Show notes summary
What we cover
• What “doom” really names: not inevitable extinction, but the psychological shock when our problems feel bigger than our solutions—and how naming it opens a path beyond paralysis.
• Under the climate “cherry”: overshoot (taking too much, dumping too much) and the polycrisis that makes single issue fixes insufficient.
• Four scenarios for what’s next: collapse avoidance, collapse rebirth, collapse survival, collapse extinction—plus why clinging to certainty (optimism or despair) discourages action.
• From anger → grief → love: how grief can sweeten into love for places and people—and even temper how we regard those doing harm.
• Practices that help right now: find a small circle to talk with; seek daily time outdoors (“the birds are being awesome”); and cultivate honest, contemplative prayer—“holding our thoughts to the light.”
• Faith, power, and coalition: engaging Christian communities without dehumanization; critiquing money power capture; and reaching beyond left/right toward a deeper, earth honoring vision.
Key takeaways
• Name the feeling; don’t freeze there. Recognizing doom as an inner experience creates room for courage and community.
• Think systemically. If we “solve carbon” but ignore overshoot and the polycrisis, our children still inherit cascading risk.
• Work the middle path. Refusing both naïve optimism and total doom keeps us in the arena of action.
• Grief reveals love. Lament can deepen solidarity with people and places—and clarify what we will protect.
• Lead with love, not dehumanization. Our language matters; contempt escalates violence, while love enlarges coalitions.
Practices you can try this week
• Find or form a two to five person “courage circle” to name fears, metabolize grief, and choose next steps.
• Go outside daily, on purpose. Let non human rhythms reset your nervous system and perspective.
• Five minutes of honest reflection. As Quakers say, “hold your thoughts to the light”—name despair or fear without denial.
A line to sit with
• Hope isn’t certainty about outcomes; it’s the conviction that some things are worth doing regardless of the outcome—fueling courage and steadiness.
Mentioned
• Life After Doom (Brian McLaren) — the conversation’s backbone.
• Overshoot & polycrisis framing.
• Sermon on the Mount / non dehumanization.
Acknowledgments
Our heartfelt thanks to Elders Action Network (EAN) and Elders Climate Action (ECA) for the work they do and for their support of this conversation and community.
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Connect with Us
Web: https://wayforwardpodcast.com
Email (comments & ideas): thewayforwardrc@gmail.com
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