class: center, middle background-image: url(images/dots.png) text-shadow: 2px 2px #ff0000 "Mobilising the Churches Around the Environment": A Summary of the Research #### Jeremy Kidwell ##### University of Birmingham **School of Philosophy, Theology and Religion** 002019 Feb 25 .footnote[Email: [j.kidwell@bham.ac.uk](mailto:j.kidwell@bham.ac.uk) • Twitter [@kidwellj](https://twitter.com/kidwellj)] --- class: center, middle What does successful mobilisation look like? --- class: middle ## My definition: - Improved public visibility on issues of concern - Enhanced engagement with poliymakers - Impact! ... responsive action on both household and public policy levels --- class: center, middle But, what does successful mobilisation *look* like? Marches, demonstations, "buzz", large crowds, energy, surprises... --- Caveat #1: Not just *action* but **quality of** action - Implies a better understanding of the underpinning issues (do we understand what is at stake in mobilisation on climate change, or do we just "feel" it?) - Involves reflection on effective forms it might take - May generate less visible forms of enhanced relationality: new alliances and an improved basis for future political action. --- Caveat #2: We (Christians) have some specific barriers 1. *Policymakers* do not understand how Christians are engaging with environmental issues --- Caveat #2: We (Christians) have some specific barriers 1. Policymakers do not understand how Christians are engaging with environmental issues 2. *Scholars* do not understand how Christians are engaging with environmental issues --- Caveat #2: We (Christians) have some specific barriers 1. Policymakers do not understand how Christians are engaging with environmental issues 2. Scholars do not understand how Christians are engaging with environmental issues 3. *Christians* do not understand how Christians are engaging with environmental issues --- class: center, middle This is, in many ways, a completely new field. Eco-theology has struggled to engage with mainstream Christian scholarly reflection Social scientists have reinforced rather than questioned stereotypes about Christainity Political leadership lacks literacy about religion in Britain --- My work: - Establish a new field of study that engages theological reflection, ethnography of religious environmentalism and data science. - Theology leading a conversation with geographers, policical scientists, anthropologists, sociologists, economists. - Communicate this research to public policy audience, third sector, and Christian communities. --- class: center, middle So what have we learned so far? --- # Tactics and Tools for Mobilisation ---