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Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley in-person eco-spiritual activities that may interest you. Check back, as this post will be updated during January as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in late January 2026. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in just what calls to you. January 5, 2026 , at 10:30 a.m. PST - S teve Farrell and Charissa Sims of Humanity's Team are offering a kick-off to Sacred Beginnings 21-Day Challenge . Be a part of this community gathering and opportunity to reconnect with your Higher Self, Divine guidance, and everyday sacredness. January 6 - February 24, 2026 , from 4-5:30 p.m. PST - Spiritual Paths Institutes is offering their InterSpiritual Meditation (ISM) Course, A Holistic 7-Step Meditation Practice ( 8-Weekly Tuesday sessions via Zoom) . More information and registration here. January 7 - January 28, 2026 - Earth Literacies is offering a program of Poetry, Science and the Cosmic Imagination with facilitator Judith Keller, on four Wednesdays: January 7, 14, 21 & 28th, 2026 at 4 p.m. PST. Their sessions will resonate with Thomas Berry’s call for a new story, one that integrates ... Read More   January 8, 2026 , 4 p.m. PST - Faith in Place's monthly call: State of the Climate 2026 will feature Dr. Steve Vavrus, State Climatologist of Wisconsin, and Senior Scientist at UW—Madison’s Division of Extension and the Nelson Institute Center for Climatic Research. He is an expert on Wisconsin climatology, extreme weather, global climate change, and Arctic climate. Register here. January 10, 2026 , at 10:00 a.m. PST - Citizens' Climate Lobby Southern Oregon is meeting at Pony Espresso, 175 Lithia Way, Ashland, OR. Brett Cease will debut CCL's new Building Relationships in Dialogue, Growth, and Engagement program. To learn more, download the CCL Action Sheet by clicking "Get the Action Sheet.", click here January 11, 2026, at 12:30 p.m. PST - U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley is hosting his 619th open Town Hall since first being elected to the United States Senate, at Ashland High School Gymnasium,201 S Mountain Ave, Ashland, OR 97520 January 12, 2026 , at 9:30-11 a.m. PST - SOCAN Climate Coordination members will meet online with Erin O’Kelley Muckhas acting as Facilitator and Kathy Conway as Scribe. Here's the Zoom Meeting link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6509798112 January 13 - March 24, 2026 , at 4-5:30 p.m. PST - Deeptime Network is offering a course on eleven Tuesdays: Activating Cosmogenetic Experience with Brian Swimme, Carolyn Cooke, Ezekiel Fugate, Jennifer Morgan, and a team of responders: Orla Hazra, Kyle Herman, Ann Amberg, Sarbmeet Kanwal, and Stephan Martin. More information here. "We are in the Next Major Transformation of Consciousness, one that has many names; for our course, we identify the emerging consciousness as "planetary," "noospheric," and "cosmogenetic." January 14, 2026 , from 4-5:30 p.m. PST - The American Teilhard Association is presenting Dr. Robert Nicastro on Zoom to consider Teilhard’s response to this question: What if the terror we feel about artificial intelligence is not paranoia but prophecy? Drawing on Teilhard’s evolutionary mysticism and biblical theology, this presentation reframes our deepest fears about AI and technological disruption as evolution becoming conscious of itself through our awareness. You can register here . January 15, 2026. at 9 a.m. PST - The Environmental Voter Project is having a panel on organizing older climate voters. This will be a short data briefing on their latest report:   Gray is the New Green: The Growing Strength of Older Climate Voters , followed by a conversation with four expert panelists who will discuss their extensive experience organizing older climate activists. Register here. January 15, 2026 - February 12, 2026 , three Thursdays at 4 p.m. PST - Creation Spirituality Communities  is offering a three-week course - ReImagine: Self & Worldview   with Theodore Richards. The first two courses have five sessions. Participation in the third course is contingent on completing the first two and involves collaborative, network-building, project-based work with mutual support. Registration here. January 17, 2026 - Despite the cut of Federal support in 2025, PBS says it is doubling down on its work in 2026, and the PBS News team will debut two new television and podcast programs for its weekend audiences.: Horizons , premiering January 17 , will focus on science, health, and technology, hosted by PBS NewsHour correspondent William Brangham. Compass Points , premiering January 18 , will focus on foreign affairs, hosted by PBS NewsHour foreign affairs and defense correspondent Nick Schifrin. "Alongside Washington Week with The Atlantic on Fridays, these programs allow us to further serve our growing audiences with deep, nuanced conversations to help shed light on the most critical issues of the day." January 19-23, 2026 - Bloomberg House in Davos, Switzerland, is a hub where global leaders connect against the backdrop of the World Economic Forum . More information here . January 22, 2026 , from 6-7 p.m. PST - Rogue Climate! is having its Legislative Session Launch webinar online. Learn about important bills coming up in the 2026 Oregon legislative session and take action. January 24, 2026 , from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. PST - The Work that Reconnects is presenting a webinar: Falling in Love with the Future: A Time Traveller’s Guide to Changing the World with Rob Hopkins and Kathleen Rude. " What would the world look like if we all got to work imagining—and then building—a world we were deeply in love with? What would our activism in the Great Turning look like if we truly believed we could inhabit the future we actually long for?" More information and registration here . January 26, 2026 - Sounds True is offering The Spirituality of Internal Family Systems with IFS Founder Richard C. Schwartz, PhD. In this inspiring new program, the creator of IFS explores the spiritual and energetic dimensions of Self and its relationship to helpful nonphysical guides, shamanic and psychedelic methods, healing multi-generational and societal burdens, and much more. More information and registration here . January 27, 2026  -   Third Act Faith  will have a conversation about Indigenous voices and perspectives concerning spirituality, Earth care, eco-justice, and