Painful Consolations: Re-Imagining Soul Care in a Time of Climate Crisis

This essay argues that the ancient practice of “the care of souls” needs to be re-imagined amid a climate crisis that is taking an increasing toll on people’s emotional, psychological, and spiritual health. Drawing on recent work on climate emotions while acknowledging critiques of the seemingly privileged nature of eco-anxiety discourse, the author suggests three dimensions of a re-imagined soul care while suggesting spiritual resources and practices from Christian history that may help people navigate difficult climate-related emotions in ways that move them beyond hopeless despair and debilitated inaction.