Rev. Michael Dowd shapes his evolutionary message for a New Thought audience (Unity of Portland, Oregon) on the first Sunday following the November 2016 elections. His three main points: (1) Decline is divine and chaos catalyzes creativity; (2) Interpretations matter — and mythic interpretations matter most; (3) You can't know the impact of your actions, so get on with it.

Rev. <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael</a><a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dowd</a> shapes his evolutionary message for a New Thought audience (Unity of Portland, Oregon) on the first Sunday following the November 2016 elections. His three main points: (1) Decline is divine and chaos catalyzes creativity; (2) Interpretations matter — and mythic interpretations matter most; (3) You can't know the impact of your actions, so get on with it.

58. Evolutionary Gratitude for Challenging Times

Connie Barlow and Michael Dowd reflect on the past year of learnings and insights, stimulated by listening to the final chapter of William Catton's book, Overshoot. Content is expanded in Dowd's 2016 video trilogy Standing for the Future (on youtube) and in Dowd's Grace Limits Audios webpage compilation.

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/CB-writings.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Connie Barlow</a> and <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael</a><a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dowd</a> reflect on the past year of learnings and insights, stimulated by listening to the final chapter of <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/william-catton.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">William Catton's book, Overshoot</a>. Content is expanded in Dowd's 2016 video trilogy <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/standing-for-the-future.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Standing for the Future</a> (on youtube) and in Dowd's <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/grace-limits-audios.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Grace Limits Audios</a> webpage compilation.

57. Overshoot and Grace Limits

Terry Patteninterviewed Michael Dowd inMarch 2016 as part of his ongoing "Beyond Awakening" audio series. Inthis 90-minute program, the two explore the existentiallychallenging worldview offered by Dowd in this "century ofconsequences."

<a href="http://www.terrypatten.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Terry Patten</a> interviewed <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael</a><a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dowd</a> in March 2016 as part of his ongoing "<a href="http://www.beyondawakeningseries.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Beyond Awakening</a>" audio series. In this 90-minute program, the two explore the existentially challenging worldview offered by Dowd in this "century of consequences."

56. The New Ten Commandments and the Coming Apocaloptimism

February 7, 2016 Michael Dowd delivered this guest sermon at South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society of Cottonwood Heights, Utah.

February 7, 2016 <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael</a><a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dowd</a> delivered this guest sermon at South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society of Cottonwood Heights, Utah.

55. Pro-Future Is Good; Anti-Future Is Evil

This is the third in a trilogy of sermons that Michael Dowd delivered at Peoples Church Unitarian, Ludington Michigan, during the summer of 2015. (The other two sermons are posted as episodes 52 and 53 in this podcast series.) You can also view this sermon on youtube in video format.

This is the third in a trilogy of sermons that <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael</a><a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dowd</a> delivered at Peoples Church Unitarian, Ludington Michigan, during the summer of 2015. (The other two sermons are posted as episodes 52 and 53 in this podcast series.) You can also view this sermon on youtube in <a href="https://youtu.be/wMNGbAc58Qw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video format</a>.

54. Inspired on Dark Mountain: The Big Picture

This is the second in a trilogy of sermons that Michael Dowd delivered at Peoples Church Unitarian, Ludington Michigan, during the summer of 2015. (The other two sermons are posted as episodes 52 and 54 in this podcast series.) You can also view this sermon on youtube in video format.

This is the second in a trilogy of sermons that <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael</a><a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Dowd</a> delivered at Peoples Church Unitarian, Ludington Michigan, during the summer of 2015. (The other two sermons are posted as episodes 52 and 54 in this podcast series.) You can also view this sermon on youtube in <a href="https://youtu.be/wOlnHKlUOdc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video format</a>.

53. Embrace Death to Live Life Fully

Michael Dowd delivered a sermon series in Summer 2015 at Peoples Church Unitarian, Ludington Michigan. This first sermon in the trilogy is titled "When Religion Fails, Economics Becomes Demonic." You can also view it on youtube in video format.

