Nancy Menning was an assistant professor of World Religions when this was written. She completed her PhD in 2010 from the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Iowa after being ABD in a joint degree program in forest ecosystem management and environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nancy combines her background in social forestry and environmental studies with her work in religious studies to advance the environmental humanities and to foster simultaneous human and ecological flourishing. Her field of specialization is called either 'religion and ecology' or 'religion and nature.' Her recent work has emphasized religious aspects of climate change narratives, spiritual practices for cultivating environmental virtues, rituals for mourning environmental losses, and pedagogical strategies for teaching religion and nature using literature. She serves as co-chair of the Ecology and Science in the Study of Religion section of the Midwest region of the American Academy of Religion.