News & Events

• Cynthia was appointed 2022 Global Fellow at the Center for the Advanced Study of Religion at the MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion, and Society, and spent the month of October in Oslo. An interview from that experience is available here.

• She was invited to Bali in October the week before the meeting of the G-20 there, as a member of the 12-person panel convened in 2013 by the World Council of Churches and Lutheran World Federation to advise their work  on economic justice in the global economy.  The initial document produced by that panel is available here. And information about the panel’s Oct. 2022 meeting is available here.

• Cynthia delivered the keynote address, “Protecting Our Common Home,” for the SIGNIS World Congress 2022, Seoul, Korea, August 2022.  

• In September, together with Katlego Mohuba she served as keynote speaker for one of the Ecumenical Conversation groups of the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Karlsruhe, Germany, and delivered a plenary address, “Economy of Life in a time of inequality and climate change,” for the Ecumenical Encounter Programme at that WCC Assembly.  

• Cynthia has signed a contract with Fortress Press of 1517 Media to create a 7-book series entitled Building a Moral Economy (Ecological, Equitable, Democratic): Roadmaps for People of Courage. 

• Her newest book was released in December of 2022. An Earthed Faith, Vol. 2: How Would We Know What God is Doing? Edited by Cynthia Moe-Lobeda and Ernst Conradie. Capetown: Aosis, 2022. See more here

International Presentations and Consulations

Guest Professor, School of Intersectional Ecotheology and Ecojustice Witness of the Council for World Missions, Zambia, Sept. – Oct., 2023.

“NIFEA in Response to the Climate Crisis,” invited presentation at Global Ecumenical Panel on a New International Financial and Economic Architecture (NIFEA), convened by World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and Council for World Mission), Bali, October, 2022.

Keynote for “Ecumenical Conversation on Building an Economy of Life,” World Council of Churches 11th Assembly, Karlsruhe, Germany, 31 August–8 September, 2022.

Global Fellow, Center for the Advanced Study of Religion, MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion, and Society, Oslo, Norway.  Oct.1-31, 2022.

“Climate Racism: Response to Maina Talia, e-DARE (Discernment and Radical Engagement) Global Forum, Council for World Mission, Oct. 2022. (on-line).

Keynote address, “Protecting Our Common Home,” SIGNIS World Congress, Seoul, Korea, Aug. 2022.

Invited paper and section editor, DARE (Discernment and Radical Engagement) Global Forum, Council for World Mission, Ghana, Oct.-Nov. 2020 (postponed due to COVID).

Opening plenary address, “Economy of life in a time of inequality, pandemic and  climate change,” Ecumenical School on Governance, Economics and Management (GEM School). Convened by World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Alliance of Reformed Churches. August, 2020 (on-line).

Invited paper, DARE (Discernment and Radical Engagement) Global Forum, Council for World Mission. Taiwan, June, 2019.

Design Team, Theological Education for an Economy of Life (TEEL), sponsored by Council for World Missions, first consultation. Thailand, May, 2019.

Presenter, Ecumenical School on Governance, Economics and Management (GEM School). Convened by World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Alliance of Reformed Churches. Mexico City, 27 August – 31 August 2018.

Global Ecumenical Panel (13 members) on a New International Financial and Economic Architecture (convened by World Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and Council for World Mission), New York, Spring 2018.

Plenary paper, Discernment and Radical Engagement Global Forum, Council for World Mission, Bangkok, May – June, 2017.

Keynote speaker (four lectures), International Women’s Theology Conference, Grace College of University of Queensland, Australia, June 26-29, 2017.

“Climate Justice,” presentation for “Global Perspectives on the Reformation: Interactions between Theology, Politics and Economics,” a Lutheran World Federation conference in Namibia, Oct-Nov, 2015.

“Resurrection as Faithful Resistance: Hope for the Earth Community,” plenary address at Korsvei Festival, Seljord, Norway, summer 2015.

“Re-Radicalizing Justification,” paper and chapter for “Radicalizing Reformation,” an international project honoring the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, involving conference in Halle Germany (2014) and book series to be published in German and English (2015).

Global Ecumenical panel (13 member) on a New Financial and Economic Architecture, convened by the World Council of Churches, World Communion of Reformed Churches, and Lutheran World Federation, Geneva, August, 2013 and January, 2014.