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> delivered a sermon series in Summer 2015 at Peoples Church Unitarian, Ludington Michigan. This first sermon in the trilogy is titled "When Religion Fails, Economics Becomes Demonic." You can also view it on youtube in <a href="https://youtu.be/6bXxvhAWiv8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">video format</a>.

52. When Religion Fails, Economics Becomes Demonic

Michael Dowd delivered on 4 January 2015 a guest sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, Florida. His 3 points: (1) Challenging times remind us of our humanity and promote humility; (2) Challenging times help us embrace our mortality; (3) Challenging times help us clarify what matters most. Topics include Dowd's advocacy of "legacy consciousness" and living in accordance with "the fundamental law of life," which he speaks of by resurrecting a legal/moral term that was a central concern for Thomas Jefferson: usufruct. Dowd concludes, "Religions have been failing in their most important task, which is helping us live in right relationship to reality and ensuring a healthy future." 

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> delivered on 4 January 2015 a guest sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Myers, Florida. His 3 points: (1) Challenging times remind us of our humanity and promote humility; (2) Challenging times help us embrace our mortality; (3) Challenging times help us clarify what matters most. Topics include Dowd's advocacy of "legacy consciousness" and living in accordance with "the fundamental law of life," which he speaks of by resurrecting a legal/moral term that was a central concern for Thomas Jefferson: usufruct. Dowd concludes, "Religions have been failing in their most important task, which is helping us live in right relationship to reality and ensuring a healthy future."

51: The Grace of Challenging Times

Michael Dowd was interviewed mid-December 2014 by the hosts of the podcast series Everyone's Agnostic. We edited it down to an hour for our America's Evolutionary Evangelists series. Climate change is front and center for Michael, and you will hear how the interviewers affirm Michael's view. Key points include: "God is Reality with a personality — not a person outside of Reality." Also, "The role of religion has always been to shame any individual or group of individuals who are harming the community or the future. Religion has not been playing that role in our time because of what I call 'the triple idolatries': idolatry of the written word, idolatry of the otherworldly, and idolatry of beliefs." Visit the "What's new?" page of our website, TheGreatStory.org, to access videos we recorded this year.

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> was interviewed mid-December 2014 by the hosts of the podcast series <a href="http://everyonesagnostic.libsyn.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everyone's Agnostic</a>. We edited it down to an hour for our America's Evolutionary Evangelists series. Climate change is front and center for Michael, and you will hear how the interviewers affirm Michael's view. Key points include: "God is Reality with a personality — not a person outside of Reality." Also, "The role of religion has always been to shame any individual or group of individuals who are harming the community or the future. Religion has not been playing that role in our time because of what I call 'the triple idolatries': idolatry of the written word, idolatry of the otherworldly, and idolatry of beliefs." Visit the "<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/new.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">What's new?</a>" page of our website, <a href="http://thegreatstory.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheGreatStory.org</a>, to access videos we recorded this year.

50. Climate: The Great Reckoning

Michael Dowd delivered on 8 September 2014 a a guest sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Indianapolis, Indiana. His three points: (1) We are bigger, older, and more deeply related than we thought; (2) Nature is more holy, more divine, than we've been led to believe; (3) Our way into the future is crystal clear. Dowd begins with a reading from Thomas Berry and ends with a prophetic call:"The past is rooting for us, and the future is calling us to greatness!"

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> delivered on 8 September 2014 a a guest sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Indianapolis, Indiana. His three points: (1) We are bigger, older, and more deeply related than we thought; (2) Nature is more holy, more divine, than we've been led to believe; (3) Our way into the future is crystal clear. Dowd begins with a reading from Thomas Berry and ends with a prophetic call:"The past is rooting for us, and the future is calling us to greatness!"

49. The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness

Connie Barlow and Michael Dowd explore the practical, inspirational, and religious/spiritual implications of a mainstream understanding of the evolutionary sciences.

