Biography
Katie Grosh is a second-year Master of Divinity candidate at Yale Divinity School. The intertwining of religion and ecology has always been part of her life, as she previously worked for an interfaith chapel, taught environmental education in Milwaukee, and studied geology at Carleton College. Her previous research focused on the impacts of quagga mussels in the Lake Michigan ecosystem, though in Divinity School she has had the pleasure of studying the intersections of natural disasters, pastoral care, and liturgy. She is part of the United Methodist Church and calls the Great Lakes watershed home.
Paper Abstract
Over the last year, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered our lives – and our deaths. The magnitude of loss, the lack of physical presence in mourning rituals, and the many uncertainties in this crisis have led to traumatic and isolating experiences for many people. Yet, even traditional Western burial practices, like embalming or metal caskets, are environmentally unsustainable and further separate us from the earth. In this presentation, I want to offer trauma-informed suggestions for clergy creating meaningful funeral rituals during this crisis and propose green burial practices as a way renew our connections to God, the earth, and each other, fostering physical, spiritual, and ecological belonging. I will pull from the works of feminist eco-theologians Sally McFague and Rosemary Ruether, and the trauma-sensitive perspective of Jennifer Baldwin, to examine the role that faith communities play in facilitating this important ritual practice of burial, in ways that are uplifting, healing, and sustainable. I will emphasize creativity in planning, modifications for accessibility, and appreciation for sensory and body-centered worship, and offer a vision of hopefulness in lived-out environmental ethics.