Join the SEEd Sustainability Journey
I will if you will… is an exercise we use with participants on our SEEd Changemaker programmes and many of our events and workshops. Participants make small or large commitments to help them make changes towards sustainability. The underlying idea is that we are all connected and responsible for each other, therefore changing the world and making it more sustainable requires us to work together. Now, the SEEd team has integrated the exercise into our newsletter and we invite you, as a member of our community, to join us on this journey of Commitment, Joy & Impact.
We are here to help each other, so we designed a journey that is easy to follow, where you have the possibility of choice, can feel and exercise what change is like, and most importantly, feel happy instead of anxious about your actions. Believe me, making a change can be fun!
All we ask of you during this upcoming month is to choose one COMMITMENT from the list below that you are eager to try out; one JOY that helps you relax and keep your journey fun; and one IMPACT idea that you find interesting enough to then spread the word to friends, colleagues, family members, or anyone you encounter. Easy, isn’t it? But more importantly, by following the steps you can change your lifestyle, your mindset, and empower others to follow suit. Like a real change maker.
Please do share your actions and commitments with us by email or on social media.
Commitment
Choose a commitment from the list below and see which one the SEEd team has picked!
- Hardship of the Modern Thought: Towards Grasping the Concept In Its Whole –The thought that comes to my non-religious mind when trying to grasp the idea of Resurrection is that this complex concept is entangled with much deeper ontological and metaphysical ideas. Thus Resurrection must be reached within its comprehensive framework. However, the underpinnings that would enable knowledge of the concept are far rooted from the evidence-based, relativist, identity-creating secular thinking of our society. The issue: the misconceptualization of the view of original Christian thought is presented by Alan Noble, associate professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, in his fascinating essay. Noble says that, like the Apostle Thomas, many people today instinctively doubt the resurrection—not because they’re skeptics in the classic sense, but because they’ve been shaped by a modern, secular way of seeing the world. This secularism isn’t usually a chosen belief system; it’s more like a reflex. It affects how people interpret everything, including miracles, history, and even their own bodies. The author argues that this “default” secularism makes it hard for modern hearers to grasp what the resurrection really means. In particular, the author highlights how modern thought treats the body. Influenced by both scientific objectivity and personal subjectivity, people tend to see the body either as a physical object to be measured or as something they have, not something they are. This leads to a split between spiritual truths and physical realities—faith is considered a private, inner thing, while the body is treated as either disposable or something to control and manage. Christ’s bodily resurrection challenges the modern assumption that identity is only self-constructed or internal. It claims instead that who we are is shaped by something physical, historical, and sacred—something we didn’t choose but which defines us nonetheless. Noble notes that modern people can often accept the resurrection as a sign of Christ’s divinity, because that fits into a framework of evidence and proof. We understand signs that point to something beyond themselves. But the resurrection is more than proof of who Jesus was—it’s an event that redefines all of reality. It speaks to who we are and what we’re made for. The author argues that modern secular thinking lacks a category for this kind of event, one that doesn’t just reveal truth but enacts it. The resurrection isn’t just about what happened to Jesus; it’s about what’s happening to the world and to us through him. Read the whole article here.
- Engaging With Comprehensive Thoughts: Grasping The Concept of The Resurrection – Here are two videos that might help to understand the links between certain theological questions that shape Christian understanding of life, death and the body. Tom Wright and Mike Bird tackle the bold and often misunderstood claim that Jesus truly rose from the dead. They address modern skepticism—how can we believe in resurrection when we “know” dead people don’t return? Tom Wright roots his answer in Jewish messianic hope and early Christian belief, emphasizing that resurrection isn’t just about an afterlife or spiritual survival. It’s about the body—a transformed, physical reality that affirms the goodness of creation and proclaims God’s victory over sin and death. They contrast this with Gnostic ideas and secularized visions of heaven influenced by Plato. Christianity’s claim is unique: Jesus’ resurrection inaugurated a new kind of physical existence, and it signals God’s plan to renew the whole world. The resurrection isn’t a break from history, but deeply rooted in it, insisting that creation, justice, and love matter. The second video, with Professor Candida Moss, zooms in on Jesus’ body after resurrection—particularly his wounds. She argues that the scars aren’t just proof he rose, but signs that matter. They show he’s not a ghost; he’s physical, healed, and fully alive. Scars become symbols of virtue and identity, showing that real bodies heal and continue. Her analysis challenges modern tendencies to reduce resurrection to abstract metaphysics and instead pushes us to recognize how Jesus’ body—and ours—plays a crucial role in imagining life after death. Together, these videos reveal how the resurrection is about more than belief; it’s about a new reality breaking into the world.