Listening to this first podcast of Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow is like breathing fresh air. This podcast addresses the issue of the failure of today&#39;s churches to embrace the new sciences as God&#39;s ongoing revelation. After listening to this first podcast, I am downloading all of the rest. I can hardly wait to continue listening. Thank you for these wonderful podcasts!

Idolotry of the Written Word

America's Evolutionary Evangelists

June 6, 2010 was a landmark day for Michael Dowd as an evangelist of the evolutionary perspective in American churches.  This was the day that he delivered his boldest sermon ever, titled "The New Atheists As God's Prophets."  People's Church of Ludington, MI was his first religious venue for this title.  He will reprise this sermon on July 11 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse, NY, then twice in August in Oklahoma City: first at Mayflower Congregational Church and then at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral.  This sermon offers the ideas first presented on September 6, 2009, in the sixth podcast of this series, and which Michael presented as a blogpost on June 4. Michael's aim is this: “I want to encourage religious people not to get defensive when the New Atheists are attacking religion or attacking concepts of God. Instead, recognize that they are fulfilling the role of a prophet."

June 6, 2010 was a landmark day for Michael Dowd as an evangelist of the evolutionary perspective in American churches.  This was the day that he delivered his boldest sermon ever, titled "The New Atheists As God's Prophets."  People's Church of Ludington, MI was his first religious venue for this title.  He will reprise this sermon on July 11 at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Syracuse, NY, then twice in August in Oklahoma City: first at Mayflower Congregational Church and then at St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral.  This sermon offers the ideas first presented on September 6, 2009, in the <a href="http://evolutionaryevangelists.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=523078" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sixth podcast</a> of this series, and which Michael presented as a <a href="http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/2018" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">blogpost</a> on June 4. Michael's aim is this: “I want to encourage religious people not to get defensive when the New Atheists are attacking religion or attacking concepts of God. Instead, recognize that they are fulfilling the role of a prophet."

31. Sermon: The New Atheists As God's Prophets

Michael Dowd propels his personal awakening to the perils of climate change into a powerful sermon. Delivered January 6, 2013 at both services of the Jefferson Unitarian Church (Golden, Colorado), the full title of the sermon is "God Rebukes Religious Right: Repent or Face Hell and High Water." Dowd suggests that "idolatry of the written word" and "idolatry of the otherworldly" have blinded the religious right to the "intergenerational evil" of climate change. Note: This is the audio of a video the church posted online: http://vimeo.com/channels/juc/56939241. A 2-minute video excerpt of Dowd challenging the boomer generation to arise out of selfishness is posted at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1KVzWMKHB0&amp;feature=youtu.be.

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/MD-writings.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> propels his personal awakening to the perils of climate change into a powerful sermon. Delivered January 6, 2013 at both services of the Jefferson Unitarian Church (Golden, Colorado), the full title of the sermon is "God Rebukes Religious Right: Repent or Face Hell and High Water." Dowd suggests that "idolatry of the written word" and "idolatry of the otherworldly" have blinded the religious right to the "intergenerational evil" of climate change. Note: This is the audio of a video the church posted online: <a href="http://vimeo.com/channels/juc/56939241" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://vimeo.com/channels/juc/56939241</a>. A 2-minute video excerpt of Dowd challenging the boomer generation to arise out of selfishness is posted at: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1KVzWMKHB0&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1KVzWMKHB0&amp;feature=youtu.be</a>.

39. God Rebukes Religious Right (Dowd sermon)

Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow discuss Michael's latest version of his ever-evolving "Religion 2.0" -- aiming for a globally relevant, scientifically realistic, inspiring, and activating worldview that can bridge religiously diverse and secular perspectives.  In this episode, Michael pairs a secular term with a religious term in each of his six foundational points: (1) Reality is our God; (2) Evidence is our scripture; (3) Big History is our creation story; (4) Ecology is our theology; (5) Integrity is our religion; and (6) Ensuring a healthy future is our mission. Michael elaborates his points with several quotations drawn from the writings of the late Thomas Berry, mentor to many in this "metareligious" movement.

Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow discuss Michael's latest version of his ever-evolving "Religion 2.0" -- aiming for a globally relevant, scientifically realistic, inspiring, and activating worldview that can bridge religiously diverse and secular perspectives.  In this episode, Michael pairs a secular term with a religious term in each of his six foundational points: (1) Reality is our God; (2) Evidence is our scripture; (3) Big History is our creation story; (4) Ecology is our theology; (5) Integrity is our religion; and (6) Ensuring a healthy future is our mission. Michael elaborates his points with several quotations drawn from the writings of the late Thomas Berry, mentor to many in this "metareligious" movement.

43. Religion 2.0: Ecology As Theology

Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow "woke up" to the magnitude and speed of climate change in December 2012. The dangers of human-caused climate disturbance had, by then, become undeniable, making this the fundamental moral issue of our time. In this podcast, the duo include clips from the world's most respected climate scientist, NASA's James Hansen, and two key advocates for systemic change: Bill McKibben and David Roberts.  Because this is just the audio track of the original video podcast, we recommend you watch the entire 49-minute video on YouTube: "Climate Change and Intergenerational Evil". Please recommend that your friends watch it too.

Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow "woke up" to the magnitude and speed of climate change in December 2012. The dangers of human-caused climate disturbance had, by then, become undeniable, making this the fundamental moral issue of our time. In this podcast, the duo include clips from the world's most respected climate scientist, NASA's James Hansen, and two key advocates for systemic change: Bill McKibben and David Roberts.  Because this is just the audio track of the original video podcast, we recommend you watch the entire 49-minute video on YouTube: <a href="http://youtu.be/a1HpkCiOaiI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"Climate Change and Intergenerational Evil"</a>. Please recommend that your friends watch it too.

38. Climate Change and Intergenerational Evil

Michael Dowd delivered a guest sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe on February 10, 2013. His core message:  "Ecology is the new theology; big history is the new Genesis. Those who fail to understand that evidence is modern-day scripture, and that the world we live in is an honorable world, betray God and humanity in the most egregious of ways." He also pointed to, what he calls, "the twin idolatries": idolatry of the written word and idolatry of the otherworldly. In closing, he implores fellow baby boomers to attend to our collective "generational legacy" by staving off climate change and by reining in the debt we will otherwise bequeath to the young, simply by passively submitting to costly medical technologies when death by old age is on the horizon.

Michael Dowd delivered a guest sermon at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Santa Fe on February 10, 2013. His core message:  "Ecology is the new theology; big history is the new Genesis. Those who fail to understand that evidence is modern-day scripture, and that the world we live in is an honorable world, betray God and humanity in the most egregious of ways." He also pointed to, what he calls, "the twin idolatries": idolatry of the written word and idolatry of the otherworldly. In closing, he implores fellow baby boomers to attend to our collective "generational legacy" by staving off climate change and by reining in the debt we will otherwise bequeath to the young, simply by passively submitting to costly medical technologies when death by old age is on the horizon.

41. Ecology Is the New Theology

Connie Barlow and Michael Dowd reflect on their current work of translating the discoveries and interpretations of the fledgling sciences of evolutionary psychology and evolutionary brain science into perspectives and practical tools for transforming lives and relationships.  Inspiration and direction for participating in cultural and societal improvement are drawn from the equally new scholarly discipline of Big History, which aims to uncover broad patterns within the trajectory of evolution and their causal links. The duo give examples of how this work has already helped each of them access empowering emotional states: gratitude for the past, trust in the future, inspiration to be in action, and empathy for engaging oppositional views.  Michael directs listeners to a newly posted site for free online viewing of the main public program he has been presenting in 2010, “Evolutionize Your Life.”  Dowd also commends a new downoadable audio lecture series by Allen D. MacNeill, “The Modern Scholar: Evolutionary Psychology I”.

