In this episode, Forrest engages with the DeJong family, who have been pivotal in the restoration of the Cheasty Greenspace in Seattle, WA. The conversation explores their journey of transforming a neglected urban forest into a thriving community space, emphasizing the importance of community engagement, ecological restoration, and the integration of indigenous knowledge. The DeJongs share their experiences of working together as a family and the impact of their efforts on the local community an...
Jul 09, 2025•49 min
This episode considers how much of the current language around nature therapy can actually distance some people, and focuses on the need for better ways to talk about earth care and connection to the earth for men in particular. Jason Lyle shares with Forrest about Adventures in Recovery, an organization in the state of Georgia that uses wilderness experience to facilitate healing and personal growth for men. He discusses the profound impact of wilderness therapy on mental health, the importance...
Jun 25, 2025•49 min•Season 6Ep. 132
Americans are facing a massive crisis in earth care. The stark reality is that we’ve all been witnessing the decimation of multiple government land management agencies, such as the National Park Service and US Fish and Wildlife, among many others. And it’s becoming increasingly obvious how the present administration’s drastic cuts to staffing and budgets translates into the wholesale gutting of public services, environmental protections, and critical research for planetary health. But what we do...
Jun 11, 2025•39 min•Season 6Ep. 131
Have you ever wondered what it might be like to align your daily work in ways that directly benefit the planet? Or, do you know folks in the early stages of vocational exploration who are seeking meaningful work in fields connected to earth care? In this episode, Forrest talks with Brennan Ziegler—a guy in his mid-twenties who has dedicated himself to exploring many possible paths in earthkeeping as vocation. Brennan Ziegler shares his journey as a young advocate for the environment, discussing ...
May 28, 2025•31 min•Season 6Ep. 129
In this special archive episode of the Earthkeepers podcast, Forrest engages with Reverend Dr. Randy Woodley, exploring the intersection of indigenous theology, environmental justice, and the need for a paradigm shift in how we relate to the earth. Woodley shares his journey of establishing the Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice , and discusses the transformative experiences offered to those seeking a deeper connection with the land. The conversation delves into the implications of decol...
May 16, 2025•39 min•Season 6Ep. 128
In this conversation, Leah Rampy and Beth Norcross discuss their book Discovering the Spiritual Wisdom of Trees , exploring themes of earth care, spirituality, and the deep connections humans have with nature. They emphasize the importance of recognizing our kinship with the living world and the wisdom that trees can impart. The discussion also highlights the significance of collaboration, the unique perspectives each author brings to the project, and the necessity of paying attention to the nat...
Apr 30, 2025•54 min•Season 6Ep. 127
In this engaging conversation, Forrest speaks with Jo Swinney and Jessica Schroeder about their journeys in environmental stewardship, mindful eating, and the role of food in community building. They explore the impact of food choices on the environment, the challenges of discussing climate change, and the importance of creating a nurturing community through shared meals. The discussion highlights the transformative power of food and the need for sustainable practices in our daily lives. In this...
Apr 14, 2025•54 min•Season 6Ep. 126
In this episode Forrest, along with Christine Sine, talk with Ruth Valerio—a British author, speaker, and activist who is passionate about both social justice and environmental justice. In this conversation, Ruth shares her journey of faith and environmental awareness, emphasizing the interconnectedness of humanity and nature. She discusses the importance of earth care as an important element of faith practice, advocating for simplicity and sustainable living as essential responses to the climat...
Mar 31, 2025•35 min•Season 6Ep. 126
In these times of environmental crisis, it becomes crucial for us to think innovatively—even experimentally—to find ways to protect and advocate for the earth. In this conversation, Paul Dettmann shares insights into Cassinia, an organization dedicated to managing 30% of Australia's ecosystems for conservation. He discusses the journey of Cassinia from its inception, the challenges faced, and the innovative approaches taken in environmental entrepreneurship. The conversation explores the concept...
Mar 17, 2025•48 min•Season 6Ep. 125
If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know that one of our frequent—and recent—guests is Victoria Loorz, one of the founders of the Wild Church movement. In this conversation, she discusses her book Field Guide to Church of the Wild, which serves as a resource for individuals and communities seeking to reconnect with nature and spirituality. The book is a collection of stories, practices, and prayers from the Wild Church Network, aimed at fostering a deeper relationship with the natural world. Lo...
