Author Michael Dowd, “America’s evolutionary evangelist”, will discuss how understanding evolution can be the basis for a deeply inspiring and meaningful view of our place in the cosmos at a Community Forum in Newbury Park on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

Rev. Dowd‘s work has been featured in the NY Times, LA Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, Discover magazine, and on CNN, Fox News, and ABC News.

His multimedia presentation, titled “Evolutionize Your Inspiration: Right Relationship to Reality in the 21^st Century,” (a.k.a., “The Gospel According to Science: Good News Individually, Collectively, and for the Larger Body of Life”), will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Newbury Park.

The presentation will cover the major themes of Dowd’s 2008 book, “Thank God for Evolution” and is similar to a program he delivered at the United Nations in 2009. He reveals how a sacred science-based understanding of human nature, death, and the trajectory of big history can offer a realistically hopeful and inspiring vision of the future. He also offers practical tools for growing in right relationship to reality that can enrich and even transform one’s life and interactions.

The author seeks to reach the broadest possible audience with his impassioned and engaging discussion of physical, biological, and cultural evolution — and what it means for the world our grandchildren will inherit.

His book has been endorsed by 6 Nobel Prize-winning scientists, religious leaders from a wide spectrum, and even noted skeptics and atheists.

In his talks, Dowd explores how instincts humans have inherited through millions of years of evolution served our ancestors well, but are not particular well-suited to our supercharged modern world. He maintains that a better understanding of those instincts can help us overcome bad habits, self-defeating behaviors, and needless guilt.

The author addresses concerns that some Christians have about whether evolution is compatible with their Bible-based beliefs. He describes himself as once traditionally religious and now a “born-again evolutionary evangelist.”

Dowd was a United Church of Christ minister for nine years and is a graduate of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary (now Palmer Theological Seminary) in Philadelphia. He received his B.A. in biblical studies and philosophy from Evangel University in Springfield, Mo (affiliated with the Assemblies of God).

Following his pastoral work, he became involved in sustainability issues. Since April 2002, Dowd and his wife, acclaimed science writer Connie Barlow, have lived entirely on the road, and have addressed more than 1,500 religious and secular groups across North America.

PROGRAM IS FREE BUT DONATIONS GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED

Conejo Valley Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
3327 Old Conejo Road, Newbury Park

For more information call: (805) 374-9818   http://forum.cvuuf.org