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/CB-writings.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Connie Barlow</a> and <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/MD-writings.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> reflect on their current work of translating the discoveries and interpretations of the fledgling sciences of evolutionary psychology and evolutionary brain science into perspectives and practical tools for transforming lives and relationships.  Inspiration and direction for participating in cultural and societal improvement are drawn from the equally new scholarly discipline of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_History" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Big History</a>, which aims to uncover broad patterns within the trajectory of evolution and their causal links. The duo give examples of how this work has already helped each of them access empowering emotional states: gratitude for the past, trust in the future, inspiration to be in action, and empathy for engaging oppositional views.  Michael directs listeners to a newly posted site for <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/new.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free online viewing</a> of the main public program he has been presenting in 2010, “<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/new.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Evolutionize Your Life</a>.”  Dowd also commends a new downoadable audio lecture series by Allen D. MacNeill, <a href="http://www.audible.com/pd/ref=sr_1_1?asin=B0042QTIVA&amp;qid=1286638516&amp;sr=1-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“The Modern Scholar: Evolutionary Psychology I”</a>.

33. A Deep-Time Model of Transformation

Michael Dowd is interviewed for Blog Talk Radio by Richard Brendan. Widely ranging topics from Michael's book, Thank God for Evolution, are the focus of this 50-minute program, including the evolutionary value of religions, how all religions necessarily are evolving, the "evidential wisdom" of science (science as humanity's "global collective intelligence"), science as "public revelation," and the distinction between "practical truth" (carried forward by all long-standing religions) and "factual truth" (the unique contribution of science). Two links are provided here to projects Michael refers to: (1) "Evolutionary Spirituality: Coming Home to Reality" and (2) the 38-audio-interview series "Evolutionary Christianity".

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/MD-writings.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> is interviewed for Blog Talk Radio by <a href="http://www.richardbrendan.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Richard Brendan</a>. Widely ranging topics from Michael's book, Thank God for Evolution, are the focus of this 50-minute program, including the evolutionary value of religions, how all religions necessarily are evolving, the "evidential wisdom" of science (science as humanity's "global collective intelligence"), science as "public revelation," and the distinction between "practical truth" (carried forward by all long-standing religions) and "factual truth" (the unique contribution of science). Two links are provided here to projects Michael refers to: (1) "<a href="http://www.thankgodforevolution.com/node/1976" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Evolutionary Spirituality: Coming Home to Reality</a>" and (2) the <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/ec-leaders.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">38-audio-interview series "Evolutionary Christianity"</a>.

37. Evidential Wisdom

Connie Barlow recites and discusses a December 2012 essay she and Michael Dowd produced and posted in both the Huffington Post (online here) and Metanexus (here). Barlow and Dowd deliver a call-to-action for religious educators and ministers in theologically liberal settings to revamp their goals and curricula toward offering children and youth the inspiring, practical, and deeply meaningful fruits of a fully evolutionary worldview.

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/CB-writings.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Connie Barlow</a> recites and discusses a December 2012 essay she and Michael Dowd produced and posted in both the Huffington Post (online <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-michael-dowd/failing-our-youth-a-call-to-religious-liberals_b_2267640.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>) and Metanexus (<a href="http://www.metanexus.net/blog/failing-our-youth-call-religious-liberals" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>). Barlow and Dowd deliver a call-to-action for religious educators and ministers in theologically liberal settings to revamp their goals and curricula toward offering children and youth the inspiring, practical, and deeply meaningful fruits of a fully evolutionary worldview.

40. Failing Our Youth

Richard Dawkins

Barlow and Dowd take an inside look at Richard Dawkins' first children's book, The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True. The couple recite excerpts and discuss why this "courageous and necessary book" may indeed help evolve the religions of the world along the lines of, what Dowd calls, the Evidential Reformation. Note: This commentary was originally recorded in video format and posted on Youtube here. Other resources mentioned in the commentary include: • Jennifer Morgan's Born with a Bang book trilogy for kids • Evolutionary Parables (stories and dramatic scripts) • Great Story Beads (13.7 billion years represented in beads) Theme song "Poetry of Reality" courtesy Symphony of Science.