interreligious dialogue. The  guest speaker will be  Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley ,  a scholar and activist, and founder, with his wife, of  Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice  and   Eloheh Farm & Seeds  in Oregon. January 27, 2026 , from 6:00-8:00 p.m. PST - SOCAN is having its General Meeting at the Medford Public Library, 205 South Central, Medford, OR. This will be a community screening of Youth v. Gov , a powerful documentary following a group of young Americans who take the U.S. government to court over its failure to protect their constitutional right to a livable future. The film offers an inside look at youth-led climate litigation, civic courage, and the growing role of the courts in addressing the climate crisis. A timely reminder that civic engagement doesn’t stop at the ballot box—and that young people are helping reshape what accountability looks like. February 2, 2026 – July 2026 :The BTS Center  is offering a series of Chaplaincy Conversation Circles in 12 sessions over 6 months on: Being Chaplains in a Climate-Changed World. " The multi-faceted work of spiritual care is increasingly buffeted by the effects of climate change. In response," Applications are open until January 16th. More information  here . February 3, 2026 , from 4-5:30 PST - Center for Christogenesis is offering a webinar How Christianity Got Jesus Wrong with Reggie Williams . " Throughout history, shifting social, political, and economic circumstances have brought new interests and anxieties to the surface, shaping the questions each era brings to the story of Jesus." More information and registration here. February 3, 2026 - The American Teilhard Association will be hosting its Annual Members’ Meeting 2026. The topic for our discussion that evening is To See as Teilhard Sees. Before gathering in Breakout Rooms, they will listen to a few of our members who will share with us their answers to questions that we will be posing. After time in the Breakout Rooms, they will open the floor to a general discussion and sharing from members. You can register here February 3, 2026 , from 10 a.m. to noon - Earth Literacies is offering a four-week program, Thomas Berry: Spiritual Master of the Emerging Ecozoic Age , on Tuesdays, February 3 – 24, with Sister Kathleen Deignan. More information and registration here. February 5, 2026 - Convergence is offering Leading with Spirit: Six Initiations into Soul-Grounded Leadership , a new 6-week online course co-taught with Dr. Margaret (Meg) Wheatley and Rev. Cameron Trimble. The course will make reference to Wheatley's 2010 book Perseverance . February 10, 2026 , at 11 a.m. PST - Garrison Institute is having a virtual forum: A Conversation Exploring the Living Earth Community , with Garrison Institute cofounder Jonathan F.P. Rose and Dr. Mary Evelyn Tucker, cofounder of the Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology, that helped create the Living Earth Community. March 16, 2026, at 11 a.m. PST - IFTF is presenting Fast Futures: Foresight for Beginners - a fast-paced, 90-minute, online learning experience taught live by Jane McGonigal about signals and drivers of change. $99 Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

Scientists tell us that we as a species are in the middle of a major evolutionary transition , as technology is changing at a much faster pace than we are socially able to process. How can we evaluate and ensure real progress for our species and our planet? One of the issues is the rise of misinformation and deepfakes. Discernment and caution are necessary with false narratives being spread on social media. Recently, the Club of Rome has introduced a Young Person's Guide to Storytelling . The Human Energy Project "sees promise in exploring innovative technologies with a longer-term perspective and global, interdisciplinary collaboration. Only through universal alignment can we regain the agency lost to these runaway technologies." Human Energy is sponsoring academic research into the unforeseen consequences of innovation, from pollution and climate change to a youth mental health crisis. Dr. Francis Heylighen and Dr. Shima Beigi define the Techno-Social Dilemma (TSD) as "the growing prevalence of anxiety, depression, and despair in technologically advanced nations." TSD is a loss of our “sense of coherence” in the Information Age, meaning that people no longer experience life as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. Professor David Sloan Wilson is heading an ethics research project for Human Energy based on his Prosocial approach. Prosocial is based on the work of Nobel Prize-winning economist Elinor Ostrom and grounded in contextual behavioral science, evolutionary science, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Sloan is co-author with Paul W.B. Atkins and Steven C. Hayes of the 2019 book: Using Evolutionary Science to Build Productive, Equitable, and Collaborative Groups. "The spectacular growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has made the world more V olatile, U ncertain, C omplex, and A mbiguous ( VUCA ), while increasing the pressure to consume, produce, and distribute information." In their 2025 book Navigating the Age of Chaos: A Sense-Making Guide to a BANI World That Doesn't Make Sense , Jamais Cascio, Bob Johansen, and Angela F Williams have updated VUCA to BANI ( B rittle, A nxious, N onlinear, and I nconprehensible). IFTF researcher Mark Frauenfelder 's article: Algorithmic Harm Isn't a Bug, It's the Business Model says "Automated decisions maximize profit by externalizing harm, and adoption is accelerating faster than accountability. The path to protect against the potential harm of AI's decision-making ability isn’t to ban algorithms; it’s to redesign economic incentives to make ethical algorithms profitable. Three pathways are emerging: The enforcement pathway shows penalties can work. The regulation pathway could ban the most harmful uses. The ethical design pathway offers alternatives to inhumane algorithms. Organizations like Bard College's Wiháŋble S'a Center use Indigenous knowledge to center community values. The University of Groningen's Humane AI group aligns systems with public values. What if government contracts required certified ethical AI? What if public investment scaled these alternatives to compete with exploitative systems? Without viable alternatives, enforcement and regulation simply punish rather than redirect.