“The Ecological-Economic Debt of the Global North and Why ‘We’ Fail to See It,” a plenary paper at Redeeming the Marketplace: Theological Contributions to an Alternative Economics, an international conference sponsored by the John Knox Center, Geneva, May-June, 2013.

“Moral-Spiritual Agency toward Moral Economy,” a plenary paper at the same.

“Resisting Structural Evil: Love as Ecological-Economic Vocation,” public lecture at Norwegian School of Theology MF, Oslo Norway, May 2013.

“Environmental Racism and the Environmental Justice Movement,” lecture delivered at consultation on Theological Education and Eco-Justice Ministries, Sponsored by the National Council of Churches of India (Creation, Justice, Peace Commission) and the Senate of Serampore College, Nagpur, India, November 2010.

“Eco- Justice as a Theological and Moral Issue,” lecture delivered at the same.

“Christian Ethics in the Face of Systemic Evil,” public lecture at Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, Madurai, India, November 2010.

“Christian Response to Systemic Evil,” public lecture at United Theological College, Bangalore, India, November, 2010.

“Neighbor-Love as a Political-Ecological Vocation: Clues from Luther,” keynote address, Reformation Day Retreat, Gurukul Lutheran Theological College and Research Institute, Chennai, India, November 2010.

“Globalization: An Eco-theological Perspective,” invited paper at symposium of “The Globalization Project,” a project of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, vested with the Beyers Naude Centre for Public Theology, Faculty of Theology, at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, February 2009.

Guest Professor, Economic Globalization and Ethics, Seminary Semester Program, Centro Luterano, Mexico City, December 2008.

“Sin, Salvation, and the Moral Life for the ‘Un-Creators,’” Climate Change and Global Ecological RiskSection of Ecological Theology and the Environmental Crisis, an international conference called by the Orthodox Academy of Crete, Greece, June 2008. (Paper accepted but not delivered)

“Liturgy and the Public Square.” Invited plenary address at bi-annual Congress of the international Council of Societas Liturgica (Palermo, Sicily), August 2007.

 “Trinitarian Theology in the Context of Empire,” an international theological consultation and writing project, Lutheran World Federation, June, 2007.

“A Theological Ethical Framework,” Lutheran World Federation consultation on “The Vocation of Neighbor-Love in the Context of Globalization,” Germany, June, 2004.

Theological advisor to Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Assembly, Winnipeg, 2003.

International Writing Team, book for the Lutheran World Federation Assembly 2003 and strategic resource for LWF, Geneva.

Keynote Address. Ecumenical Advocacy Network Session, World Social Forum, Porto Alegre, Brazil, Jan., 2003. (Delivered in absentia due to visa complications.)

“Luther and the Indwelling God.”  Paper for conference on “The Future of Lutheran Theology,” Arrhus, Denmark, Jan. 2003 (paper accepted but not delivered).

World Council of Churches consultation, “Ethical and Ecclesiological Bases for Response to Economic Globalization,” Geneva, December, 2002.

“God Flowing and Pouring into All Things: a Basis for Spiritual Resistance to Neo-Liberal Globalization,” presentation at a consultation convened by World Alliance of Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches, and Lutheran World Federation, Geneva, December, 2002.

World Council of Churches Delegation, United Nations World Summit on Social Development Plus Five, Geneva, June, 2000, and at UN preparatory meetings, New York, 1999-2000.

Advisor and writer for Lutheran World Federation project: “Holding Globalization Accountable through the Communion,” Geneva, 2000-2001.

“Market Ideology.” A presentation at the 37th Session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, on behalf of the World Council of Churches, New York, 1999.

Keynotes, Academic Papers, Public Lectures, other Presentations (in the United States) (since 2010)

(For a complete list of keynote addresses, academic papers, public lectures, and other presentations in the  U.S. , please see the CV attached to this website. A selection is below.)

Annual McFadin Lecture, “Ministry in an Age of Empire,” for Ministry Week, Brite Divinity School, February, 2024.

Keynote address for Advocacy Days, “Advocacy as Spirit Work,” Lutheran Public Policy Office of California, May 2023.

“Growing Beloved Community by Building Moral Economies,” featured speaker for Sacred Earth: Growing Beloved Communities Webcast series, Episcopal Diocese of California, May 2023.