Barlow and Dowd take an inside look at Richard Dawkins' first children's book, The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really True. The couple recite excerpts and discuss why this "courageous and necessary book" may indeed help evolve the religions of the world along the lines of, what Dowd calls, the Evidential Reformation. Note: This commentary was originally recorded in video format and posted on Youtube <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcOwS8EFSoU" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. Other resources mentioned in the commentary include: • Jennifer Morgan's <a href="http://www.universestories.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Born with a Bang book trilogy for kids</a> • <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/parables.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Evolutionary Parables</a> (stories and dramatic scripts) • <a href="http://thegreatstory.org/great_story_beads.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Great Story Beads</a> (13.7 billion years represented in beads) Theme song <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Cd36WJ79z4&amp;feature=player_embedded" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">"Poetry of Reality"</a> courtesy <a href="http://symphonyofscience.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Symphony of Science</a>.

35. The Magic of Reality: New Book by Richard Dawkins

Connie Barlow delivers a 20-minute sermon at Cadboro Bay United Church near Victoria, BC (Canada) October 2012. Connie suggests that progressive churches will serve a vital role for the next generations when they evolve their understanding of "religious education" to mean primarily the need to provision children with a sense of feeling at home in the universe. Only in churches and homeschool settings can our culture's widespread malaise of "amythia" be healed. To do so, science must be presented in deeply meaningful ways, while all facets of education are integrated as elements ('beads") in one grand (and globally shared) story: the epic of evolution.

Connie Barlow delivers a 20-minute sermon at Cadboro Bay United Church near Victoria, BC (Canada) October 2012. Connie suggests that progressive churches will serve a vital role for the next generations when they evolve their understanding of "religious education" to mean primarily the need to provision children with a sense of feeling at home in the universe. Only in churches and homeschool settings can our culture's widespread malaise of "amythia" be healed. To do so, science must be presented in deeply meaningful ways, while all facets of education are integrated as elements ('beads") in one grand (and globally shared) story: the epic of evolution.

36. Evolution: The Next Generation

Michael Dowd delivered on 22 June 2014 a a guest sermon at The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango, CO. His three points: (1) What we call Reality, the ancients called God; (2) God/Reality is communicating today primarily through scientific, historical, and cross-cultural evidence; and (3) in order for religions to pass forward a healthy world for future generations, each must undertake a kind of "evidential reformation" — celebrating that "Reality is God and evidence is scripture."

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> delivered on 22 June 2014 a a guest sermon at The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Durango, CO. His three points: (1) What we call Reality, the ancients called God; (2) God/Reality is communicating today primarily through scientific, historical, and cross-cultural evidence; and (3) in order for religions to pass forward a healthy world for future generations, each must undertake a kind of "evidential reformation" — celebrating that "Reality is God and evidence is scripture."

48. The Evidential Reformation

Michael Dowd delivered on 13 April 2014 a a guest sermon at Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Prescott, AZ. In addition to his primary themes (as presented in podcast episode 43, "Ecology As Theology," Dowd offers that "all gods and goddesses can be understood in either a fictional or a factual way." Other memes include thinking of the human as the "Prodigal Species": "We have squandered our inheritance, and now we must come home to Reality." He advises secular folk to "Make your legacy your primary concern." For Christians he advises, "Make your legacy your Lord."

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> delivered on 13 April 2014 a a guest sermon at Granite Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Prescott, AZ. In addition to his primary themes (as presented in podcast episode 43, "Ecology As Theology," Dowd offers that "all gods and goddesses can be understood in either a fictional or a factual way." Other memes include thinking of the human as the "Prodigal Species": "We have squandered our inheritance, and now we must come home to Reality." He advises secular folk to "Make your legacy your primary concern." For Christians he advises, "Make your legacy your Lord."