Mar 03, 2025•40 min•Season 6Ep. 124
As always, Earthkeepers is on the lookout for stories of faith communities who are creating new, imaginative ways to integrate creation care into the values and practices of faith life. In episode 121 for example, we spoke with folks at the Rainier Avenue Church about their urban community garden and their creation care study group. In this episode, Forrest talks with Matt and Mary Anne Ryan about their church’s efforts to engage in social justice by growing fresh produce for their community’s f...
Feb 17, 2025•34 min•Season 6Ep. 123
This is a podcast interview that took place almost five years ago. We’ve chosen to air that episode again because it really speaks about the formative stages of the Earthkeepers podcast, and serves as a reminder that one of our core purposes has always been, even from the very beginning, to give more air space to “corrective voices from the margins” as often as we can. And that includes Indigenous voices. In this episode Forrest talks with Lenore Three Stars. Lenore is a member of the board for ...
Feb 05, 2025•36 min•Season 6Ep. 122
Earthkeepers podcast is committed to helping communities think creatively and boldly about ways they might care for the places where they live. In this episode, Forrest chats with three people—Rachel, Logan, and Celize—about the ways in which Rainier Avenue Church, an urban faith community in Seattle, is trying to actively integrate earth care and faith practice. Among other things, these folks have been seeking to learn and grow in their understanding of earthkeeping through a multi-week group ...
Jan 21, 2025•36 min•Season 6Ep. 121
At the end of last year, Forrest spoke with Victoria Loorz about the ways in which a more ecologically-conscious faith offers hope for “edgewalkers”— a term used to describe Christ followers who have moved away from the center of conventional church, and moved toward the creative edges of the institution—those generative marginal spaces where new imaginings and alternative expressions of faith life are being explored. In this episode, the conversation continues with Victoria — cofounder of the W...
Jan 06, 2025•43 min•Season 6Ep. 120
In recent past episodes you might recall hearing the term “edgewalkers”—and by that term, we mean those of us who have moved away from the center of conventional church and faith praxis, and moved toward the creative edges of the institutional church where new imaginings and alternate expressions of faith life are being explored. That includes, of course, new ways of thinking about and experiencing God in and through creation. In our interview with John Phillip Newell earlier this season, he des...
Dec 09, 2024•41 min•Season 5Ep. 119
Toward the end of the year Earthkeepers podcast always releases a special holiday episode that breaks from the usual interview mode. In this episode, we’re gifting a passage from our friend Christine Sine’s book called Celtic Advent: Following an Unfamiliar Path Through Advent . Earthkeepers recommends this book because in it, Christine brings fresh, life-giving perspective on the conventional Western practices of advent. According to those Western practices, the advent season this year begins o...
Nov 25, 2024•11 min•Season 5Ep. 118
What are the prospects for the planet now that Trump has been re-elected? What are the implications of the recent election in terms of how we advocate and care for the earth? In this urgent no-frills episode, James and Forrest offer thoughts on how we might care for ourselves AND how we can persist and persevere in our calling as earthkeepers. They reflect on the recent election's impact on future progress in climate action and the emotional responses it has elicited in many. They discuss the im...
Nov 11, 2024•17 min•Season 5Ep. 117
In this episode James and Forrest continue with the second part of a conversation with John Philip Newell about his new book, The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Search for Healing and Home . In this book, John Philip argues for a re-imagining of how we relate to creation, to each other, to God and even to ourselves. He advocates for engaging creation as the primary means of knowing God, of seeing the sacred in all life forms, and of loving all creation as we love ourselves. And b...
Oct 28, 2024•35 min•Season 5Ep. 116
James and Forrest have a conversation with John Philip Newell about his new book, The Great Search: Turning to Earth and Soul in the Search for Healing and Home . In this book, John Philip argues for a re-imagining of how we relate to creation, to each other, to God and even to ourselves. He advocates for engaging creation as the primary means of knowing God, of seeing the sacred in all life forms, and of loving all creation as we love ourselves. Because the conversation was so full of emerging ...
Oct 14, 2024•28 min•Season 5Ep. 115
Host Forrest Inslee discusses the profound impact of displacement on individuals and communities, particularly in the context of refugees. He speaks with Hale Gencel, a Turkish mental health professional and artist, who utilizes art as a therapeutic tool to help displaced individuals process trauma and build resilience. The conversation explores the importance of place and identity, the role of community in healing, and the creative approaches that can foster emotional literacy and hope among th...