“God’s Beloved in a Broken World: How then Shall We Live.”  Keynote address, Lutheran Executives Alumni Network annual meeting, Feb. 28 2023.

“Beyond Capitalism: Four Constructive Proposals toward Ecological, Equitable, Democratic Economic Life,” Religion and Economy Unit, American Academy of Religion, Nov. 2022.

Respondent, “Institutionalizing the Anthropocene: How the Epoch of Climate Change Reinscribes Theological Attachment to ‘the’ Normative Human. Climate Justice & Environmental Ethics and Theology groups, Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting, January 2022.

Keynote address, Central States Synod Assembly, ELCA, Kansas City, June 2022.

Keynote address, Northwest Minnesota Synod, ELCA, annual assembly, Detroit Lakes, March, 2022.

Workshop presenter and leader, “Resisting Structural Evil: Climate, Economy, and Hope.” For the Anglican Diocese British Columbia, Dec. 2021.

“Hope Matters: A Mt. Olive Lutheran Discussion Series.”  Recorded Sept, 2021 and on Youtube.

Interviewee for Dean’s Forum, St. John’s Cathedral, Denver, March 2021.

Panelist, Engaging Christianities and Socialisms, sponsored by Institute for Christian Socialism and Wendland-Cook Program in Religion and Justice at Vanderbilt University, March 2021.

Keynote speaker, conference on climate justice sponsored by BC Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada, March 2021.

Panelist, “The Ambiguity of Sin and Shame: Contextual, Critical, and Constructive Perspectives,” Theology and Religious Reflection Unit, American Academy of Religion, Nov. 2021.

“Resisting Structural Evil: Climate, Economy, and Hope.” Annual John Albert Hall lecture for 2021, Centre for the Study of Religions and Societies, University of Victoria, Victoria, B.C. Dec. 2021.

Commencement Address, Trinity Lutheran Theological School, Columbus, Sept. 2021.

“Luther’s Ethic of Neighbor-love: A Theological Repudiation of Maximizing Profit – a Kessler Conversation with Prof. Cynthia Moe-Lobeda.” Webinar sponsored by the  Kessler Reformation Collection Pitts Theological Library at Emory University, May 2021.

Commencement address, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, May 2021.

Plenary presenter, Recasting Vocation in a New Planetary Era, a conference at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Mn, April 2021.

Invited paper, Sustainable Societies International Conference II: Environmental and Economic Justice, Graduate Theological Union, Sept. 2020

Panelist, “God Migration, and the Climate Crisis,” webinar sponsored by Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Services, Oct. 2020.

Keynote speaker, Bishop’s Convocation, Minneapolis Synod, ELCA, Sept. 2020.

Keynote addresses, Northwest Wisconsin Lay School of Ministry, May 2020. (Cancelled due to COVID)

Keynote speaker, Interfaith Celebration of World Water Day, Los Angeles, March 2020. (Cancelled due to COVID)

Plenary presenter, Recasting Vocation in a New Planetary Era, a conference at St. Olaf College, Northfield, Mn, April 2020. (Cancelled due to COVID)

Visiting Scholar and public lecturer, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Phoenix Arizona, February, 2020.

Invited paper, Sustainable Societies International Conference II: Environmental and Economic Justice, Graduate Theological Union, Sept. 2020

“Luther’s Economic Ethic of Neighbor-love and Its Implications for Economic Life Today – A Gift to the World.”  Invited paper, Lutheran Ethicists Gathering, Louisville, Kentucky, January 2019.

Invited paper, Schleiermacher Group, American Academy of Religion, Nov. 2019.

Invited paper, Book Panel: “Ecological Solidarities: Mobilizing Faith & Justice in an Entangled World,” American Academy of Religion, Nov. 2019.

Plenary Speaker, ELCA Academy of Bishops national meeting,  January, 2019.

Plenary Speaker, Presidential Conference on the Integrity of Creation, Duquesne University, Pittsburg, Sept. 2019.

Keynote addresses, Deaconness Community Annual Assembly, ELCA, Omaha, Sept. 2019.

Plenary address, Institute of Liturgical Studies, Valparaiso University, April-May, 2019.

Public Lecture, sponsored by New York State Council of Churches and Capital Region Interfaith Coalition   for Creation Care, Schenectady, New York, April 2019.

