Renewal is a promising but ultimately disappointing film about religious communities who focus on their role as caretakers for the earth. Comprised of 8 stand alone stories, Renewal shows the diversity of the effort by portraying the environmental concerns of Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Muslim traditions. Unfortunately, not all 8 stories are equally interesting and the more interesting segments are in the beginning of the film giving the entire project a feel of diminishing returns. Because each segment is between 9-12 minutes, none feel substantial. The film would be strengthened by removing some of the weaker episodes (Eco-Justice, Sacred Celebration, Interfaith Power and Light) and deepen the more notable ones (A Crime Against Creation, Going Green, Food for Faith, Ancient Roots, Compassion in Action). Each segment is easily accessible on the DVD, so these more interesting stories can be shown as stand alone episodes.