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Standing for the Future (1/3) — "The Evidential Reformation: Facts as Scripture, Ecology as Theology" a.k.a., Ten Commandments to Avoid Extinction: Religion as if Survival Mattered" — i.e., What Reality/God is telling us through evidence about how we must collectively think and act if we hope to spare our grandchildren from hell on Earth and spare ourselves their condemnation. In light of climate chaos and a global economy that measures progress by how fast it can turn the biosphere into pollution, Rev. Dowd lifts up the relevance and prophetic power of traditional religious language in promoting sustainable (pro-future) programs and institutions and in condemning short-sighted (anti-future) political and economic policies. Building on his 2014 TEDx talk, Michael explores the evolutionary significance of religion and the religious significance of science. He suggests that only a sacred, evidence-based view of past, present, and future can bridge the faith-reason divide and clarify our way forward. |
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Standing for the Future (2/3) — "Reality Is Lord: A Scientific View of God on a Rapidly Overheating Planet" We each have experienced times of trouble that threaten to overwhelm our individual lives. In such times, a vision of possibility is essential. The same holds for the punctuations in history when whole societies face troubles of an immense and uncharted variety. Truly, we have arrived at such a time. Humans, unwittingly, have become a planetary force. We are irreversibly changing the very climate of our world. Henceforth, any actions we take as individuals and societies will be done in the new light of climate change. What vision will carry us forward through such times and inspire us to work together? How shall we frame the need to shed our business-as-usual outlook on life and take on a new vision of possibility that can unite us as a species in joyful self-sacrifice and service? What vision will charge us with a sense of heroic purpose that the future is, indeed, calling us to greatness? |
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Standing for the Future (3/3) — "Grace Limits and Big Picture 'Apocaloptimism': The Coming Great Reckoning as Great Homecoming" Given our impact on Earth's climate, the seas, and other species, humanity is already beginning to experience The Great Reckoning. The good news is that this is also The Great Homecoming: the prodigal species, after squandering our inheritance, coming home to Reality (God). Big History — the Epic of Evolution or Universe Story — is humanity's first and only inclusive, globally produced, evidence-based creation story. In this culminating episode, Dowd shows how this Great Story provides clear and compelling guidance to help our species 'obey' (honor) physical and ecological processes that have been at work for hundreds of millions of years. He offers both practical tools of resilience and an empowering vision of collective action in response to climate chaos and other large-scale systemic challenges. |
All three of the above videos are freely available on Youtube. To purchase a 16GB flash drive for $40 that contains: (a) high resolution versions of the videos, (b) a study guide for personal use and reflection, and (c) a leader's manual for facilitating group discussions, send me an email: Michael(AT)ThankGodforEvolution.com, or call (425) 760-9941.
If you lead a 3-week, 6-week, 9-week, or 12-week group discussion, for an additional $60 I will Skype in for a Q&A session at the end. Checks can be made out to "Michael Dowd" and sent to our mail forwarding address: 207 Maple Street, Apt 1, Ypsilanti, MI 48198.
Rev. Michael Dowd is a former pastor, sustainable communities organizer, bestselling eco-theologian, and pro-science evangelist whose work has been featured in The New York Times, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Newsweek, Discover, and on television nationally. His book, Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World, was endorsed by 6 Nobel Prize-winning scientists and other science luminaries, including noted skeptics, and by more than 100 religious leaders from a variety of traditions and across the theological spectrum. Michael and his science writer, evolutionary educator, and climate activist wife, Connie Barlow, have spoken to 2,000+ groups throughout North America since 2002.Michael has delivered two TEDx talks and a program at the United Nations. He has also conducted two acclaimed online conversation series: "The Advent of Evolutionary Christianity" and "The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness" (see below). Dowd's passion for proclaiming a pro-future, pro-science, nature-honoring message of inspiration — what he calls "the gospel of right relationship to Reality" — has earned him the moniker Rev. Reality, as he speaks in secular and religious settings about our sacred responsibility to future generations.
The core of Rev. Dowd's message is this... What matters most now, individually and collectively, is to honor Grace Limits and be a stand for the future, in word and deed. In addition to evangelizing Reality's Rules: Ten Commandments to Avoid Extinction and Redeem Humanity (see actual text of the commandments below), Michael's great joy is encouraging all of us to act in ways that will not only benefit our descendants but would make our ancestors proud.
"Evidential Medicine for Our Collective Soul: What's Inevitable? What's Redemptive?" is a 5-page essay (19-min audio) that expresses the heart of Rev. Dowd's pro-science prophetic message.
Grace Limits & Systemic Piety ♦ Main website ♦ Personal/media site Climate Science videos ♦ God in Big History videos ♦ Dowd's Wikipedia entry
The following resources are referenced in the above videos
and support the "Standing for the Future" message.
Enjoy!
WEBINAR / SKYPE INTERVIEWS: "The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness"
Throughout 2014 Rev. Dowd presented a richly illustrated program to secular and religious audiences across the United States, along the route of The Great March for Climate Action. Here is a 77-minute voice-over version of his slides: "Reality Is Lord! Science, God, and Evil on a Rapidly Overheating Planet" — the finale of his 2014 Skype conversation series, "The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness," where he interviewed 56 world-class experts on climate change, peak oil, and sustainability, as well as diverse spiritual leaders to help us find meaning in the midst of global scale challenges. All 56 interviews can be freely accessed here.
VIDEO INTERVIEW: "Pro-Future or Anti-Future?" In 2014, Michael started wearing a green clergy shirt and speaking in churches and at climate rallies as "Reverend Reality". (See his Reverend Reality youtube channel.) The two most important videos on that channel launch a new playlist: "Pro-Future or Anti-Future?". Episode 1 is "Eco-Theology". Episode 2 is "Right Relationship to Reality." This is perhaps the best and most thorough articulation to-date of Dowd's core values, priorities, and commitments — and the message he evangelizes in secular and religious settings alike. Thanks to Rick Archer, of "Buddha at the Gas Pump", here is a 36 page transcript of the entire interview (both episodes).