Speaker, Feminist Liberation Theologians Network, American Academy of Religion annual meeting, Denver, Nov. 2018.

Respondent, session on book by Moe-Lobeda and co-authors, The Bible and Ethics, American Academy of Religion annual meeting, Denver, Nov. 2018

Keynote speaker, national gathering of ELCA public policy office and advocacy directors, Colorado Springs, Sept 2018.

Speaker, 30th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum, Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Sept. 2018.

Keynote speaker, Rocky Mountain Synod Assembly, ELCA, May 2018.

Theologian in Residence, Lawrence Kansas coalition of churches and universities, April 2018.

Keynote speaker, SW WA synod of the ELCA, Bishop’s Convocation, January 2018.

Annual Spring Lecture series lecturer. Green Lake Church of Seventh Day Adventists, Seattle, 2018.

“The Bible and Ethics: Race, Class, Gender, and Ecological Justice,” panel presentation on  forthcoming book, Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, NJ, Nov. 2017.

Keynote address, Belk Lecture series, Wesleyan College, Macon, Georgia, Nov. 2017.

 Keynote speaker, conference on Luther and the continuing relevance of the Reformation, Theil College, Greenville, PA, Nov. 2017.

 Keynote speaker, Leadership Conference, Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Oct. 10-12, 2017.

Keynote speaker for The Luther Lectures, Northern Rockies Institute of Theology, Montana Synod ELCA, Oct 9-10 2017.

Plenary address, symposium in observance of the 500th anniversary: “Reformation: Transforming the World One Door at a Time,” Concordia College. Moorhead, Minnesota, September 2017.

“Making Alliances,” invited presentation at Feminist Studies in Religion: Envisioning Conference, Drew University, Madison, NJ, June 18-21, 2017

 Plenary address, ELCA conference entitled “Embodied Freedom.”  Minneapolis, June 2017.

Tanner Talk public lecture and interview with “Access Utah” on Utah Public Radio, Utah State University, April 2017.

Keynote speaker for ELCA PA state public policy office, Advocacy Day, May 2017.

Keynote address, annual convocation of Justice and Peace Promoters, Leadership Conference of WomenReligious. Chicago, March 2017.

Keynote address, Yolo Interfaith Alliance for Climate Justice, annual conference, Davis CA, March 2017.

Plenary lecture, lecture series entitled, “500th Anniversary of the Reformation: its Relevance for Today and Tomorrow.” Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Naples Florida. Feb., 2017.

 “Is Climate Change Structural Violence?” Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting, Jan. 2017.

Plenary speaker and reflection leader, Immanual College of the University of Toronto and Ruah Community.  Toronto Canada, October 2016.

Luther Lecture, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, Berkeley CA, April 2016.

Public lecture, Faith and Environment lecture series, Berry College, Mount Berry, Georgia, Spring 2016.

Invited paper on climate justice, Harvard University conference entitled “Our Religions, Our Earth, Our Future,” Center for the Study of World Religions Cambridge, Oct 2016.

Invited paper for plenary address, Pacific Coast Theological Society annual meeting, Berkeley, Nov 2016.

“Earth-Honoring Faith and Climate Justice,” keynote address for Mid-Atlantic Region session at the annual meeting of the AAR/SBL San Antonio, November 2016.

Theologian-in-residence, Faith-Based Community Organizing Summit, ELCA, Chicago, Oct. 2013; Detroit, June 2014; Everett WA, March 2015; Portland, Sept 2016.

Keynote address, annual convocation of the Marianist Social Justice Collaborative, entitled Changemakers:  Creating New Responses for New Times. San Antonio, July 2016.

Faculty, week-long seminar on climate, race, and class at Ghost Ranch. New Mexico, June 2016.

Keynote speaker, conference on food justice and Earth-honoring faith, Metropolitan New York Synod, ELCA, May 2016.

Public lecture on climate justice for Jesuit School of Theology’s “Science for Seminaries” project sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Berkeley, CA, Oct 2015.

“Teaching Climate Change for Moral Agency, Eco-justice, and Structural Analysis,” American Academy of Religion annual meeting, Nov 2015.