"The world we once described as volatile and uncertain has shifted into something far more chaotic: BANI , or Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, and Incomprehensible." In the book Navigating the Age of Chaos ( published October 28, 2025), Jamais Cascio , the originator of the visionary BANI framework, unpacks the tools and perspectives needed to navigate our increasingly turbulent era. He is joined by coauthors Bob Johansen and Angela F. Williams ." Click here for a more detailed description of the book with two good summary graphics. BANI is a future that is: Brittle --Recognize fragility in systems and strategies to build resilience. Anxious --Address widespread anxiety with empathy and attentiveness. Nonlinear --Navigate unpredictable scenarios with adaptive, improvisational thinking. Incomprehensible --Find clarity in overwhelming complexity through webs of connection. BANI + reframes chaos into actionable opportunities for growth and flips the BANI to positive: Bendable - Resilient clarity — the capacity of a system, institution, or person to absorb sudden shocks without losing purpose or coherence. Not rigidity, but strength with give. Attentive - Active empathy — the disciplined practice of noticing, acknowledging, and responding to distress early. Attention becomes a stabilizing force, not passive awareness. Neuroflexible - Practical improvisation — the ability to rethink, reconfigure, and act in real time under uncertainty, using feedback rather than fixed plans. Interconnected - Full-spectrum thinking — imagining futures across gradients of possibility, resisting inherited categories and outdated constraints, and widening who and what counts in decision-making. For 50 years, the Institute For The Future (IFTF) has been making Ten-Year Forecasts . " This year IFTF's 2025 Ten-Year Forecast, Strategy in the Age of Chaos , is a package* of eleven forecasts examining the futures that will likely reshape our lives in the next ten years: GLP-1 medications transforming health, our bodies and society, neuropolitics, the gamblification of everything, automated decision-making systems, and more." These will be released publicly over the next five months on their website . Stay tuned. Maps of the decades from previous years are also available now and are still relevant. This year, the Institute For The Future, at their October 27-29, 2025 Summit ,  explored many provocative futurist themes, among them: Tech as New Religion:  Emergence and influence of Silicon Valley's movements, such as Rationalism and Effective Altruism. How Babies Will be Made:  The reimagining of human reproduction and creation Gamblification Economy:  Rise of markets that appear and disappear like casino games Public Option AI:  Efforts to build artificial intelligence tools and platforms as public utilities and other common goods Post-Epistemological Truth: New ways of knowing beyond traditional systems Self-Determined Learning: Education by, for, and with learners Hot Planet:  Living in a world where the 1.5 °C threshold in global temperature rise has been crossed IFTF brought these "thought leaders" to the 2025 Summit: Author, futurist, and IFTF Distinguished Fellow,  Jamais Cascio Neuroscientist, Author, Technologist, Entrepreneur,  David Eagleman IFTF Emerging Media Lab Director, Toshi Hoo Author, futurist, and IFTF Distinguished Fellow , Bob Johansen Author, futurist, and IFTF Research Director,   Jane McGonigal Television and media executive, Wendy McMahon White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under President Biden , Arati Prabhakar Scholar in Residence at Andus Labs, media theorist and writer, Douglas Rushkoff Author and Professor, Stanford Graduate School of Education, Maisha Winn "Today, as never before, we need a multiplicity of visions, dreams, and prophecies. We need sanctuaries for social imagination."—Alvin Toffler, Future Shock Click here for a link to the IFTF Ten-Year Forecast 2023—Changing the Register - " an exploration of how the future might look if we were to meaningfully change the register of societal progress to one that isn’t dominated solely by the language and assumptions of financialization. During the event a diverse group of IFTF experts, researchers, and practitioners shared visions and tools to help participants rethink our current register that has been shaped by economic frameworks and vocabularies, to one that re-centers rights, wellbeing, and sustainability." Click here for a link to IFTF 2022-2032 Map of the Decade—The Decisive Decade: The Re-evaluation of Everything "The Institute for the Future offers several self-paced courses taught by Jane McGonigal through Coursera .

This past Christmas, 2025, we gave our two youngest grandchildren the Smithsonian Atlas of Space: A Map to the Universe from the Big Bang to the Future with the hope that it would inform a hopeful and awe-inspiring cosmic perspective of our amazing evolutionary story from stardust to conscious beings. Many people and diverse organizations (i.e. the Human Energy Project ; Center for Christogenesis ; DeepTime Network ; Humanity's Team ; and the Shift Network ) are offering a similar new scientific and spiritual story of our origins and interrelatedness. Storytelling is important, and discernment and caution are necessary with so much misinformation and false narratives being spread on social media. Recently, the Club of Rome has introduced a Young Person's Guide to Storytelling . "A Radical Guide to Reality   above is a film for young people and truth seekers of all ages. It shares how scientific breakthroughs and evidence at all scales of existence are converging with universal wisdom teachings, to reveal that our entire Universe meaningfully exists and purposefully evolves as an interdependent and unified entity; inviting us to re-member who we really are – and who we can evolve to become. Together, we aim to share Understanding, Experiencing, and Embodying Unitive Awareness to serve humanity's conscious evolution." "Merging science and spirituality, we aim to bring the most up to date science and experienc of our great interconnectedness." I became aware of   Jude Currivan , Ph.d., through Kurt Johnson , who was a classmate when we engaged together with Human Energy Project's 10-week Science of the Noosphere Master Class  held in summer 2023. Currivan is the author of several books, including: The Cosmic Hologram: In-formation at the Center of Creation  (2017) The Story of Gaia: The Big Breath and the Evolutionary Journey of Our Conscious Planet   (2022) A WholeWorld-View was co-founded in 2017 by Jude Currivan and Gil Agnew. Jude Currivan is on faculty at Ubiquity Universit y , Humanity's Team ,  and the California Institute of Integral Studies . She is a member of the  Evolutionary Leaders Circle  that includes Deepak Chopra, Jean Houston, Ervin Laszlo, and an associate member of the Club of Rome . Humanity's Team offers a subscription service to various pre-recorded series, such as The Sacred Journey of Conscious Evolution with Andrew Harvey and Dr. Jude Currivan, I n 2008, Currivan co-authored with Erivn László   CosMos: A Co-Creator's Guide To The Whole World . Ervin László is a Hungarian philosopher of science, systems, and integral theorist who has published about 75 books including Science and the Reenchantment of the Cosmos: The Rise of the Integral Vision of Reality   (2006) and over 400 papers, and is editor of World Futures: The Journal of General Evolution . Laszlo is the subject of the one-hour PBS special Life of a Modern-Day Genius . Laszlo is the founder and president of the international think tank the Club of Budapest, and of the prestigious Laszlo Institute of New Paradigm Research. He lives in Tuscany.

