About the Session

In “Faithful Resistance in a Warming World: Bill McKibben on Climate, Courage, and Collective Action,” writer, activist, and 350.org founder Bill McKibben will ground the Summit’s theme of Grounded Resistance in the stark realities of the climate crisis and the extraordinary possibilities of organized people power. Drawing on decades of work helping to build the modern climate movement—from sounding the alarm in The End of Nature to leading fossil fuel divestment campaigns and launching Third Act—McKibben will reflect on why climate change is fundamentally a moral and spiritual question for people of faith and conscience.

Speaking to a multifaith audience, he will explore how spiritual traditions can nourish the courage, honesty, and solidarity required to confront the fossil fuel industry and advance climate and environmental justice. Through stories from frontline movements, elders organizing, and communities of faith taking prophetic risks, McKibben will invite participants to root their resistance in love of neighbor, care for creation, and a commitment to future generations. Attendees will leave with a clearer sense of the climate stakes, along with practical pathways for sustained, grounded action in their congregations, neighborhoods, and broader movements.

About the Speaker

Bill McKibben is an author, educator, and environmentalist, who helped found 350.org, the first global grassroots climate campaign, and who has recently helped found Third Act, to build a progressive organizing movement for people over the age of 60.

The Keynote Address will be held at 6pm CT / 7pm ET on September 29, 2026. In-person watch parties will be hosted across Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin — join your community to watch, connect, and be inspired.