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The Church Forests of Ethiopia: Self-Paced
Professor Dave, PhD
Star Educator
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(105)
This one-time class reveals the history, culture, ecology, and environmental challenges facing the sacred forests in Africa protected by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church
Class experience
This is a one-time class for learners 12-17 years old, with a video (that can be re-watched) and slides (PDF) to keep afterward. You get more with a self-paced class: a video that is 1 hour 5 minutes long (rather than just a 55 minute class, you get 15 bonus minutes), PDF slides to keep, and study questions to help your young learner focus on the key points! The video can be paused, repeated, and re-watched too to get the most out of the class. Across the highlands of Ethiopia, forests now...
1 lesson//1 Week
Week 1Lesson 1IntroductionTopics to be covered include predevelopment ecology, historical deforestation and its consequences on food insecurity and famine, the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the place of nature in their religious worldview, the use of the forests by the church and wandering monastics, and the contemporary ecological challenges and opportunities for reforestation.
I have a PhD in Religious Studies from McGill University (a secular institution) and a MSc in Environmental Policy. The Ethiopian Church Forests is a research area of mine, and I have several high-profile publications on this topic (see Sources).
The lecture will discuss the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in relation to ecological attitudes and behaviors in order to explain why the forests are being protected. The presentation will be from a secular and academic perspective, such as it is taught at university. It is history and culture, pure and simple.
Goodin, David K. 2022. “Sacred Texts and Environmental Ethics: Lessons in Sustainability from Ethiopia,” In: State of the Art in Ethiopian Church Forests and Restoration Options, Kindu, M., Schneider, T., Wassie, A., Lemenih, M., Knoke, T. (Eds.), Springer Nature: Cham, Switzerland (In Press, scheduled to be published January 2022). Goodin, David K. 2021. “Lesson in Sustainability from Ethiopia: Faith, Forests, and Food Security,” Climate Crisis and Creation Care: Eco-Economic Sustainability, Ecological Integrity and Justice, Christiana Nellist, editor, Cambridge Scholars Publishing. Goodin, David K. 2019. “The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church Forests and Economic Development: The Case for Traditional Ecological Management.” Journal for the Study of Religion and Society, Volume 21: 1-23.
Star Educator
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(105)
Hello ! I am a professor of philosophy, ecology, and religious studies, and I will be offering classes to help students make that sometimes difficult transition to college and university. So often I see 1st year undergraduate students struggle...
Self-Paced Class
$15
for all content1 pre-recorded lesson
1 week of teacher support
Choose your start date
1 year of access to the content
Completed by 1 learner
Ages: 12-17
