Wow! I’m reeling! I’ve just started reading “Thank God for Evolution!” and feel I must share my enthusiasm for this magnificent tome. My first impression is that only a passionate, energetic, and committed evolutionary evangelist could compile and compact such a wealth of information on science and religion all in one place.

All ancient peoples had their "Great Story." It would be their explanation of how they and the world came into being. The creation story of Moses told in Genesis became the creation story of Jews, Christians and Muslims and thus of the Western and much of the Mid-Eastern world. It is a beautiful story, powerful, poetic and bold. For countless generations of believers, it answered the basic question of how the world came to be.

I have been rereading TGFE which inspires me even more the second time than the first. Here is a vignette from my life: Today I am especially moved by this quote (from page 195): "You can live a life of ‘Christ-like’ integrity with or without an evolutionary wordview. It can be done either way. It's just much easier with an evolutionary worldview."

As a young person who has struggled with tangible religion I want to say thank you. I was raised Catholic and have walked through many religions in my short time. I have perpetually sought the truths only because I found that the dogma was too much for me. Hearing you speak in Ventura last night was inspiring and heart warming.

I read Michael's book early in 2008 and when I was half way through it a second time I decided to begin sharing it with my friends and neighbors. One thing lead to another, and in late March I invited Michael to come speak at my church. Cold Spring is a community in central Minnesota made up of 3,000 conservative German catholics. Michael spoke at our ELCA Peace Lutheran Church with about 75 persons in attendance. The ripples from the rock he threw into the community lake are still rippling...