Plenary lecture, “The Subversive Luther,” at “The 500th Anniversary of the Reformation Symposium: The Forgotten Luther: Advocate for the Poor.”  Lutheran Church of the Reformation, Washington, DC,  Nov, 2015.

Speaker, Yom Kippur service, Beyt Tikkun Synagogue-Without-Walls, Berkeley, CA., Sept. 2015.

Plenary address, ELCA Campus Pastors’ Conference – California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks, CA. June 2015

“Climate Change as Race Debt, Class Debt, Climate Colonialism: Moral Conundrums and Policy Implications,” paper for section 12 of 10th International Whitehead Conference: Seizing an Alternative: Toward an Ecological Civilization, Claremont Graduate University, June 2015

Plenary speaker, Northwest Washington Synod, ELCA, Synod Assembly, May 2015.

Public Lectures sponsored by Earth Literacies and Canadian Memorial United Church (Vancouver,

Canada) and Christ Church Cathedral (Victoria, Canada), April 2015.

“Climate Debt as Race Debt and Climate Colonialism: Forging a Just Future,” Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting. January 2015.

“Climate Debt, Race Debt, Climate Colonialism: Forging a Just Future,” American Academy of Religion annual meeting (Co-authored with Jennifer Harvey.) November 2014.

Plenary lecturer, annual Lutheran Studies conference, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA. September 2014

“Climate Change as Climate Injustice: Moral Mandate and Policy Implications,” summer conference at
Seattle University entitled “Just Sustainability: Hope for the Commons.” August 2014

Eucharist and Commencement Address, Lutheran School of Theology. Chicago, Illinois. May 2014.

Presentation on Resisting Structural Evil: Love as Economic-Ecological Vocation, St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. Seattle, Washington. Spring 2014.

Keynote speaker, conference on ecology and congregational life, Trinity Lutheran Theological Seminary. Columbus, Ohio. March 2014

Presenter at WATER’s Feminist Conversations in Religion Series Teleconference. November 2013.

“Mapping the Field of Religion and Ecology: Theories, Methods” (panel paper), American Academy of  Religion annual meeting. Baltimore, Maryland. November 2013.

“Theology and Environmental Justice,” sponsored by Theological Education Committee (panel paper), American Academy of Religion annual meeting. Baltimore, Maryland. November 2013.

Keynote speaker at Earth Ministry’s “Celebration of St. Francis: Ecojustice, Social Justice, and the Christian Conscience.”  Seattle, Washington. October 2013.

“Climate Change, Race, and Class,” invited paper at planning consultation team for the “Race, Class, Gender” track of the ninth Ecological Civilization Conference and tenth International Whitehead Conference. Claremont Graduate University. October 2013.

Keynote Speaker, Tri-Synodical Theological Conference. ELCA, Iowa. September 2013

“Toward a More Just and Inclusive Global Economic System: Exploring Alternatives,” plenary paper, annual Convocation of Lutheran Teaching Theologians, Southern Lutheran Theological Seminary. Columbia, South Carolina. August 2013

“Climate Injustice and Lutheran Resources for Climate Justice,” panel presentation, annual Convocation of  Lutheran Teaching Theologians, Trinity Lutheran Theological Seminary, Columbus, Ohio. August 2012

Keynote speaker, 18^th Annual Conference on the Vocation of a Lutheran College. July/August, 2012

Convocation keynote speaker, Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. April 2012

Response to “Elements of Tradition, Protest, and New Creation in Monetary Systems: A Political Theology of Market Miracles,” by Nimi Warimoko at “Twelfth Ttransdisciplinary Theological Colloquium:   Common Good(s): Economy, Ecology, Political Theology,” Drew University. February, 2012

Theologian in Residence, “ELCA Congregation-Based Community Organizing conference for leaders from Latino, Arab and Middle Eastern, and African Descent congregations.” Chicago, Illinois. December, 2010

“Church in, as, and against White Racism,” Race and Religion at this Critical Moment (panel title), Race and Pedagogy National Conference, University of Puget Sound. Tacoma, Washington. October 2010.

“A Viable Water Ethic for ‘Planet Water,’” invited paper at “Water – The Crisis Ahead,” a conference called by the Foundation for the Future. April 2010.

“Unmasking Evil that Parades as Good: Critical Mystical Vision,” Society of Christian Ethics annual meeting. San Jose, California. January 2010.