Land use decisions are a powerful lever for shaping the future. These research-driven scenarios demonstrate how foresight tools can help communities imagine and design a more equitable and sustainable future—one that works for both people and the environment. ~ Rachel Hatch, Chief Operating Officer, IFTF On December 11, 2024 , the Institute for the Future (IFTF) published a study: Oregon 2035: Four Alternative Scenarios on climate change . This alternative futures project was a collaborative effort involving policy advocates, community members, and partners from 1000 Friends of Oregon with futurists and creatives at IFTF. They summarized their scenarios in four brief but spectacular YouTube videos. Click on the underlined hyperlinks below to view these thought-provoking videos: A Growth Future : INSATIABLE ( A future driven by the desire for continued economic growth, even at the expense of equality and sustainability.) A Collapse Future: SCRATCH ( A future ravaged by climate, economic disparities, and breakdown of core systems.) A Constraint Future: PRUNING ( A future driven by difficult choices and the acceptance of fewer individual freedoms for the benefit of all.) A Transformation Future: LIMINAL ( A future accelerated by technological breakthroughs and a re-definition of reality.) Download the IFtF document, Oregon 2035: Four Alternative Scenarios Prepared by Institute for the Future for 1000 Friends of Oregon here. What future do you think is most likely? How can we best prepare? What future would you like to see happen in Oregon? What can we do about it? 1000 Friends of Oregon is now over 50 years old. It was founded by Henry Richmond and Governor Tom McCall in 1974. The previous year, Governor McCall had signed Senate Bill 100 into law, creating Oregon’s iconic land use planning system. He and a young attorney named Henry Richmond realized that the fledgling legislation would need a champion – or rather, 1000 champions. The non-profit organization's current Executive Director is Sam Diaz . Our mission is to promote healthy working lands, great communities, shared prosperity, and a strong democracy with and for all Oregonians. I am not a scientist, so I asked Google Gemini: "What are the specific impacts of climate change in Oregon, and what is the forecast for the next 10 years?" Gemini replied: "Oregon  is already experiencing significant climate impacts, which are projected to intensify in the next decade, primarily characterized by  increased heat, severe wildfires, and altered water resources .  Specific Impacts of Climate Change in Oregon Extreme Heat:  The frequency, duration, and intensity of heat waves are increasing significantly. The 2021 heat dome event, which caused numerous deaths, is projected to increase in frequency to as often as once every six years by the end of the century. Wildfires:  Warmer temperatures, reduced snowpack, and drier summers are leading to more frequent, larger, and more damaging wildfires. The area burned by wildfire each year has increased over the past 35 years, threatening communities, infrastructure, and air quality with smoke pollution. Water Resources: Reduced Snowpack:  Warmer winters mean more precipitation falls as rain instead of snow, leading to significantly reduced snowpack in the Cascades. This is expected to decline by as much as 40% by 2040 in early spring. Drought and Flooding:  The state is facing longer, more severe summer droughts interspersed with more intense winter precipitation events (atmospheric rivers), increasing the risk of both water scarcity and major flooding/landslides. Coastal and Ocean Impacts:  Sea levels are rising, increasing the risk of coastal erosion, storm surges, and saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies. The ocean is also becoming warmer and more acidic, impacting commercial fisheries like Dungeness crab and salmon. Ecosystem and Health Impacts:  Climate changes disrupt natural systems, leading to shifts in plant and animal distributions, increased pests and diseases in forests, and public health issues such as heat-related illnesses and respiratory problems from wildfire smoke.  Forecast for the Next 10 Years (through ~2035) In the immediate future, these trends are expected to accelerate. Temperature:  Average annual temperatures are expected to continue rising, with summers warming more than other seasons. The number of days above 90°F will increase in many inland areas. Precipitation:  Winters are likely to be slightly wetter, while summers will continue to be drier. Extreme precipitation events in autumn and winter are projected to increase in intensity. Wildfire Activity:  From 2035 onward, projections for the western Cascades suggest wildfire activity could be at least twice as intense as in recent decades. Water Management Challenges:  Reduced snowpack will continue to challenge water supply management for irrigation, municipal use, and maintaining streamflows for aquatic species.  State agencies and researchers are increasingly confident in these projections, emphasizing the need for robust adaptation strategies across various sectors, from energy systems to public health infrastructure. "

This past weekend, I was a theology nerd with over 100 people watching online as Ilia Delio, John D. Caputo, Diarmuid O’Murchu, Catherine Keller, Bruce Epperly, Rami Shapiro, Brandon Ambrosino, and Emily DeMoor spoke at the God 2.0: Pantheism and Quantum Reality c onference organized by the Center for Christogenesis . It was only two weeks ago that I was dazzled by Ilia Delio and others at the N2 Conference on the Noosphere (the term coined by Teilhard de Chardin 100 years ago, referring to an emerging global consciousness). I consider the God 2.0 conference a glimpse into a positive future for religion and spirituality, while others might call it "radical theology." Ilia Delio challenged: " What if God is not an unchangeable, all-knowing, all-powerful Being, as claimed by classical monotheistic religions? "Medieval scholars attributed to God the qualities of immutability, omniscience, and omnipotence, but science tells us that 'being" is chaotic, uncertain, unfolding, and entangled!" Sister Delio sees a "Not-Yet-God" (also the title of her 2023 boo k by that name ) in the process of continually becoming, rather than being static. Her presentation Can God be Upgraded? Lessons from Science about God was about changing assumptions and key concepts - reinterpretation, reevaluation, reconstruction, and redefinition. "The universe is a temporal drama of awakening whose meaning can be revealed only gradually by looking, in a spirit of anticipation and hope, toward the horizon of a cosmic future." "The nature of the universe is undivided wholeness and religion should be about relational wholeness." Panelists discussed the urgent need to upgrade theology, particularly in light of quantum physics, cosmology, evolution, and rapid technological advances such as artificial intelligence. We need a new "religion of the earth' to bind us together, to effectively address global, existential threats, and to evolve to higher levels of consciousness and a hopeful future. As Ilia implores in her 2020 book , Re-Enchanting the Earth: Why AI Needs Religion: "AI shows the critical need to reconstruct religion for a world of evolution and complexity... religion is the linchpin to the future of AI-mediated cosmic intelligent life... an AI world, oriented by new religious sensibilities, can bring about an ecological re-enchantment of the earth." Jack Caputo spoke about Something Spooky is Going On: Taking a Quantum Approach to God. He took his point of departure from Tillich’s “ Two Types of the Philosophy of Religion , and argued that the two types, the cosmological (theist) and ontological (panentheist), also describe the difference between the respective logics of Newtonian and quantum physics. "The world of quantum reality abides by the logic of the ontological, of ground and grounded, not of the cosmological, of cause and effect." Catherine Keller addressed Earth Matters: Generation, Motivation, Eco-civilizatio n . The old modern materialistic view of the world, since Newton, is that matter at base is inert, lifeless, flat, “stuff.” But Keller argued that matter should "not merely be understood as substance or stuff, but as process, an active process of materialization. This shift in perspective has implications for humans' relationship with our ecosystem and all creatures." Diarmuid O’Murchu spoke on Grounding Evolutionary Consciousness in our Time , stressing the need for humans to reconnect with nature and how creativity in evolution has made humans exceptional. He said, "Ever since the visionary work of Teilhard de Chardin, evolution has become an ever more central feature of our understanding of life at every level. In our time, Sr. Ilia Delio has brought that awareness to a new level of coherence and conviction. How to ground that vision still remains a formidable challenge, particularly for the emerging spirituality of the 21st century." Bruce Epperly presented The God, Theology, and Spirituality of Tradition and Tomorrow: 2.0 and Beyond, saying that “Pierre Teilhard de Chardin challenges us to seek the God of Tomorrow. A prolific author, Epp[erly is slowly entering retirement after "a career of over four decades of creative synthesis of academic theology and pastoral ministry." Rabbi Rami Shapiro , himself a panentheist, expounded that " God is Everything" as he explored the I AM/ Ehyeh that is Everything/ YHVH revealed in Exodus 3:14-15. Brandon Ambrosino offered a theopoetic exploration of the process of God becoming: Gods who Rise, Fall, and Become: Psalm 82 and Entangled Love. God’s character is not the result of being; God is only because of the process of loving. In the order of being, compassion is primary. All this was very heady, abstract, and complex - unfortunately, not something that is easily communicated. In some respects, the conversation is familiar, as I had read books by Caputo, Keller, O'Murchu, and Epperly a decade ago. The writings of Ilia Delio are newer to me as are those of Teilhard de Chardin and modern scientists who acknowledge a global movement toward realizing this new Omega. I believe the Noosphere is both real and very important. Emily DeMoor brought the conference to a close with a 35-minute liturgical grounding experience of devotion to the Divine within - not a supernatural, interventionist God, but a relational whole without a center and with no circumference. I don't expect that congregations (churches, temples, and mosques), their leaders, and their institutional organizations will be quick to give up the "guy in the sky" and embrace this new understanding of God. However, I am still "hoping against hope!" "The true function of religion is 'to sustain and spur on the progress of life - to nurture the 'human zest for life.' Religion is another name for the energy of cosmic personalization and unification."