47. Inspiring Science and Realistic Hope

Michael Dowd delivered on 23 February 2014 a new presentation to nurture "legacy consciousness" and to motivate action in joyful service of the future. He spoke at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living in Encinitas, California. This was his inaugural presentation in collaboration with The Great March for Climate Action, which would commence in Los Angeles on March 1 and conclude in Washington D.C. in early November. You will hear embedded audios of three short videos that Michael played for the audience: (1) a TEDx climate talk by David Roberts, (2) a statement on the "intergenerational injustice" if we fail to act on climate change by climate scientist James Hansen, and (3) a recitation by poet Drew Dellinger.

<a href="http://thegreatstory.org/michaeldowd.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Michael Dowd</a> delivered on 23 February 2014 a new presentation to nurture "legacy consciousness" and to motivate action in joyful service of the future. He spoke at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living in Encinitas, California. This was his inaugural presentation in collaboration with <a href="http://climatemarch.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Great March for Climate Action</a>, which would commence in Los Angeles on March 1 and conclude in Washington D.C. in early November. You will hear embedded audios of three short videos that Michael played for the audience: (1) a <a href="http://youtu.be/pznsPkJy2x8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TEDx climate talk by David Roberts,</a> (2) a statement on the "intergenerational injustice" if we fail to act on climate change by climate scientist James Hansen, and (3) a recitation by poet <a href="http://youtu.be/XW63UUthwSg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Drew Dellinger</a>.

46. Legacy Consciousness

Connie Barlow delivered a guest sermon on 27 October 2013 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, North Carolina. The full title is "How Religion Is Failing Our Youth — and What We Can Do About It." She addressed three major concerns: first, the importance of youth being offered a coherent story by which to navigate the excitement and challenges of life (she recommends the "epic of evolution"); second, helping boys in particular steer away from the most debilitating and addictive aspects of internet gaming and internet video porn (without laying on fear or shame); and third, doing what we need to do systemically to pass on a healthy economy and a healthy planet to the generations that follow.

Connie Barlow delivered a guest sermon on 27 October 2013 at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Hendersonville, North Carolina. The full title is "How Religion Is Failing Our Youth — and What We Can Do About It." She addressed three major concerns: first, the importance of youth being offered a coherent story by which to navigate the excitement and challenges of life (she recommends the "epic of evolution"); second, helping boys in particular steer away from the most debilitating and addictive aspects of internet gaming and internet video porn (without laying on fear or shame); and third, doing what we need to do systemically to pass on a healthy economy and a healthy planet to the generations that follow.

45. How Religion Is Failing Our Youth

Connie Barlow introduces in January 2014 a learning and action series for helping trees adapt to climate change — species by species, decade by decade. Citizen naturalists are invited to research a favorite native tree species and begin to work with others to keep up with the northward movement of forest zones by planting and monitoring small numbers of wild seeds of common species onto private forested lands well north of where those seeds were collected. This "assisted migration" in a time of unprecedented climate shift will be increasingly necessary in the decades ahead. Foresters can create the maps to show us where species will need to move to. But we citizen naturalists will play a complementary role in ensuring that the full diversity of genotypes keeps pace with a warming and drying continent. NOTE: This podcast is the soundtrack of a richly illustrated videoblog by Connie that is posted on youtube: VIDEO: Climate, Trees, and Legacy.

Connie Barlow introduces in January 2014 a learning and action series for helping trees adapt to climate change — species by species, decade by decade. Citizen naturalists are invited to research a favorite native tree species and begin to work with others to keep up with the northward movement of forest zones by planting and monitoring small numbers of wild seeds of common species onto private forested lands well north of where those seeds were collected. This "assisted migration" in a time of unprecedented climate shift will be increasingly necessary in the decades ahead. Foresters can create the maps to show us where species will need to move to. But we citizen naturalists will play a complementary role in ensuring that the full diversity of genotypes keeps pace with a warming and drying continent. NOTE: This podcast is the soundtrack of a richly illustrated videoblog by Connie that is posted on youtube: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqksZfXwO44&amp;feature=share&amp;list=UUVl3Dslz5uww1EdHJV7vEOg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">VIDEO: Climate, Trees, and Legacy</a>.

44. Climate, Trees, and Legacy

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