189 - Laura Van Ham, Eco-Chaplain

In this episode of Crossing Faiths, John Pinna speaks with Lauren Van Ham, an interfaith minister and the Earth Restoration Coordinator for the United Religions Initiative (URI), about the vital intersection of spirituality and environmental stewardship. Van Ham details her journey to becoming an "Eco-Chaplain," a role dedicated to caring for the Earth as our collective home, and explains how her multi-faith background informs her approach to climate action. The discussion explores the necessity of moving beyond symbolic gestures like Earth Day toward cultivating a daily, intimate relationship with the natural world, while also examining how diverse religious traditions provide theological frameworks for protecting the planet. They further discuss URI’s "Peacebuilding through Earth Restoration" program, which fosters grassroots interfaith cooperation to address issues like land degradation and resource scarcity, ultimately arguing for a shift away from anthropocentrism to recognizing humanity's deep interdependence with nature.

URI: https://www.uri.org/
About Lauren: https://www.uri.org/lauren-van-ham