Thank God for Evolution!

Table of Contents

Author’s Promises
Prologue: Personal Journey
        The Marriage of Science and Religion
        Itinerant Evolutionary Evangelism

Introduction
        From “Adam and Eve” to Us—and Beyond
        Science and Religion Spurring Each Other to Greatness
        In Context
        Overview

PART I. THE HOLY TRAJECTORY OF EVOLUTION

Chapter 1. Our Big Picture Understanding of Reality
        Stories Within Stories
        What Is the Great Story?
        Shape-Shifting Story to Unchanging Scripture
        Meaning-Making

Chapter 2. Evolution is Not Meaningless Blind Chance
        Interpreting Our Immense Journey
        The Mythopoeic Drive
        Time’s Arrow, Time’s Cycle
        The Role of Strife
        The Role of Cooperation
        The Role of Initiative

Chapter 3. Evolution and the Revival of the Human Spirit
        The Universe Can Be Trusted
        You Are Part of the Universe
        Accept What Is and Be In Integrity
        Grow in Evolutionary Integrity
        Trusting the Universe Means Welcoming Challenges, You Really Can’t Get It Wrong!

PART II. REALITY IS SPEAKING

Chapter 4. Private and Public Revelation
        Beyond Belief
        The Birth and Maturation of Public Revelation
        Flat-Earth Faith versus Evolutionary Faith
        Toward an Evolutionary Christianity
        Facts Are God’s Native Tongue
        Religious Knowers
     
Chapter 5. The Nested Emergent Nature of Divine Creativity
        Thank God for the Hubble Telescope!
        We Are Made of Stardust
        The Gifts of Death

Chapter 6. Words Create Worlds
        Experiencing God versus Thinking about God
        The Split Between Religion and Science
        From Clockwork “It” to Creative “Thou”
        Day and Night Language
    
Chapter 7. What Do We Mean by the Word “God”?
        No Less Than a Holy Name for the Whole
        Prayer in a Nestedly Creative Cosmos
        A Personal, Undeniable God
        God or the Universe: What’s in a Name?
        Creatheism
        The Role of Humanity in an Evolving Universe
        Being “Faithful to God”

PART III. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO EVOLUTION

Chapter 8. Growing an Evolutionary Faith
        Genesis in Context
        Don’t Throw Out the Apple
    
Chapter 9. REALizing “The Fall” and “Original Sin”    
        Lessons from Evolutionary Brain Science
        Lessons from Evolutionary Psychology
        Resurrecting “The Fall”
        Your Brain’s Creation Story
        Reclaiming “Original Sin”

Chapter 10. REALizing “Personal Salvation”    
        The Challenges of Our Lizard Legacy
        Furry L’il Mammal to the Rescue
        Thank God for Our Higher Porpoise!
        Salvation Through Evolutionary Integrity
        The DNA of Deep Integrity
        Christ-like Evolutionary Integrity
        REALizing “Saving Faith”
        REALizing “the Gospel”    

PART IV. EVOLUTIONARY SPIRITUALITY

Chapter 11. Evolutionary Integrity Practices
        Taming Our Monkey Mind
        Taming Our Lizard Legacy
        Growing in Trust: Nurturing Humility and Faith
        REALizing “Love Your Enemies”
        Growing in Authenticity: REALizing “Remove the Plank”
        Growing in Compassionate Responsibility: REALizing “Judge Not”
        Growing in Gratitude: REALizing “Love God and Your Neighbor”
 
Chapter 12. Evolving Our Most Intimate Relationships
        Touch and Tenderness
        Respectful Communication
        Playfulness and Humor
        Meaningful Songs and Rituals
        Synergy and Service

Chapter 13. Transformed by the Renewal of Your Mind
        Deep Integrity Affirmations
        Imagination Matters! Upgrading Your Mental Software

PART V. A “GOD-GLORIFYING” FUTURE

Chapter 14. Collective Sin and Salvation
        Wrongdoing in a Nestedly Emergent Universe
        Collective Sin in an Age of Information
        Confronting Institutional Sin

Chapter 15. The Wisdom of Life’s Collective Intelligence
        On Earth As It Is in Heaven
        Collective Deep Integrity
        Conversation and Creative Emergence
        Co-Intelligent Social Technologies
        The Core Commons
        Cultivating Discernment within the Whole
        Co-Creating Our Evolutionary Spiritualities

Chapter 16. Knowing the Past Reveals Our Way Forward
        The Cosmic Century Timeline
        Aligning Self-Interest with the Wellbeing of the Whole
        Who and What Are We, Really? And Why Are We Here?
        Our Sense of Self and Our Role in the Body of Life
        Evolutionary Revivals

Chapter 17. Beyond Sustainability: An Inspiring Vision
        Major Challenges in the Next 250 Years
        Wildcards
        Long-term and Short-term Positive Trends
        Likely Good News in the Next 250 Years

Chapter 18. Our Evolving Understanding of “God’s Will”
        Responding to Critics Who Reject Religion Because of Scripture
        Transcending Biblical Values and Scriptural Morality
        REALizing “Holy Scripture” and “Divine Revelation”
        Public Revelation: “The Ever-Renewing Testament”
        REALizing Godly Morality and Ethics
        Wider Circles of Care, Compassion, and Commitment
        REALizing “Jesus as God’s Way, Truth, and Life”

Conclusion
Epilogue
        Testimonial
        Vision

Appendix A. “Good and Bad Reasons for Believing” by Richard Dawkins
Appendix B. REALizing the Miraculous
        Miracles Through the Ages
        REALizing “the Virgin Birth”
        REALizing “Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven”

Resources
Acknowledgments
Quoted / Referenced
Index