Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World

Thank God for EvolutionPrefaceAuthor's PromisesPrologue: Personal JourneyThe Marriage of Science and ReligionItinerant Evolutionary EvangelismIntroductionFrom "Adam and Eve" to Us—and BeyondScience and Religion Spurring Each Other to GreatnessIn ContextOverviewPart I. The Holy Trajectory Of EvolutionChapter 1. Our Big Picture Understanding of RealityStories Within StoriesWhat Is the Great Story?From Shape-Shifting Story to Unchanging ScriptureMeaning MakingChapter 2. Evolution Is Not Meaningless Blind ChanceInterpreting Our Immense JourneyThe Mythopoeic DriveTime's Arrow, Time's CycleThe Role of StrifeThe Role of CooperationThe Role of InitiativeChapter 3. Evolution and the Revival of the Human SpiritThe Universe Can Be TrustedYou Are Part of the UniverseAccept What Is and Be in IntegrityGrow in Evolutionary IntegrityTrusting the Universe Means Welcoming ChallengesPart II. Reality Is SpeakingChapter 4. Private and Public RevelationBeyond BeliefThe Birth and Maturation of Public RevelationFlat-Earth Faith Versus Evolutionary FaithToward an Evolutionary ChristianityFacts Are God's Native TongueReligious KnowersChapter 5. The Nested Emergent Nature of Divine CreativityThank God for the Hubble Telescope!We Are Made of StardustThe Gifts of DeathLitany: "The Gifts of Death"Chapter 6. Words Create WorldsExperiencing God Versus Thinking About GodThe Split Between Religion and ScienceFrom Clockwork "It" to Creative "Thou"Day and Night LanguageChapter 7. What Do We Mean by the Word "God"?No Less Than a Holy Name for the WholePrayer in a Nestedly Creative CosmosA Personal, Undeniable GodGod or the Universe: What's in a Name?CreatheismThe Role of Humanity in an Evolving UniverseBeing "Faithful to God"Part III. The Gospel According To EvolutionChapter 8. Growing an Evolutionary FaithGenesis in ContextDon't Throw Out the AppleChapter 9. REALizing "The Fall" and "Original Sin"Lessons from Evolutionary Brain ScienceLessons from Evolutionary PsychologyResurrecting "The Fall"Your Brain's Creation StoryReclaiming "Original Sin"Chapter 10. REALizing "Personal Salvation"The Challenges of Our Lizard LegacyFurry Li'l Mammal to the RescueThank God for Our Higher Porpoise!Discerning Your Calling ExerciseSalvation Through Evolutionary IntegrityThe DNA of Deep IntegrityChrist-like Evolutionary IntegrityREALizing "Saving Faith"REALizing "the Gospel"Part IV. Evolutionary SpiritualityChapter 11. Evolutionary Integrity PracticesTaming Our Money MindTaming Our Lizard LegacyGrowing in Trust: Nurturing Humility and FaithREALizing "Love Your Enemies"Growing in Authenticity: REALizing "Remove the Plank"Growing in Compassion/Responsibility: REALizing "Judge Not"Growing in Gratitude: REALizing "Love God and Your Neighbor"Chapter 12. Evolving Our Most Intimate RelationshipsTouch and TendernessRespectful CommunicationPlayfulness and HumorMeaningful Songs and RitualsSynergy and ServiceChapter 13. Transformed by the Renewal of Your MindDeep Integrity AffirmationsImagination Matters! Upgrading Your Mental SoftwarePart V. A "God-Glorifying" FutureChapter 14. Collective Sin and SalvationWrongdoing in a Nestedly Emergent UniverseCollective Sin in an Age of InformationCofronting Institutional SinChapter 15. The Wisdom of Life's Collective IntelligenceOn Earth As It Is in HeavenCollective Deep IntegrityConversation and Creative EmergenceCo-Intelligent Social TechnologiesThe Core CommonsCultivating Discernment Within the WholeCo-creating Our Evolutionary SpiritualitiesChapter 16. Knowing the Past Reveals Our Way ForwardThe Cosmic Century TimelineAligning Self-Interest with the Well-being of the WholeWho and What Are We, Really? And Why Are We Here?Our Sense of Self and Our Role in the Body of LifeEvolutionary RevivalsChapter 17. Beyond Sustainability: An Inspiring VisionMajor Challenges in the Next 250 YearsWild CardsLong-term and Short-term Positive TrendsLikely Good News in the Next 250 YearsChapter 18. Our Evolving Understanding of "God's Will"Responding to Critics Who Reject Religion Because of ScriptureTranscending Biblical Values and Scriptural MoralityREALizing "Holy Scripture" and "Divine Revelation"Public Revelation: "The Ever-Renewing Testament"REALizing Godly Morality and EthicsWider Critics of Care, Compassion, and CommitmentREALizing "Jesus as God's Way, Truth, and Life"ConclusionEpilogueTestimonialVisionAppendix A. "Good and Bad Reasons for Believing" by Richard DawkinsAppendix B. Realizing the MiraculousMiracles Through the AgesREALizing "the Virgin Birth"REALizing "Christ's Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven"InvitationAcknowledgmentsResourcesOnline ResourcesWho's Who and Sources of QuotationsIndex