Groundbreaking Documentary about Religious
Environmentalism in America Released

NEW YORK CITY, NY///April 10, 2008///Renewal, the groundbreaking documentary about religious-environmentalism in America, is now available for purchase by the public. The Forum on Religion and Ecology’s screening of Renewal was a centerpiece event at our recent conference at Yale, “Renewing Hope: Pathways of Religious Environmentalism.” Scholars, teachers, clergy, and activists will now have an opportunity to use Renewal to advance the vitally important study of religion and ecology, the greening of our seminaries and houses of worship, and the growth of a religious-environmental movement.

To place your order, please go to:
http://www.renewalproject.net/dvd

Renewal is the first film to capture the vitality and diversity of today’s religious-environmental activists. From within their Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim traditions, Americans are becoming caretakers of the Earth. With great courage, these women and men are re-examining what it means to be human and how we live on this planet. Their stories of combating global warming and the devastation of mountaintop removal, of promoting food security, environmental justice, recycling, and land preservation, and of teaching love and respect for life on Earth are the heart of Renewal.

Bill McKibben has commented, “The religious environmental movement is potentially key to dealing with the greatest problem humans have ever faced, and it has never been captured with more breadth and force than in Renewal. I hope this movie is screened in church basements and synagogue social halls across the country, and that it moves many more people of faith off the fence and into action.”

Thomas Berry concurs, “Renewal, Marty Ostrow and Terry Kay Rockefeller's latest documentary, offers a comprehensive overview of what different religions are doing about the awesome devastation of Earth's life systems now taking place.  The filmmakers’ vision of the problem and understanding of viable solutions show rare depth of perception and are matched only by their sense of the urgency of action if we are to realize our hopes for the future.”

And The Boston Globe has written, “‘Renewal’ documents that religious zeal can be yoked to change as well as conservatism, that differing faiths can speak to each other, and that, really, good works are faith these days. Above all, the film spreads the good news that we're just getting started.”

While the 90-minute film is designed for screenings and broadcast, each of its stories can also stand alone, making them excellent succinct vehicles for discussion in the classroom and by activist groups, religious and secular. The eight stories in Renewal are:
• A Crime Against Creation: Evangelicals bear witness to mountaintop removal and the destruction of Appalachia  (11:20 min.)
• Going Green: GreenFaith in New Jersey helps congregations take the first steps to environmental action  (14:20 min)
• Food for Faith: Muslim tradition and charity forge bonds between urban communities and sustainable farms in Illinois  (14:50 min)
• Ancient Roots: The Teva Learning Center and Adamah in Connecticut bring environmental education together with Jewish tradition  (17:30 min)
• Compassion in Action: Green Sangha, a Buddhist community in northern California, leads a campaign to save trees  (11:10 min)
• Eco-Justice: The Holy Spirit inspires a battle against industrial contamination in small-town Mississippi  (11:30 min)
• Sacred Celebration: Catholics and Native Americans embrace religious ritual in a struggle to protect New Mexico’s land and water   (9:30 min)
• Interfaith Power and Light: Across America people of all faiths mount a religious response to global warming  (9:25 min)

Renewal is designed for use by clergy, congregations, teachers, theologians, community activists, environmentalists, students and families:  anyone who understands the essential spiritual bond that humans hold with the earth. And anyone who is committed to building a sustainable future.

The film is accompanied by a dynamic community engagement campaign whose goal is to help advance the religious-environmental movement and to promote change. For more information about Renewal and its community engagement campaign, or to order a DVD,  please visit: www.renewalproject.net.

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