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The New “Ecozoic” Age
Perhaps our large brain will grasp the real understanding of how to live fully and joyfully during our brief dance on earth, and that there are social systems less destructive than the ones we have now that can protect and even enhance this beautiful earth that has been placed in our trust. Or, perhaps it will not. Perhaps as our species passes into the darkness of the evolutionary process, as it sooner or later must, we will realize that we ourselves have hastened our own demise. Or, perhaps we will not. (3) For me, the modern 21st century creation story I have shared today is far more powerful and awe-inspiring than the ancient myth I grew up knowing. It grounds me with the experience that I belong to the earth and to its ongoing evolution. It reminds me that evolution did not happen at some point in the past, but rather that evolution is happening now. It tells me that I am connected to all that is, all that is past, and all that is to come. I am connected to all of the integrated systems of the earth … the air, the water, the plants, and the animals. It pulls me out of my day-to-day existence … my worry about my health, my worries about my garden and my stock portfolio … to remind me that I am an integral part of life on this earth, a mammal with a large brain that gives me advantage over the other animals of the planet. Yet, I am sharply reminded that I came from the earth and the oceans, that the substance of my body will return there, and that in the meantime I have a responsibility to care for the part of the evolving universe I have been gifted to experience. The creation and on-going evolution of the universe, the experience of my very existence, my awareness of being, is The Miracle. There can be no greater miracle. In the words of my good friend, Phillip Huckaby, in his writing, Miracles or No?, “Finally, I see miracles in another sense. I say this not for the sake of argument, but because it is my deepest held conviction, and I live by it. The fact that anything exists is a miracle. I don’t think we realize what it means that there is something instead of nothing. I am alive. I exist. You are alive. You exist. What an incredible reality! What a wonderful mystery! What a gift beyond explanation!” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- References:
Our galaxy, the Milky Way, a modest galaxy as galaxies go, is over 100,000 light years across. (Note 1-9-2009 Very recently releases data suggest that our Milky Way is in fact a large galaxy rather than a more modest one as was previously thought). That is the distance light would travel going at 186,000 miles per second in 100,000 years! In our galaxy, the Milky Way, there are estimated to be over 400 billion stars. Yet, there are 125 billion galaxies in the observable universe. This means there are over 5,000 billion billion estimated stars in the observable universe, more stars than there are grains of sand on all the beaches on the entire planet Earth! 3. Restoring damage from the last 100 years Brian Swimme has remarked that if we stopped our current damage to the ecosystem with its rapid extinction of species, it would take another 10 million years for the earth to replenish and evolve new species to replace those lost in the last 100 years. (see the interview with Brian Swimme at: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5414889156623608171 [1] Painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creation_according_to_Genesis [2] Deep space photo from: http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/1996/01/ [3] Early picture of the Milky Way galaxy seen from the side: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milky_Way [4] Early earth picture from http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2006/12/early-earth/appenzeller-text [5] Blue-green algae picture from: http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/coris_glossary/index.aspx?letter=b [6] Picture of early man from Web site: http://www.picturesofrecord.com/early%20man,%20human%20evolution.htm [7] Picture of toxic spill from Web site: http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/2009/01/02/scenes-from-an-environmental-disaster-photos-of-the-tennessee-coal-sludge-spill/ [8] Picture of wounded boy from Iraqi War at Web site: http://www.chris-floyd.com/war/ |
Video Clips
Dr. Joerg Rieger,
Our Fall of 2012 Lecture Speaker
Dr. Joerg Rieger on Anselm of Canterbury
Dr. Joerg Rieger, Perkins School of Theology, on Progressive Christianity
Rev. Robin Meyers,
Our Spring 2012 Lecture Speaker
Oklahoma Minister Claims Jesus Is Not God
Robin Meyers on the Christian Right
Bishop John Shelby Spong,
Our Fall 2011 Lecture Speaker
Beyond Theism -- John Shelby Spong
The Call of Jesus -- John Shelby Spong
Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow
Our Spring 2013 Lecture Speakers
Michael Dowd - "Darwin Day Celebration" 2011, Omaha
Fred Plummer
Our Fall 2011 Lecture Speaker
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