Little did I think back in 1990 when I first got involved in Sage, Oxford's Christian environmental group, that this area would eventually become one of my teaching and research areas.

In 2003 I became involved in writing a module for the Certificate in Christian Rural and Environmental Studies (CRES) a joint initiative of Christian Rural Concern and The John Ray Initiative. On February 5th 2004 I took over from Dr. Peter Carruthers as co-director of the course, and am now Principal Tutor. I wrote a module “Physical Environment”, with Sir John Houghton, and successfully moved the accreditation from Keele University to Ripon College, Cuddesdon, nr. Oxford (May 2005). It is an exciting venture for me as it combines my interests in the Christian environmental movement with my skills in course management. It is also my first venture into distance learning.

In the summer of 2006 I first lectured (with my wife, Margot) for the Oxford Summer Program, which brings over students from American Christian universities for a month long summer school. In 2007 we co-led a topical seminar series on “The Bible and the Environment.”, and we have continued this association with the program in 2008 and 2009.

In February and March 2008 and 2009 I was the resident scientist on the Christian climate change tour “Hope for Planet Earth”. We travelled the UK, visiting 35 venues and speaking to over 10,000 adults and high school students.

My work in this area has so far resulted in three publications, a survey of environmental theology courses in Europe, and a book at semi-popular level, and a booklet, both of which I co-authored with my wife, Margot:

HODSON, M.J. (2007) Environmental theology courses in Europe- Where are we now? In "The Place of Environmental Theology: A guide for seminaries, colleges and universities." (eds. Weaver, J., Hodson, M.R.). Published jointly by the Whitley Trust, UK and IBTS, Prague. pp. 107-120.