The debate over evolution versus creation, science versus religion, has been bitter and divisive, with both camps refusing to see the points of the other. Now, Reverend Michael Dowd puts those divisions to rest. Dowd offers a perspective that allows both views to exist in harmony. With evidence from contemporary astrophysics, geology, biology, anthropology, and evolutionary psychology, he finds a unity, not a collision, with religion. Ranging over concepts as diverse as deep ecology, original sin, the Big Bang, salvation, and sustainability, Thank God for Evolution celebrates a cosmology that is comprehensive and non-exclusionary. Dowd provides a solid moral and ethical foundation for a life of passion and deep meaning in troubled times. Science and religion are, in Dowd’s view, two sides of the same coin.
Embraced and lauded by Nobel laureates in the scientific community and religious leaders alike, Thank God for Evolution is intended for the broadest of audiences. It reaches across religious lines and speaks to Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical, Unitarian Universalist, Buddhist, agnostic, and other beliefs with a uniquely inclusive approach.
No matter what an individual’s beliefs or background, Thank God for Evolution will expand the horizon of what is possible for self, for relationships, and for our world. It will help readers communicate and relate to those who hold very different religious or philosophical worldviews. This book is a perfect gift, not to convert others to one way of thinking but to converse with them deeply about those things that matter most.
“The science vs. religion debate is over. A path forward emerges. Michael Dowd masterfully unites rationality and spirituality in a world view that celebrates the mysteries of existence and inspires each human being to achieve a higher purpose in life. A powerful book! A must read for all, including scientists.”—Craig Mello, 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine
“This is a powerful book, a passionate book, a needed book, and a necessary book. Dowd sstands up to both scientific and Biblical literalists and goes for the deeper truths of both schools….He does this by marrying today’s science with many ancient spiritual teachings. A great achievement.” —Matthew Fox, theologian and author of Original Blessing
“Honest students of God should welcome the revelations of science as insights, not fear them as threats. Here is a book in that spirit by an ardent believer, who takes evolution to heart, and celebrates it.” —Frank Wilczek, 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics
“The universe took 13.7 billion years to produce this amazing book. I heartily recommend it. I am often asked how science and religion can co-exist. This is a wonderful answer.” —John Mather, Chief Scientist at NASA, 2006 Nobel Prize in Physics
“That evolution is a divine force has not been well appreciated, or articulated, up till now. But through the efforts of this brave book and others inspired by it, this realization is certain to be more widely embraced in the coming decades.” —Kevin Kelly, Wired magazine Editor at Large, author of Out of Control and New Rules for a New Economy
“For Catholics who are worried that evolution has nothing to offer them but random Godlessness, this is the book to get. Mind you, it may sometimes be challenging. Traditional concepts, like ‘original sin,’ get re-expressed with new words, like ‘our lizard legacy.’ But the courageous will discover the same joy, energy, and spirituality that fills the author as he explores an evolutionary view of God and Creation. Take courage—and read it!” —Chris Corbally, S.J. Vice Director, Vatican Observatory
“Michael Dowd has written a book that is at once fun to read and a significant contribution to those who think about God without the blindfolds of past centuries. Dowd affirms science, and shows how a spiritually alive consciousness must embrace evolution and understand it in the wider context of a world filled with the presence of God. It will be faith renewing to many Christians and has much from which people of all faiths can learn.” —Rabbi Michael Lerner, Editor Tikkun, national Chair, The Network of Spiritual Progressives, author, The Left Hand of God: Healing America's Political and Spiritual Crisis
“A publishing event of rare significance, this exhilarating book moves us at last beyond false separations of science and religion. With true evangelical fervor, it liberates both heart and mind in service to the great adventure of our time: the rediscovery of our mutual belonging and our kinship with all life. With breathtaking clarity, Michael Dowd not only treats us to a panoramic vision of our origins, but reveals how this Great Story can grace our lives right now with courage, creativity, and peace of mind. Such gifts are not only our birthright, they are essential now for our survival.” —Joanna Macy, Buddhist eco-philosopher, author of World as Lover, World as Self, and Coming Back to Life