Here's a list of some upcoming online and Rogue Valley in-person eco-spiritual activities that may interest you. Check back, as this post will be updated during November as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in late November 2025. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in just what calls to you. October 22  at 4:00–5:30 p.m. PDT - Center for Christogenesis will have special guests Brian Thomas Swimme and Monica DeRaspe‑Bolles for a live webinar t hat explores this cosmic story and the role every person plays in its unfolding. More information here . October 23, 30, 2025, and  November 13, 20, 2025 , at 4 p.m. PT  - Convergence  is hosting a 4-part series: In Search of a New Story: Reimagining What Comes Next . Each session is 90 minutes, online via Zoom, exploring "what it means to search for a new story—one rooted in interconnection, courage, sacred imagination, and collective renewal." Register here. "Join spiritual pioneers Dr. Matthew Fox and Rev. Cameron Trimble  for a timely and transformative four-part series featuring conversations with some of the most compelling wisdom voices of our time: Ilia Delio , Carolyn Myss , Rabbi Rami Shapiro , and Diana Butler Bass. " October 23, 2025 , at 5 p.m. PDT - Greenfaith is inviting everyone to join them for a movement-wide call to connect with folks from across the country, share next steps to strengthen and create GreenFaith Circles —local, faith-rooted hubs for action, care, and community—and preview our next national campaign. Register here. October 24-26, 2025 , from 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. PDT - Humanity's Team is celebrating the 16th Annual Global Oneness Summit - Awakening the Divine Within . October 24-26, 2025  - Center for Action and Contemplation  is offering   ReVision 2025: The Webcast  -  " reimagining a Christianity that empowers us to meet this moment in history with clarity, courage, and compassion" featuring  Fr. Richard Rohr, Brian McLaren, Carmen Acevedo Butcher, James Finley, Diana Butler Bass, Fr. Greg Boyle, Lerita Coleman Brown, Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis, Carlos Rodríguez, Mirabai Starr, and Randy Woodley   Live online with after-event replay. Cost:   $250, $175, or $99. More information and registration here. October 27-29, 2025 - Institute for the Future (IFTF) is having its Ten-Year Forecast 2025–2035: Strategy in the Age of Chaos. October 28, 2025 , from 6-9 p.m. PT - SOCAN's monthly meeting at the Medford Public Library will be on the topic: Heat Beneath the Waves: How Climate Change Transforms Our Seas  with Dr. Bill Gorham, Coastal SOCAN Co-Facilitator and longtime climate educator. Gormal "will dive into the hidden impacts of greenhouse gases on our oceans—revealing how rising temperatures and acidification are reshaping marine ecosystems, disrupting coastal communities, and accelerating global climate feedback loops. Through vivid examples and accessible science, Dr. Gorham will illuminate how ocean changes ripple outward—affecting food security, weather patterns, and the health of coastal economies." October 29, 2025, at 7 p.m. PT - Join Asia Philanthropy Circle and Project Drawdown for the launch of a groundbreaking new report, Drawdown Roadmap for Food, Agriculture, and Land Use (FALU) in Southeast Asia. Register now >> October 29, 2025 , at noon PDT - Pachamama Alliance is hosting Resilience and Possibility in These Times - a conversation with Chris Ategeka, a Ugandan-born systems thinker, engineer, and author who asks a simple, urgent question: " What does it mean to be human in an age that keeps pulling us away from ourselves?" Register here to join the call. October 29, 2025 - Peace House i n Ashland, OR has been running a 4-week Resisting Militarism training series , challenging attendees to think: how would you respond if federal agents are deployed in our community? Session 4 is on Land, Space, and Direct Action. Controlling space, whether it’s a government building for staging operations or public land for mining uranium, is necessary for military action. How do we support land defenders and resist the building of new spaces for militarized policing? Sign up at https://donorbox.org/events/808433/steps/choose_tickets . This is the last session with just a few spots left. Email Meg ( meg@peacehouse.net ) if you’d like to join or get on the waitlist for the next time we run the series. Dates coming soon! November 4, 2025 , at 10 a.m. PT - Are you feeling burned out, bored, or disillusioned with your faith or ministry? Do you long for a revitalized spirituality that speaks to both your heart and your head? Join book editor Sheri Kling and Bruce Epperly, plus several other contributing authors, to Renewing Faith: Reigniting Faith and Ministry through Process and Open & Relational Theologies  as they join the weekly Process Explorations conversation to talk about the book’s essays and how its ideas can renew individual and communal faith. Learn more and register here. November 5, 2025 , at 5 p.m. PT - Join Process & Faith with Nish Dubashia and Marie Murtagh for an engaging talk on A Brief History of God: From Nature Spirits to Cosmic Consciousness . Tracing the evolution of human spirituality from ancient beliefs to modern visions of unity and awareness, this conversation blends history, philosophy, and personal insight. Includes a presentation and interactive Q&A inviting reflection on the future of faith, meaning, and consciousness. Learn more and register here . November 6, 2025 , at 9 a.m. PT -  Institute