We live in a climate-changed world that faces what often feels to be an insurmountable number of challenges. Scientists note that climate change influences everything from the microlevel to the macrolevel, from the local and subcontinental to the global. It impacts our health as viruses mutate and create new illnesses. It is detrimental to our economies as land becomes arid and crops fail, homes are flooded, and livable spaces become uninhabitable. Climate change is a lasting impact that we bequeath to our children and our children’s children. How do we respond as pastors? How do we teach and preach holistically about such issues in ways that do not cause undue harm but rather provide tools, faith, and hope to a believing people and provide us with the means to be agents of change and love for the glory of God and the coming basileia (reign) of God? The Certificate in Continuing Education in Pastoral Ministries Amid Climate Challenges will look at climate change through the lenses of science, theology, and Scripture. It will train participants to prepare sermons to preach compelling sermons and prepare worship services about the topic. This Certificate is distinctive in that it includes a practicum: Participants will actually prepare sermons and practice them in a guided course.

This series of 5 online courses is designed to meet the needs of today’s busy church leaders.

Start Date: September 2025
Program Application Deadline: August 15, 2025
Program Cost: $65 application fee + $1,110
Program Format: Online

Make 12 monthly payments of $92.60 each OR prepay a discounted rate of $1,000 (cost includes tuition and academic fees).

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Students must fulfill the following requirements to have satisfactory completion of the courses recorded in order to earn certificate for 8 continuing education units:

• View all online lectures
• Read 70% of the course material
• Participate in the online discussion through an average of at least 2 posts per week
• Continuing Education Courses completed are not granted academic credit, and thus are not transferable to other programs.

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Program Curriculum

Beginning September 2025

Faith and Science Amid Climate Changes || September 2025
Dr. Lisa J. Graumlich is Dean Emerita of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington, where she continues to teach courses on sustainability, and a Deacon of St. Andrews Church in Tucson, Ariz. A renowned paleoclimatologist, she has devoted her career to investigating and sharing insights into the impacts of climate change.

Dr. Christopher McMahon is a systematic theologian who teaches at Saint Vincent College and Seminary in Latrobe, Penn. With 34 years of teaching experience at the secondary, post-secondary, seminary, and graduate levels, Dr. McMahon brings his longstanding commitment to high-quality theological education to Lexington Theological Seminary, where he teaches in the Master in Pastoral Studies in Roman Catholic Studies program.

Reading the Bible Amid Climate Challenges || November 2025
Dr. Samaria Divine currently serves as the Director of Community Engagement for Doctoral Initiatives at the Forum for Theological Exploration (FTE). Originally from Liberia, West Africa, Dr. Divine’s interests are in reading the Hebrew Bible through a postcolonial, West African lens.

Preparing Sermons for a Climate-Challenged World || February 2026
Dr. Xavier Johnson is an Assistant Professor in the Practice of Preaching and Black Church Studies at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He was a Kinship Group Facilitator and an Eco-Preaching Coach for the “Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World Project,” a collaborative project of LTS, The BTS Center, and Creation Justice Ministries.

Practice Preaching for a Climate-Challenged World || April 2026
Rev. Dr. Leah Schade is the Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship at LTS. She is an ordained Lutheran minister who has authored various books. Currently, she is the director of the Lilly Endowment, Inc. project “Compelling Preaching for a Climate-Changed World,” in partnership with LTS, The BTS Center, and Climate Justice Ministries.

Worship and Song Amid Climate Challenges || June 2026
Rev. Dr. Catherine Williams is the Associate Professor of Preaching and Worship and Director of Chapel Worship at Lancaster Theological Seminary, Lancaster, Penn. She is an ordained United Methodist Elder and recently authored the book, Preaching and Music: Powerful Partners in Proclamation (Cascade Books, 2025). Dr. Williams teaches “Proclamation and Song” at LTS.