- About Christian Metaphysics – Christian metaphysics seeks to explore the fundamental nature of reality, existence, and the relationship between the physical and spiritual realms, all within the framework of biblical truth. It addresses core philosophical questions such as: What is the nature of existence? What does it mean for something to exist? What is the soul, and how does it relate to the body? What are universals (like truth, beauty, and goodness), and how are they connected to God? These inquiries are pursued with the aim of deepening one’s understanding of God, creation, and human nature according to Open Christian University. Four Views on Christian Metaphysics edited by Timothy M. Mosteller presents differing Christian perspectives: Platonism (Gould), Aristotelianism (Jacobs), Idealism (Spiegel), and Postmodernism (Welbaum). Each offers a unique framework for understanding the metaphysical questions of reality, existence, and how these relate to God’s revelation. According to a review by Mark Shaw, the book offers a compact yet insightful introduction to how Christian thinkers approach the deep questions of existence and reality. Paul Gould defends Christian Platonism, suggesting that God first conceives all possible realities, then brings abstract properties into existence, and finally creates the physical universe. For Gould, human beings are immaterial souls with physical bodies, created to reflect divine goodness. His view heavily emphasizes the role of abstract objects and divine ideas. Timothy Jacobs takes an Aristotelian approach, arguing that reality is composed of form and matter united. He follows Aquinas in stating that the soul survives bodily death and that all creatures are dependent on God, who alone is simple and self-existent. Jacobs is especially concerned with grounding metaphysics in the tangible, structured world. James Spiegel presents Christian Idealism, where reality consists of minds and ideas. God’s mind creates the world as a kind of divine language for communication. This view stresses an intimate connection between God and creation but faces challenges in explaining the nature of properties and the distinction between minds. Sam Welbaum explores Christian postmodernism, focusing on how humans construct meaning within their lived experiences. Though his metaphysical claims are less defined, he highlights the importance of interpretation and the limitations of human understanding—while still affirming an objective reality grounded in God. The book offers valuable engagement between complex existential questions and encourages thinking broadly about how Christian tradition of thought approaches the understanding of existence.
- Another View, Another Interpretation – Francis Collins, a renowned physician-geneticist, former director of the National Institutes of Health and leader of the Human Genome Project presents his book The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (2006). The scientist explores the compatibility of science and faith, advocating for theistic evolution—a belief that God works through the process of evolution. Central to his belief is the concept of a universal Moral Law, which Collins argues points to the existence of a divine moral source. He highlights altruism as a challenge to purely evolutionary explanations and sees it as a signpost to God. Collins proposes “BioLogos” as a term for his worldview, integrating scientific discovery with theological insight. He emphasizes that faith and science need not be in conflict and that many seek harmony between the two. Rather than offering dogma, The Language of God encourages reflection, presenting a hopeful vision in which science deepens rather than diminishes spiritual understanding. Collins’s message is one of unity and purpose: that both our curiosity and our conscience are gifts pointing us toward meaning and belief.
Photo from: wikimdia.org
Joy
This element helps you stick to your commitment with its small rewards. And secondly, it helps you exercise a sustainability mindset through art. Believe it or not, you will start to gradually see the world through the lens of sustainability, experience it differently, and reinvent the self and its habits accordingly.
- Easter Through Famous Artworks – The National Gallery created a remarkable collection of paintings to explore the theme of Easter through the Passion of Christ, covering the events leading up to and following the Crucifixion and Resurrection. The collection begins with Christ’s entry into Jerusalem and ends with Pentecost, offering a visual journey through key moments of the Passion. One striking work is Andrea Mantegna’s The Agony in the Garden (1455–6), where Christ prays in anguish while cherubs hold the instruments of his impending death. Judas arrives with soldiers to arrest him, while the other disciples sleep. Ugolino di Nerio’s The Betrayal of Christ (c. 1325–8) captures the arrest of Jesus by Roman soldiers, flanked by chief priests. In Rembrandt’s Ecce Homo (1634), Pilate, the Roman governor, presents Christ to the crowd, with the figure of Christ gazing upward, embodying his divine authority. Michelangelo’s unfinished The Entombment (c. 1500–1) depicts the moment Christ’s body is carried to the tomb by Saint John and one of the Marys. Finally, Caravaggio’s The Supper at Emmaus (1601) illustrates the moment the resurrected Christ reveals himself to two disciples at supper, recognizing him only as he breaks the bread. This collection from the National Gallery invites viewers to experience the profound story of Easter through the lens of some of the greatest masterpieces in art.
