MCLA Green Living Seminar to Explore the Church's Role in Addressing the Climate Crisis

March 24, 2026

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will host the next installment of its Green Living Seminar Series on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121. The presentation is free and open to the public and will be recorded and available at mcla.edu/greenliving.

Rev. Dr. Jim Antal, author of "Climate Church, Climate World," will present "How the Church Can Engage with the Urgent Moral Crisis of Climate Change." The talk will explore the history of the Church's ecological concern, the shifts needed for religious leaders to harness the power of faith to restore the natural world, and how congregations can remain political without becoming partisan. Rev. Dr. Antal will also address how communities of faith can respond to the rise of Christian Nationalism, the importance of proclaiming truth in the face of climate denial, and how individuals and institutions can embrace grief, acknowledge discontinuity, and accept their vocation in this moment.

Rev. Dr. Antal serves as Special Advisor on Climate Justice to the head of the United Church of Christ. During his tenure leading the 350 UCC churches in Massachusetts, he preached on the climate crisis in more than 400 settings.

MCLA's Green Living Seminar Series brings environmental experts, scholars, and practitioners to campus throughout the academic year to engage students and community members in conversations about sustainability, ecology, and our relationship with the natural world.

For more information, contact Elena Traister at elena.traister@mcla.edu or 413-662-5303.

About MCLA

At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for 11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.