By Candace Cooksey FultonMichael Dowd, author of “Thank God for Evolution,” has accepted an invitation to speak at an open forum this week in Brownwood.    Dowd, 49, an ordained Christian minister and former Baptist and United Church of Christ pastor, described the “Gospel of Evolution” as a program presenting evolution as theology, not theory. “The marriage of science and religion builds bridges and restores hope, realistic hope, individually and collectively,” Dowd said in a press release. “People across the religious and philosophical spectrum are waking up to the fact that cosmic, biological and human history is our shared sacred epic, our common creation story.”

Dowd’s Brownwood program will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Adams Street Community Center, 511 E. Adams St. For more information about Dowd’s local presentation, contact Steven Puckett by e-mail at steve_squared@verizon.net .Puckett said Dowd’s message has been embraced by people whose beliefs cross the theological andphilosophical spectrum: from atheists, humanists and freethinkers to evangelicals, to moderate and liberal Catholic and Protestant Christians, to Buddhists, Quakers and others.According to an article from the Austin American-Statesman by Eileen E. Flynn, Dowd gave up a permanent home to travel the country spreading his gospel in the hope of reconciling disparate beliefs. But the former pastor’s gospel may shock many Christians, Flynn wrote. Dowd preaches that God is the ultimate reality, and such a view promotes evolutionary science. Dowd considers Darwin and the divine a natural combination.Dowd’s presentation at the Adams Street Community Center on Thursday is free and open to the public, as are all of his presentations. In fact, he offers his book — “Thank God for Evolution! How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World” — as a free download on his Web site.DVD and book sales help finance the ministry, however, and those will be for sale at the program.