Sep 23, 2024•33 min•Season 5Ep. 114
In this archive episode Forrest and James talk to Norman Wirzba, professor and author of a book called Agrarian Spirit: Cultivating Faith, Community, and the Land. In this book, Dr. Wirzba makes the case for a kind of spirituality that is grounded in deep awareness of creation. Among other things, this sort of humble, earthy spirituality that he encourages us to practice stands against the illusion of certainty and control that has made much of the church seem increasingly irrelevant these days—...
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 5Ep. 113
This is a different sort of episode from our normal format. Basically, it is a small book review followed by a conversation between that book’s author and Christine Sine. The book is called The God of Wild Places, by a chap named Tony Jones. It is a deeply honest account of the author's life, filled with stories of failure, self-doubt, and redemption. Jones also explores themes of nature, hunting, death, and the inevitability of mortality--all presented with a voice of vulnerability and relatabi...
Aug 26, 2024•29 min•Season 5Ep. 112
Leah Kostamo, a counselor and spiritual director, discusses the ways in which her helping practices integrate and collaborate with nature. She emphasizes the shared meaning of caring for creation as a way of joining in God’s work and finding hope thereby. In her musings about self-care and creation care, she emphasizes the ways that nature can heal us. She also highlights the growing recognition in psychology of the role of nature in the healing process. Connecting with nature is, she points out...
Aug 12, 2024•55 min•Season 5Ep. 111
Forrest talks with Liuan Huska, about her work with what she calls “liturgies of restoration.” Commissioned by the Au Sable Institute, Liuan has developed a workbook, which is now the basis of a course—one that helps people to explore how habits of thought and action shape our character, and inform the larger stories we tell ourselves—especially as they relate to our relationship with creation and our role as earthkeepers. Guest: Liuan Huska Website Twitter LinkedIn Mentions: Au Sable Institute ...
Jul 29, 2024•24 min•Season 5Ep. 110
Forrest, the Earthkeepers podcast host, also works for the Pacific Rim Institute for Environmental Stewardship on Whidbey Island, off the coast of Washington State. This episode focuses on one of PRI's partners, an organization called the Au Sable Institute, which serves undergraduate students whose vocational interests lie in some form of earthkeeping work. Have a listen to Au Sable’s Executive Director, Jon Terry, as well as two Au Sable alumni—Sarah and Carson--about the faith-shifting, mind-...
Jul 13, 2024•42 min•Season 5Ep. 109
In recognition of the recent summer solstice, we are releasing an episode from the podcast archives. This is in fact an episode from season one, a conversation with Randy Woodley. Out of all the episodes we’ve done, this episode has been listened to more than any other—and for good reason! As you listen to this conversation, you might ask yourself a practical question: What is a specific practice that I can embrace in this solstice season, to help me to become a better relative in the family of ...
Jul 01, 2024•38 min•Season 5Ep. 108
In this episode (part two of the conversation begun in the last episode) Forrest and Wes focus more directly on the overarching theme of season five: the idea that every vocation can somehow be made greener—and that in almost every job we can find ways to practice the values of earthkeeping. As a real estate agent in Philladelphia, Wes has given lots of thought to how his work of helping people to find homes is essentially ecological work and an expression of creation care. That’s where they pic...
Jun 17, 2024•40 min•Season 5Ep. 107
In this podcast we speak often of the particular concerns of younger generations—including Gen X, Millennials and Gen Alpha. We try to pay attention to voices representing these generations, knowing that they are the ones who will ultimately suffer more as the climate changes—bringing increasing environmental and social disruption in the coming years. In this, the first of two episodes, Forrest speaks with Wes Willison—a guy in his early 30s who has given a lot of thought to the particular strug...
Jun 03, 2024•44 min•Season 5Ep. 106
Back in 2001, Brian McLaren wrote a book called A New Kind of Christian. For many, it turned out to be a revolutionary book that explored a kind of faith outside the boxes of mainstream Christianity—a faith that challenged tired, unhelpful ways of thinking and doing, and raised exciting possibilities for a reinvigorated postmodern Christianity. His latest book, called Life After Doom: Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart he again challenges readers (of any faith, or no faith) to see the ...
May 20, 2024•47 min•Season 5Ep. 105
Every now and then, Earthkeepers features an interview with an author about a new book, but only ones that we recommend . That is certainly the case with Leah Rampy’s new offering, called Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos . In the book, she explores what lies beneath our unwillingness to change how we interact with the natural world, but also what we can do to nurture deeper connections to our places. Guest: Leah Rampy Website Bio Author of Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate...
May 06, 2024•44 min•Season 5Ep. 104
