Dr Ruth Valerio
Dr Ruth Valerio is an environmentalist, theologian, social activist and author and is currently the Global Advocacy and Influencing Director for Tearfund. She has a theology degree from the University of Cambridge and a doctorate from Kings College London. In her doctorate she explored the issues of simplicity and consumerism and particularly the relationship between Thomas Aquinas’ virtues of temperance and justice. Prior to working for Tearfund Ruth worked as Churches and Theology Director for A Rocha UK, a Christian charity that works for the protection and restoration of the natural world and spearheaded their Eco Church initiative. She is also currently Canon Theologian at Rochester Cathedral.
Ruth’s vision is to inspire and equip Christians to a whole-life response to poverty, helping build a movement that brings about lasting change on the issues that impact the poorest and most vulnerable. She has a particular interest in environmental issues and longs to see the culture of the Church change so that caring for God’s earth becomes an integral part of church life, rather than an optional extra.
Ruth has written extensively on justice, environment and lifestyle issues, particularly from a Christian perspective. Concerned to ‘practice what she preaches’, she has an allotment, runs a food cooperative and a pig-keeping social enterprise. She is very involved with Transition Chichester and runs the Chichester Garden Share scheme.
RUTH’S SESSION:
