Cosmology, An Alternative Method of Knowing God and Finding Our Place in the Universe

The great Jesuit Theologian Karl Rahner is reported to have said, "The Christian of the future will be a mystic or he will not exist at all." Bring your experiences of Hildegarde of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Teilhard de Chardin and maybe even Matthew Fox and Annie Dillard to tonight's journey. We will careen between the canyons of scientific disbelief in God and the pinnacle of fundamentalist Bible belief to enjoy cosmology, our common story.

"Some call it a dance.  Many call it reason for a new faith in the human prospect.  More often it is called a story. A grand, unifying narrative that points to the awakening of the human to meaning and wonder in a cosmos that had become increasingly impersonal and purposeless under the sway of Western science and the classical humanist tradition.  However it's referred to, the new cosmology is energizing hearts and minds the planet over." K. Lauraen de Boer

We will start with three easy pieces.  Then if you are interested, introduce yourself directly to Teilhard de Chardin.

1. Cyberspace and the Dream of Teilhard de Chardin by John Mabry
2. Fr. Thomas Berry, Moments of Grace
3. An interview with Theologian John F. Haught , A God Shaped Hole At The Heart of our Being
   

If you like John Haught you can find two of his cosmological books online:

1. Nature And Purpose
2. The Cosmic Adventure, Science Religion And The Quest For Purpose

Several articles on Darwin, evolution and Intelligent Design can also be reached from this site. Just click on the titles and then on the chapters you wish to read.

By now you may appreciate a chart of Teilhard's scheme of evolution.

Now let's read the real Teilhard and judge for  ourselves. Two I recommend are The Future of Mankind & Hymn Of The Universe.  Clicking on the titles will take you to the articles. Right click back to return to the index page. Click on the chapter heads to see the actual text. Follow the other articles if you like.

Some books:

• Jesus In The New Universe Story, by Wessels
• The Return To Cosmology, by Toulmin
• The Fabric of the Cosmos & The Elegant Universe, by Brian Green
• The View From The Center Of The Universe, by Primack & Abrams
• The Quantum Self by Zohar
• The Universe Story by Fr.Thomas Berry
• God and The Astronomers by Jastrow
• At Home in The Cosmos, by Toolan
• A Walk Through Time From Stardust To Us, Liebes, Sahtorous & Swimme

Have fun!!!