Union Theological Seminary Urges Its Students to Confess Sins to Plants

Union Theological Seminary, which boasts its progressive theology, encouraged students to confess their sins to plants in chapel earlier this week.

“Together, we held our grief, joy, regret, hope, guilt and sorrow in prayer; offering them to the beings who sustain us but whose gift we too often fail to honor. What do you confess to the plants in your life?” a tweet from the seminary read, according to Faithwire.

Today in chapel, we confessed to plants. Together, we held our grief, joy, regret, hope, guilt and sorrow in prayer; offering them to the beings who sustain us but whose gift we too often fail to honor.

What do you confess to the plants in your life? pic.twitter.com/tEs3Vm8oU4

— Union Seminary (@UnionSeminary) September 17, 2019

The confessional, according to the seminary, was part of a class called “Extractivism: A Ritual/Liturgical Response.” The confessions were geared specifically towards harm committed against the environment.

“We are in the throes of a climate emergency, a crisis created by humanity’s arrogance, our disregard for Creation. Far too often, we see the natural world only as resources to be extracted for our use, not divinely created in their own right—worthy of honor, thanks and care,” the seminary said in its defense. “Churches have a huge role to play in this endeavor. Theologies that encourage humans to…