’s history. Previously, she was a AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow at the U.S. Department of Energy. Jessica is passionate about guiding church communities toward solutions that protect our cities, neighborhoods, and future generations from climate change and pollution.
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Dr. Thomas Chesnes is a Professor of Biology and Associate Dean for the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Palm Beach Atlantic University. A Florida native trained in systems ecology, he specializes in estuarine and field biology. Dr. Chesnes has studied wetlands, estuaries, salt marshes, and coastal systems across the western hemisphere, focusing on vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. His research spans seagrass and invertebrate ecology, fisheries management, the invasive Burmese python in the Everglades, institutional sustainability and the intersection of science, faith, and culture. He has published extensively and received numerous awards for his contributions to research and teaching.
The conference was a joint effort between PBA’s Community Transformation Center, the School of Ministry and the AAAS Creation Care Project led by Dr. Paul Gould and Dr. Tom Chesnes, with support from Knox Theological Seminary.