for the Future   (IFTF) is having a 30-minute public conversation: Signal Swap: How to Discuss Signals . Register here . November 9, 2025 , at 2 and 3 p.m. PT - Anima Mundi Productions is having two showings of Mass for the Endangered - a multisensory film experience of music and animated artwork at ScienceWorks Museum, 1500 E. Main Street, Ashland, OR. November 10, 2025 , at 3 p.m. PT - GrayPAC and Lead Locally are hosting a “Climate on the Ballot” 2025 Election Debrief . They will have conversations with newly elected climate champions and organizers to discuss the November 4th election results and how to build on them for the climate movement in 2026. Register here . November 11, 2025 , at 7 p.m. PT - Human Energy is presenting a livestream on YouTube: The San Francisco Salon:  Alignment for a Major Evolutionary Transition: The Future of Humanity and AI  will be livestreamed on YouTube as part of the  Human Energy Global Salon Series. Here ’s how to join us in real time: Subscribe to our YouTube Channel  and turn on the 🔔 notification bell — you’ll receive an alert the moment we go live.→   Subscribe on YouTube Sign up for the Global Salon Series Newsletter  to receive an email notification with the livestream link.→   Join the Global Salon Series newsletter Be part of the conversation as we explore how humanity and technology can align toward our next great evolutionary leap. Click here for the replay. November 13, 2025 , from 9-10 a.m. PST - Climate Action Now is presenting a free, online event: Monthly Dose of Climate Hope! With Brett Walter, CEO, and Sam Matley, Editor in Chief. CAN says: " The presidency of Donald Trump has plunged the U.S. climate movement into a deep funk. It's easy to succumb to despair and conclude that nothing we do can make a difference. Our guest this month begs to differ. He’ll make the case that the climate movement has enormous UNTAPPED strength ,  and, with the right strategy and tools, concerned citizens can mobilize that strength to blunt the damage being done and eventually turn the tide." More information and registration here. November 15, 2025 , at 8 a..m. PT - Charter for Compassion presents a live broadcast of the 2025 Karen Armstrong Humanitarian Awards: Threads of Compassion; Recognizing Those Who Heal. Learn more and get your tickets here . Nov. 17th - Dec. 15th, 2025 - " The Cosmos Within Us: Living A Path of Transformation "   based on Brian Swimme's Powers of the Universe with Betsey Crawford. November 13, 2025, at 10 a.m. PT -  Join climate scientist Kate Marvel, Ph.D. ,  as she explores climate science and solutions through the lens of different emotions, from wonder to anger and fear, and finally to hope. Register now >> November 13, 2025 , from 6-9 p.m. PT - SOCAN is having its fall fundraiser, Sips for Sustainability, at Ashland Elks, 255 E. Main Street, Ashland, OR, with guest speakers Rep. Pam Marsh and Senator Jeff Goden. December 4, 2025 - From Oregon Climate Action Hub : Central Oregon LandWatch will host two special presentations by National Geographic Explorer Kiliii Yüyan at the Tower Theatre, as the closing events of the 2025 Livable Future Forum .. In appreciation of the many groups and organizations that make Central Oregon a more just and vibrant place to live, they are making 100 complimentary tickets available to their 3 pm event . Click here by October 25th for tickets. Postponed until 2026  - Earth Literacies '   Sisters of the Earth Community   offers:   The Great Work of our Time: Loving Earth, Saving Humanity ,   Gail Worcelo, Holly Wilkinson, Amie Hendani & Maria Dipal   bring a wealth of wisdom and knowledge to this subject, beginning  |12:00 Noon Eastern. Registration is now open .   Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

On October 27, 2025, just ahead of the November 2025 COP30 summit in Brazil, billionaire investor Bill Gates issued a memo: Three Tough Truths About Climate advising world leaders that global warming “will not lead to humanity’s demise” and that efforts to reduce emissions are “diverting resources from the most effective things we should be doing to improve life in a warming world.” Is he right? Climate Scientists Respond With Urgency Covering Climate Now and Sammy Roth, who writes the newsletter Climate-Colored Goggles , convened a panel of leading climate scientists ( Kim Cobb, Zeke Hausfather, Katharine Hayhoe, and Daniel Swain) to dissect the Gates memo and respond to journalists’ questions about it. Read the transcript here . Or you can watch the video on YouTube here. Katharine Hayhoe is "an atmospheric scientist who studies what climate change means to us here and now, and how our choices will determine our future. She is the chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a distinguished professor at Texas Tech University; she also serves as climate ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance ." Follow @KHayhoe on X and on Facebook for frequent updates on the latest climate change science, and for more in-depth discussions. Read Katharine's 2022 book Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World . Read a December 29, 2021, New York Times by David Marchese interviewed Katherine Hayhoe: An Evangelical Climate Scientist Wonders What Went Wrong Zeke Hausfather , climate scientist at Berkeley Earth Daniel Swain , a climate scientist at the University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources Kim Cobb is the Director of the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society and, Professor at Brown University.