- Music of Hope – Arnold Benett’s formulation of the meaning of music pinpoints its essence: “Its language is a language which the soul alone understands, but which the soul can never translate.” Hope is likewise intangible for words and logic. Thus, let us turn to music. Let it permeate the soul, the body and the mind. Let hope be felt through music.
- A Poem on Hope
by Wendell BerryIt is hard to have hope. It is harder as you grow old,
for hope must not depend on feeling good
and there is the dream of loneliness at absolute midnight.
You also have withdrawn belief in the present reality
Of the future, which surely will surprise us,
…And hope is harder when it cannot come by prediction
Any more than by wishing. But stop dithering.
The young ask the old to hope. What will you tell them?
Tell them at least what you say to yourself.Because we have not made our lives to fit
Our places, the forests are ruined, the fields eroded,
The streams polluted, the mountains overturned. Hope
Then to belong to your place by your own knowledge
Of what it is that no other place is, and by
Your caring for it as you care for no other place, this
Place that you belong to though it is not yours,
For it was from the beginning and will be to the endBelong to your place by knowledge of the others who are
Your neighbors in it: the old man, sick and poor,
Who comes like a heron to fish in the creek,
And the fish in the creek, and the heron who manlike
Fishes for the fish in the creek, and the birds who sing
In the trees in the silence of the fisherman
And the heron, and the trees that keep the land
They stand upon as we too must keep it, or die.This knowledge cannot be taken from you by power
Or by wealth. It will stop your ears to the powerful
when they ask for your faith, and to the wealthy
when they ask for your land and your work.
Answer with knowledge of the others who are here
And how to be here with them. By this knowledge
Make the sense you need to make. By it stand
In the dignity of good sense, whatever may follow.
Speak to your fellow humans as your place
Has taught you to speak, as it has spoken to you.
Speak its dialect as your old compatriots spoke it
Before they had heard a radio. Speak
Publicly what cannot be taught or learned in public.Listen privately, silently to the voices that rise up
From the pages of books and from your own heart.
Be still and listen to the voices that belong
To the streambanks and the trees and the open fields.
There are songs and sayings that belong to this place,
By which it speaks for itself and no other.Found your hope, then, on the ground under your feet.
Your hope of Heaven, let it rest on the ground
Underfoot. Be it lighted by the light that falls
Freely upon it after the darkness of the nights
And the darkness of our ignorance and madness.
Let it be lighted also by the light that is within you,
Which is the light of imagination. By it you see
The likeness of people in other places to yourself
In your place. It lights invariably the need for care
Toward other people, other creatures, in other places
As you would ask them for care toward your place and you.No place at last is better than the world. The world
Is no better than its places. Its places at last
Are no better than their people while their people
Continue in them. When the people make
Dark the light within them, the world darkens. - Tomorrow – A Film of Hope – The documentary called Tomorrow, directed by Mélanie Laurent and Cyril Dion, tackles some of the most pressing global issues—climate change, resource depletion, and economic instability. Yet the film is unexpectedly hopeful. Sparked by a scientific study warning of possible human extinction by 2100, the film transforms that grim prediction into a global journey in search of practical solutions. Tomorrow gradually reveals a deeper, more compelling mission: to highlight real, community-driven efforts that are already reshaping the future. From agriculture to energy, politics to education, the film showcases grassroots innovations and local movements with global impact. Its message is clear—change is not only possible, it’s already happening. Released in France to great acclaim, Tomorrow became a cultural touchstone, winning a César and igniting over 700 sustainability projects. When it arrived in the U.S. amid political turmoil, its message of citizen empowerment felt more urgent than ever. According to Variety, despite its sometimes whimsical presentation, the film’s genuine optimism and practical vision transcend cynicism. By focusing on hope, action, and community, Tomorrow invites viewers to believe in a better future—and to help build it, one small step at a time.
Photo from: abingdoncarboncutters.org.uk
Impact
Sometimes, solutions and great ideas are not waiting to be invented but are already out there. Somewhere. Which of these impactful solutions will you choose to spread the word about to your students, colleagues, friends and family?
