Integral Ecology Summer School 2025

Participants from around the world gathered for a Jesuit-led Summer School dedicated to integral ecology, bringing together scholars, practitioners, and community leaders engaged in ecological issues. Their backgrounds ranged from scientific research and theology to grassroots projects with vulnerable and marginalised communities.

The programme began at Campion Hall, Oxford, where participants were welcomed by Dr. Patrick Goujon SJ, Superior of the community, and Dr. Peter Rožič SJ, Director of the Integral Ecology Research Network. These opening days focused on intellectual formation, spiritual grounding, and community building within Campion’s rich tradition of academic and social engagement.

The second half of the programme took place at Belmont Abbey, a Benedictine monastery on the England–Wales border. This rural setting provided space for reflection, ecological spirituality, prayer, and hands-on engagement with nature.

The curriculum combined lectures, spiritual practice, and dialogue on topics such as regenerative agriculture, deep incarnation theology, and ecological readings of the Spiritual Exercises. Contributors included leading scholars such as Dr. Amar Nayak (XIM University, India), Dr. Celia Deane-Drummond (Oxford University), Dr. Jenny Howell (Baylor University), and Dr. Austen Ivereigh.

Participants also shared their own projects, from Jesuit decarbonisation initiatives and anthropological research in Amazonia and Asia to digital pastoral tools like a Laudato Si’-inspired Chinese-language platform. These sessions encouraged collaboration and exchange within a truly global network.

Workshops complemented the academic programme, including a session by Amishi Agrawal on Jesuit agro-ecological projects across Africa and a visual storytelling workshop led by Miko Cempla, equipping participants to communicate ecological issues more effectively.

The Summer School fostered a rich blend of scholarship, spirituality, and action, empowering participants to advance ecological justice in their communities worldwide.

One of the most memorable moments of the Summer School was the visit of the Earth Elders—a US-based conservation charity working with Indigenous communities to restore degraded ecosystems and safeguard biodiversity by elevating ancestral wisdom and forming new ecological leaders. In a compelling dialogue moderated by Dr Séverine Deneulin and Marianna Beltrami, the Earth Elders shared wisdom from Indigenous communities across the globe and reflected on their alignment with the vision of ecological conversion expressed in Pope Francis’s Laudato Si’. The event concluded with a shared lunch at Campion Hall, offering an intimate space for conversation and connection.

The final part of the programme unfolded at Belmont Abbey, where participants were warmly welcomed by Abbot Brendan Thomas and joined in the rhythm of the monastic community. The quiet countryside allowed space for deeper prayer, rest, and reflection on the themes explored during the week. Participants also spent time working on a nearby sustainable farm, gaining practical experience in planting, harvesting, composting, and animal care—an immersive encounter with the daily labour of ecological stewardship. Evening walks, shared meals, and an informal vegetarian barbecue brought the programme to a close with a renewed sense of friendship, mission, and joy.

To explore a collection of photographs from the programme and learn more about the institutions involved in this summer school, visit the Integral Ecology Research Network webpage at the link provided here.