LETTER TO THE ECOTHEO COMMUNITY

from active members of the EcoTheo Collective Board of Directors, with input from EcoTheo Review Editorial Staff

As many community members are aware, Rev. Jason Myers, Executive Director of EcoTheo Collective, was arrested for online solicitation of a minor. A letter from the rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, where Jason served, can be found here.

Jason has been removed from all roles with EcoTheo Review and EcoTheo Collective, effective immediately. The magazine, and as such, the essence of the organization, existed before Jason’s leadership, and the Collective now operates as a 501c3 non-profit governed by a Board of Directors.

As an organization, EcoTheo Collective envisions a world in which caring for the places we inhabit, the people we encounter, and the lives we lead makes for lasting beauty in art, nature, and community. As the board of EcoTheo, we are shocked and deeply troubled by the news regarding Jason Myers. Accordingly, the board of EcoTheo Collective is announcing that EcoTheo Review and the Collective itself are taking an intentional pause to enter a period of contemplation and action.

We express our regret, our sincere concern for victims, and our commitment to pursuing justice for all who have been harmed and affected by Jason’s actions. We acknowledge the profound harm these events cause our entire community. We support calls for truth, transparency, and accountability in the hopes that we may heal as a community, individually and collectively. Especially in times like these, we are guided by poets and artists. 

"Sometimes we are blessed with being able to choose the time, and the arena, and the manner of our revolution, but more usually we must do battle where we are standing.” 

      -Audre Lorde

The board and editorial staff of EcoTheo are deeply grateful for the trust our community members have placed in our collective work. We commit to living our core values of love, justice, creativity, and care for all human beings and our more-than-human world as we chart a path forward for this organization. For anyone who may desire contact with the EcoTheo Board, two board members and an Executive Director Emeritus are available: 

EcoTheo Board Members

Cynthia Kittredge  (512) 750-9962; cynthia.kittredge@ssw.edu 

Shann Ray                   (509) 953-4967; ferch@gonzaga.edu 

EcoTheo Executive Director Emeritus

Travis Helms             (832) 279-2024; travis@ecotheo.org

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We consider submissions of poetry, prose, and visual art that explore questions of ecology and spirituality from within and outside all religious traditions. We are delighted by thoughtful art, compelling stories, bewitching poems that reflect our values of curiosity, justice, and community. We consider all submissions for publication on our website and/or in our quarterly print issues.

EcoTheo Review appreciates the trust involved in our relationships with authors and readers. We know how difficult it can be to share work, especially of a sensitive nature. If the work you are sending us depicts traumatic events, whether personal or historical in nature, we invite you to consider including a Content Warning for our editors. Should we choose to publish such work, we want to demonstrate care for our readers as well, and our Publication Contract will include an opportunity for you to offer a Content Warning. These will be included when we publish the work, online and/or in print, as well as when we share the work through our social media accounts. We are grateful for the opportunity to consider your work.

Please allow at least 3 months while we review your submission. Our editors are all volunteers, with other work, family, and creative commitments. We appreciate your patience as we give all submissions the consideration they deserve. We do not accept previously published work, but we do accept simultaneous submissions. Please notify us promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.