What Impact Does Faith Have on Protecting the Environment?
Professor of Environment and Religion Answers in Talk on January 11 at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church
Environmental Historian Mark Stoll would say “quite a lot.” Stoll is a professor of Environmental and Religious Studies at Texas Tech, where he researches the influence of religion on the environment. Stoll is the 2026 Salzman Lecture Series speaker at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church in McLean, Virginia.
On Sunday, January 11, 2026 at 7 p.m., you are invited to learn more about the influence of the religious foundations on protecting the environment when Stoll speaks in the Salzman Lecture Series on the topic of “Reformed Contributions to the Ecological Movement” at Lewinsville Presbyterian Church, 1724 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, VA 22101. The event is free and open to the public.
About Mark Stoll
The author of seven books, including Inherit the Holy Mountain: Religion and the Rise of American Individualism, (Oxford Press, 2015), Stoll argues against the common assumption that Christianity is inherently hostile to the environment. Instead, he highlights that Calvinist Protestantism provided a significant theological foundation for the rise of American environmentalism.
About the Salzman Lecture Series
The Salzman Lecture Series was established in 1998 to honor the memory of Lewinsville elder and outstanding Presbyterian layman, Howard Salzman. The annual lecture is an opportunity for reflection on three areas central to Howard’s own ministry: public affairs, global missions, and Christian education.
Howard was an active contributor to evolving Presbyterian issues and programs during his 25 years at Lewinsville. In addition to his service as commissioner to the National Capital Presbytery, he was also vice chair of the Global Mission Ministry Unit of the General Assembly.
Professionally, Howard’s career included serving as an economist for the Pan American Union, and later, as a program executive for the Organization of American States. When he retired, he was Director of the Office of International Cooperation.
Previous lecturers have included: Jim Wallis, E.J. Dionne, Glenn Tinder, LeRoy Walters, Katherine Marshall, Philip Wogaman, and the late Rep. John Lewis.