Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Jesus and Darwin
Michael Dowd is making a bold statement about the future of science and religion. He thinks they have a future together. I agree. For the past five years, he and his wife, Connie Barlow, an acclaimed science writer, have lived permanently on the road sharing a sacred view of evolution with religious and secular audiences of all ages, as America’s evolutionary evangelists. At home in both conservative and liberal settings, and uniquely gifted at building bridges between religious and nonreligious people, Michael is passionate about sharing the 14-billion-year epic of evolution in ways that uplift and expand heart, mind, and soul.
I’m not completely sure what to think about Dowd. I’m reading his book, "Thank God For Evolution", and last night I watched his DVD presentation. You can view clips of his talks via his web site. He is passionate about his mission and it shows in his exciting presentations. I’m a little nervous hearing someone speak about science in the same style as a protestant preacher speaks about God. He refers to himself as an Evolutionary Evangelist. It often reminds the listener of an intelligent design sermon. However, this is not intelligent design. Dowd accepts our best science including evolution, the big bang (he prefers the term “The Great Radiance”), and a completely naturalist position on the origins of life. That makes me feel a little better. He isn't pushing a watered down view of science. The interesting thing about Michael Dowd is that he uses God language to talk about the universe without skewing the facts. I think Dowd may be on to something, but I’m reserving judgment just a bit longer. It may be that the reason so many Fundamentalists have rejected our best science is because they are simply afraid of scientific language. Dowd thinks that sacred language works better with certain people and he is making a passionate attempt to reconcile the two. I’m in favor of that!
6 comments:
I agree with Dowd's overall mission, but I was unable to finish his book. He lost me when he started going into the evolution of the brain and trying to draw religious conclusions from that. Still, I can't fault anyone who promotes the value of evolution to religion.
"I think Dowd may be on to something,".
I, too, feel the same. I support his effort to bring these two groups together. A friend with similar beliefs to mine, and I frequently discuss this coming together of science and spirituality. Quantum physics is the place I have seen the closest dialogue. I know a couple who could only be discribed as "prosperity gospel" evangelists, who have become very, very interested in Quantum Physics and faith.
I had a friend in college that took stickers of a Jesus fish and a Darwin fish and made them kiss. I always loved this image as a response to the Jesus fish eating the Darwin fish that others seemed to enjoy.
It seems clear to me that eventually the church will have to realize that evolution is not something to fight but rather something to live with.
How can anyone read the first two chapters of Genesis "literally" when chapter 2 contradicts chapter 1?
It seems totally ridiculous to me that anyone could reject the thesis of evolution. The idea that scripture is literal belongs to the last 200 years and does a great disservice to Christianity.
Just like all our other knowledge of world, lets use science to appreciate God's creation better.
Anketell
thanks for this - i'll check out his book.
the problem that we - church people, particularly - seem trapped in is that we have to figure out how everything fits into something else. we're continually looking backwards and hoping for a light bulb of new understanding that will allow us to live in the worldview we've known and still progress to the one we imagine.
it's like bible study: if we could just let the verse speak freely without all the theology that gets read into and heaped upon it...
gray is the color for fall - please stay in fashion. :)
mike rucker
fairburn, ga, usa
mikerucker.wordpress.com
Mike, thanks so much for the mention of my book and speaking ministry! Mystical Seeker, I encourage you to give it another try. The section just after where you stopped -- on human nature (our evolved brain) and how to have freedom given the fact that we all have 'inherited proclivities' -- is potentially the most life changing of all. For those curious, here's what science and religion luminaries have said about TGFE:
ENDORSEMENTS FROM NOBEL LAUREATES
http://www.thankgodforevolution.com/nobel
PRAISE FROM SCIENCE LEADERS
http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1460
RESPONSE FROM RELIGIOUS LEADERS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM
http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1532
Co-evolutionary blessings,
~ Michael
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