- Minute For Hope – Plant and Care for Peace is a global initiative dedicated to fostering peace and environmental sustainability through the act of planting trees. Their mission is to use nature as a catalyst for global unity, cultivating understanding and encouraging action that transcends borders. With the support of passionate country coordinators, they are building a worldwide movement rooted in hope, unity, and a shared commitment to a greener, more peaceful future. Their upcoming campaign reacts to rising uncertainty, from climate change to conflict, and the need for hope. Yet hope is not something passive—it is born from action. On May 9, 2025, the Minute for Hope campaign calls on individuals and communities around the world to dedicate one minute to a meaningful act: planting a tree, helping a neighbor, calling a loved one, or showing kindness. These actions, shared with the hashtag #MinuteForHope, demonstrate that even the smallest gestures can spark global change. Held on Europe Day, Minute for Hope aligns with the celebration of peace, unity, and cooperation. As part of this year’s campaign, Plant and Care for Peace will inaugurate Ukraine’s first Peace Circle® park in Vinnytsia—a powerful symbol of hope and resilience amid war. The campaign encourages participation at every level. Schools, businesses, and communities are invited to take part through collective acts that symbolize unity and shared responsibility. By coming together for one minute, people everywhere can contribute to a larger movement for peace, sustainability, and human connection. Minute for Hope shows that when individuals act together, even briefly, they have the power to build a brighter, more hopeful future.
- Celebrating Success in Sussex NHS – With the support of Natural England, 16 NHS Sussex staff participated in the program called Certificate in Nature-based Training by Circle of Life Rediscovery to implement nature-based practices in their workplaces. Participants, including mental health professionals and therapists, worked with individuals facing complex mental health issues. They attended nature-based health interventions training, followed by interviews to evaluate their experience. On May 21st, 2025, Circle of Life Rediscovery invites you to a Celebration Event at Laughton Greenwood, East Sussex, to celebrate this year’s successes, learn from expert guest speakers like Dr. Dan Ford, and discuss future steps in transforming healthcare. The Certificate in Nature-Based Practice launches again this June with a comprehensive, immersive training that empowers professionals to confidently work with individuals and groups in a variety of outdoor settings. Led by experienced nature practitioners from the health and education sectors, this transformative course is now available as an ITC Level 3 qualification. Nature connection is increasingly recognised as a powerful therapeutic tool for supporting people with a wide range of mental and physical health conditions. This course brings together best practice and theory from eco-psychology, embodiment, mental health, resilience and neuroscience. It is ideal for anyone who wants to use nature as a setting for healing and personal growth—whether working one-to-one or with groups, with people of any age. Over the course of the training, participants will gain confidence and competence through experiential learning, webinars and online resources. You’ll develop a therapeutic model that supports the whole person—mind, body, social and environmental relationships—while building your outdoor practical skills, learning to adapt activities to different green spaces, deepening reflective practice, and developing ways of working with nature that enhance emotional and physical balance.
- Green Film Festival – The Green Film Festival @UEA returns in 2025 with a powerful lineup of environmental films presented from 1st–3rd May and 4th June. Free and open to all, the festival brings together filmmakers, activists, and communities to promote global sustainability and climate justice through storytelling and creativity. This year’s theme, “nurturing resilience and mobilising resources,” highlights the importance of hope, beauty, and collective action in facing environmental challenges. The programme features a range of compelling films that reflect these values. Featured titles include Stroodeland and Green Hearts, which explore nature recovery and urban green initiatives. El Salvador Untamed and On the Verge of Extinction celebrate the country’s extraordinary landscapes and its environmental defenders, offering UK audiences an exclusive premiere. This Is The Way We Rise and The Migration Blanket showcase creative responses to climate and identity, with a special Q&A featuring artist Salma Zulfiqar. Alongside the screenings, the festival hosts an ecofeminist collage and placard workshop, encouraging participants to express environmental concerns through visual art.
- Wildscreen ARK Youth Nature Photo Competition Now Open! – Wildscreen are excited to announce the ARK Youth Nature Photo Competition is back and open to 13–18-year-olds from across the UK to enter until 20th June 2025. Teenagers are the least connected age group to nature in the UK and this year’s theme “Fresh Perspective” challenges young people to tell the story of nature they can connect with. Designed for accessibility, only photos taken on a smartphone count. Building on feedback from last year’s competition that entrants experienced a wellbeing benefit, the finalists will also feature in a national billboard campaign in August. There are also great prizes on offer from a set of Leica Trinovid BCA binoculars to FujiFilm Instax printers. Full Terms, FAQ, Resource packs and a Competition Poster are available at https://wildscreen.org/ark – you can also follow the competition on Instagram (@wildscreenorg) or TikTok (@wildscreenark) for more tips from the judges along the way. Happy snapping!
