As part of the Bluffton University Forum series, Medieval historian Dr. Ellen Arnold from the Ohio State University and musicologist Dr. Jim Bates from Otterbein University will join with poets Jeff Gundy from Bluffton University and Terry Hermsen from Otterbein for a panel discussion raising the question of what can we learn about our current climate crisis by looking back at attitudes about nature from the Middle Ages and beyond, as reflected in European music from the 15th, 16th and 17th century that is specifically centered on a celebration of the natural world–of plants and animals, storms, gardens and weather, etc. Dr. Arnold will offer her research into medieval attitudes about nature as a place to start, followed by some background from Dr. Bates on the music that will be played in the evening forum by the Early Interval ensemble. Poets Gundy and Hermsen will then offer a sampling of poems from our own era that parallel those early attitudes and music ‘from afar,’ looking for points of connection, followed by questions from the audience and a reflection on how art and science, history and ecology can offer us productive was to regain a closer connection to our earthly groundings.

This event was funded by an Ohio Humanities Spark Grant.