On Thursday 30 March the famous religious studies scholar Karen Armstrong, professor of Planetary Health Pim Martens and film maker Mark Verkerk will be our guests.

Armstrong and Martens both wrote a book on ‘sacred nature’ (both books were published in 2022).

During this event, organized by the Amsterdam Center for Religion and Sustainable Development, the VU Expertisecenter for Religion and Society, and the Karen Armstrong Chair for Religion, Values and Societal Transformation (UvH), we bring both authors into conversation about the notion of 'the sacred' and the importance of this notion in thinking about climate change and the future of our planet.

The discussion is moderated by Dr. Jan-Jorrit Hasselaar (VU) and Prof. Dr. Manuela Kalsky (UvH).

Who is who

• Karen Armstrong is a British bestselling famous author on books on comparative religion. Her last book is 'Sacred Nature: Restoring Our Ancient Bond with the Natural World'.
• Pim Martens is professor of planetary health, dean of Maastricht University College, a scientivist. He integrates scientific knowledge with his passion for animals and nature. In 2022 he published ‘De Heilige Natuur: Niet-westerse stemmen over dier, mens en klimaat’ (The Sacred Nature: Non-Western voices about animals, people and climate).
• Mark Verkerk is film maker with more than 30 years of experience in the field of directing, camera, editing and scenarios. He is well known for cinema films like: The New Wilderness (2013), Holland – The Living Delta (2015) and Wild Amsterdam (2018). 
• Roos Meijer is sing a songwriter and just produced her first album.
• Manuela Kalsky is professor by special appointment at the Karen Armstrong Chair for Religion, Values and Societal Transformations at the University for Humanistic Studies, Utrecht.
• Jan Jorrit Hasselaar, economist and theologian, is director of the Amsterdam Centre for Religion & Sustainable Development (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam). In March his publication 'Climate Change, Radical Uncertainty and Hope. Theology and Economics in Conversation' will be launched.

Sign up

Registration for this event is closed.

Other activities of the Month of Sacred Nature

• 13 March: The Existential Dimensions of Climate Anxiety (student event)
• 29 March: Interdisciplinary and Interreligious Perspectives on Sacred Nature (academic conference)
• 15 April: Fragile Earth: A Mass for the Universe (public event / performance)