The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS) is a non-denominational society fostering dialogue between religion and science, bridging the gap between scientific understanding and religious thought through conferences, publications like  Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science , and discussions on topics from AI ethics to space exploration, aiming to create a more cohesive worldview.  What is IRAS? Mission: To help reformulate religion in light of modern science, fostering positive relationships between scientific concepts and human values. Members: Scientists, theologians, philosophers, and interested individuals seeking a deeper understanding.  Key Activities: Annual Conferences: Week-long gatherings (often on Star Island) focusing on contemporary scientific issues and their religious implications (e.g., AI, gene editing, astrobiology). Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science : A leading publication for scholarly articles on the subject, with subscriptions included for members. Webinars & Discussions: Monthly webinars and online forums for ongoing conversation.  Why is it Important? Addresses the perceived cultural "chasm" between religious and scientific thinking. Provides a space for integrating new scientific insights with enduring religious questions about human nature, ethics, and our place in the universe.  How to Get Involved: You can join IRAS, receive publications, and attend events. Visit their website ( iras.org ) for membership and conference details.  Source: Neil Wollman, Ph.D., retired Senior Fellow at Manchester and Bentley Universities; Former Co-Director of the National Prevention Science Coalition; 260-568-0116

I am not a scientist, so I asked Google Gemini: "What is the evidence for climate change?" Gemini said: "The scientific evidence for climate change is extensive, with observations from the atmosphere, oceans, and land confirming global changes." "There is an overwhelming scientific consensus that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, are the primary cause." Key evidence includes:  Global Temperature Rise: Earth's average surface temperature has increased significantly, with the most substantial warming occurring since the mid-20th century. Warming Oceans: Oceans have absorbed most of the excess heat from greenhouse gases, leading to expansion and sea level rise. Shrinking Ice: Ice sheets and glaciers are losing mass globally, and Arctic summer sea ice has decreased considerably. Sea Level Rise: Global sea level has risen, and the rate of increase has accelerated in recent decades, contributing to coastal risks. Increased Greenhouse Gas Concentrations: Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 and other greenhouse gases have risen dramatically since the Industrial Revolution, with CO2 levels at their highest in millions of years. Extreme Weather Events: The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves and floods are increasing. Ocean Acidification: The absorption of human-produced CO2 is making ocean water more acidic, harming marine life. Changes in Ecosystems: Alterations in plant and animal habitats and life cycles are being observed.  These observations, supported by organizations like NASA and the IPCC, demonstrate changes in the climate system that cannot be explained by natural variations alone.  Direct Observations of a Warming Planet   Global Temperature Rise: The Earth's average surface temperature has risen significantly since the late 19th century. The last decade (2015-2024) is the warmest on record, and the 10 warmest years since record-keeping began in 1880 have all occurred in the 21st century. Warming Oceans: The ocean absorbs most of the heat from global warming, with the rate of warming increasing over the past two decades across all depths. Warmer water expands, contributing to sea level rise. Shrinking Ice Sheets and Glaciers: Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are losing mass, and glaciers are retreating on nearly every continent. This widespread melting is visually documented through repeat photography and satellite analysis. Sea Level Rise: Global sea level has risen by approximately 8-10 inches since 1900, with the rate of rise accelerating since 1990. This is caused by both melting ice and the thermal expansion of ocean water.  Atmospheric Changes  Increased Greenhouse Gas Concentrations: Concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and nitrous oxide in the atmosphere have reached unprecedented levels in at least the last 800,000 years. Unique Isotopic "Fingerprint": Scientific analysis of the atmospheric CO2 shows an isotopic signature that specifically points to the burning of ancient fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) as the source, rather than natural sources like volcanoes.  Changes in Natural Systems  Extreme Weather Events: Climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather, including heat waves, droughts, wildfires, and severe storms/flooding. Ocean Acidification: The ocean absorbs excess CO2 from the atmosphere, which changes the water's chemistry and makes it more acidic, endangering marine life and coral reefs. Biological Shifts: Changes in the timing of seasonal events, such as plants "leafing out" earlier in spring and shifts in the migratory patterns and geographic ranges of some species, further confirm a widespread warming trend.  "The overwhelming consensus among actively publishing climate scientists—over 99% according to recent studies—is that these climate-warming trends are a direct result of human activities." I then asked Gemini: "What are the financial impacts of climate change in the next 10 years?" Gemini answered: "In the next 10 years, the financial impacts of climate change will intensify, resulting in  trillions of dollars in global economic losses, rising household costs, and significant market disruption . The costs of  inaction  on climate change are projected to be substantially higher than the investment needed for mitigation and adaptation." Key Financial Impacts by 2035 Massive Economic Losses : A recent study estimates that climate change damages will cost the global economy  $38 trillion annually  by 2049, a trend that will accelerate over the next decade. This is projected to reduce average income per capita by 19% globally within the next 25 years. Increased Household Costs : American households are already facing rising expenses, with some paying up to $1,000 extra per year due to climate-related issues. These costs include: Higher Insurance Premiums : Premiums increased by about 48% between 2020 and 2024, with high-risk areas seeing the largest spikes. In some high-risk zones, insurance may become unavailable altogether, impacting property values and the housing market. Higher Energy and Utility Bills : Warmer temperatures increase cooling costs, and utility rates are rising to cover the damage from severe storms and wildfires. Lost Wages and Health Costs : Climate-related events like wildfire smoke and extreme heat are projected to reduce working hours and productivity, with global health costs from air pollution and climate change far exceeding $800 billion annually in the U.S. alone. Business Disruptions and Corporate Losses : Companies that fail to adapt to escalating climate risks like extreme heat and flooding could lose up to 7% of annual earnings by 2035. Industries most vulnerable include telecommunications, utilities, and energy companies. Infrastructure Damage : Physical risks from extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and wildfires, result in billions of dollars in property and capital loss each year. In 2024 alone, the U.S. experienced 27 weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each. Global Inequality Widening : The financial burden will not be felt equally; poorer countries and communities are disproportionately affected and have fewer resources to adapt. Investment Opportunities and Transition Costs : The transition to a low-carbon economy presents growth potential, with green markets potentially expanding from $5 trillion to $14 trillion by 2030. However, adequate investment is needed, with climate finance needs estimated to be between $5.4 trillion and $11.7 trillion per year until 2030 to meet global climate goals." "Overall, the financial impacts of climate change in the next decade will be significant, driven by both the increasing frequency and intensity of physical climate events and the ongoing economic and policy shifts required for a global energy transition." Gemini sourced 18 sites, including: Climate change may cost $38 trillion a year by 2049, study says - EPIC Apr 19, 2024 — Climate change may cost $38 trillion a year by 2049, study says. ... EPIC Scholar Amir Jina talks on the economic impact: The University of Chicago The Cost of Inaction - CPI - Climate Policy Initiative Jan 4, 2024 — In fact, inaction will be much more costly. * The two-year Global Stocktake for the Paris Agreement concluded at COP28 ... Climate Policy Initiative Costs of Climate Change: Financial and Economic Impacts on ... Sep 25, 2025 — Higher temperatures due to climate change increase the total rate of inflation in the economy by 0.3-1.2 percentage po... www.next10.org I then asked Gemini: "What sectors are most vulnerable to climate change by 2035?" Gemini answered: "By 2035, the sectors most vulnerable to climate change are those heavily reliant on stable climate conditions or which face significant regulatory and market pressures during the transition to a low-carbon economy. These include  agriculture, utilities, telecommunications, energy (especially fossil fuels), construction, and transportation ."  "Vulnerability stems from both physical risks (extreme weather, resource scarcity) and transition risks (new regulations, shifting markets)." Sectors Vulnerable to Physical Risks These sectors are directly exposed to the physical impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat, drought, flooding, and severe storms.  Agriculture and Food Supply : This sector is highly exposed to physical climate risks. Crops and livestock suffer from rising temperatures, drought, fire, and flooding, which will likely lead to reduced yields and higher food prices. Utilities (Water and Power Generation) : Utilities are vulnerable to water stress, as both thermal and hydroelectric power generation require significant, reliable water sources. Infrastructure damage from severe storms and heat also strains the grid and increases costs for consumers. Infrastructure and Transportation : Critical infrastructure, including roads, rail lines, airports, and power grids, is at risk from sea level rise and extreme weather events. Inland waterways, like the Mississippi and the Rhine, are experiencing disruptions to freight traffic due to droughts. Construction : Manual labor in construction becomes more dangerous in extreme heat, and projects face increased costs for redesigns, cooling retrofits, and higher insurance premiums due to flood and storm risks. Tourism : Destinations in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, or those reliant on winter recreation (like ski resorts), face significant disruption from extreme heat, shorter snow seasons, and intense storms, impacting local economies where tourism makes up a large part of GDP. Telecommunications : This sector is highly exposed because essential fiber optic cables and data centers, often buried along coastlines, are vulnerable to sea level rise and flooding.  Sectors Vulnerable to Transition Risks These sectors face significant financial vulnerability from the global shift away from fossil fuels, driven by new policies, carbon pricing, and technological innovation.  Energy (Oil, Gas, and Coal) : The fossil fuel industry faces major transition risks. Increasing government regulations, carbon taxes, and the rise of renewable energy sources can lead to stranded assets (fossil fuel deposits or infrastructure that must be abandoned), causing huge financial losses for companies and their investors. Heavy Industry/Manufacturing : Sectors like steel, cement, and chemical production are high-emitters and will be significantly impacted by carbon pricing and regulations. Companies that fail to decarbonize face mounting transition risks, including reputational damage and potential loss of market share to low-carbon alternatives. Financial Services (Insurance and Banking) : The financial sector is vulnerable to cascading risks from physical and transition impacts across all other industries. Insurers, in particular, struggle with increasingly unreliable risk models for natural disasters, which can lead to properties becoming uninsurable or prohibitively expensive." Note: Gemini sourced 18 sites for its response above. The President has called global warming a hoax. Several books   have been written questioning the validity of concern for taking immediate actions to reduce the impact of global warming. Author Johannes Kilian-Berger - " Publicly available information regarding the specific educational credentials of author Johannes Kilian-Berger is extremely limited. While he is identified as the author of climate-skeptic literature, such as  "Die Klimawandel-Lüge: Wie man uns täglich belügt,"  his formal academic background and professional qualifications are not typically included in standard biographical blurbs for his works." Author Larry Bell is a professor of space architecture at the University of Houston. Author C. Paul Smith is a trust attorney, conservative podcaster , and devout Mormon. Author Steven E. Koonin was a Caltech theoretical physicist for 30 years, a former government official, and he held the role of Chief Scientist at BP from 2004 to 2009. Based on the evidence outlined above and the questionable credentials of these authors as atmospheric scientists, I personally do not think it is worth the time to engage with most climate deniers. It is more fruitful to have conversations with those two-thirds of Americans who already understand that global warming is real and is caused by human activity, but just don't know what to do. The real "hoax" is perpetrated by those who know that spreading doubt, misinformation and lies will persuade some disengaged voters to believe them, rather than acknowledge the clear evidence, and thus not demand appropriate actions. On December 8, 2025, PBS science correspondent Miles O’Brien and digital anchor and correspondent Deema Zein interviewed scientists, academics, digital creators, influencers, and others about the challenges they face while communicating facts about science, climate, health, and technology on a special livestreamed Reddit “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) event they called “Tipping Point – Turning Science Into Solutions.” During this mega AMA, they shared what they’ve found that works. Scientists, academics, digital creators, and influencers all face a critical challenge: How can science and fact-based information break through rampant misinformation, disinformation, media silos, and polarization? Meanwhile, the New York Times reported on December 17, 2025, that " The Trump administration said it will be dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado, one of the world’s leading Earth science research institutions."

Robert Lawrence Kuhn speaks on consciousness at the N2 Conference in Berkeley on November 23, 2023 Robert Lawrence Kuhn is an American intellectual who has focused his attention on the subject of consciousness over the past 20+ years, and is the author of the 2000 book Closer to Truth: Challenging Current Belief. Kuhn also created, wrote, executive-produced, and hosted the PBS TV series Closer to the Truth , which premiered in 2000 and broadcast 22 seasons of episodes. The series offers conversations with leading scientists, philosophers, theologians, and scholars on topics such as cosmology, physics, philosophy of science, consciousness (brain/mind), and philosophy of religion. Kuhn spoke remotely at Human Energy's N2 Conference The Noosphere at 100 , at the University of California, Berkeley, on November 17-19, 2023. He presented diverse explanations, or theories, of consciousness in a “Landscape” of essences and mechanisms with these categories: Materialism Theories (philosophical, neurobiological, homeostatic and affective, relational, and representational) Non-Reductive Physicalism Quantum Theories Integrated Information Theory Panpsychisms Monisms Dualisms Idealisms Paranormal and Altered States Theories Challenge Theories "In Teilhard de Chardin’s grand vision, the noosphere is an emergent entity that reflects the evolution of complexity in the universe and is constituted by the collective, planetary engagements of human minds. Human minds require consciousness, and consciousness remains an amalgam of mysteries; even with advances in neuroscience, explanations of consciousness, rather than narrowing, are proliferating."

Speakers for TAF’s interfaith series, clockwise from top left: Kosen Gregory Snyder, Rev. Cameron Trimble, Imam Jamal Rahman, Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, and Rev. Randy Woodley. December 9, 2025 , at 4 p.m. PST - Third Act Faith honors the late Joanna Macy by continuing to explore her Work That Reconnects , a set of simple but profound practices to build strength and resilience for our work to heal the world. Register here. December 10, 2025, at 4 p.m. PST - Third Act's monthly All-In Call on Zoom will feature   Heather Cox Richardson ’ s take on this moment and how we can be useful within it. Bill McKibben and Akaya Windwood will also share "how Third Act plans to mobilize millions of older Americans in 2026, and the opening we see to weave smart climate action with democracy work to help our country emerge in the midterms from this political ditch." Register here. January 27, 2026 - Third Act Faith will have a conversation about Indigenous voices and perspectives concerning spirituality, Earth care, eco-justice, and interreligious dialogue. The guest speaker will be  Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley , a scholar and activist, and founder, with his wife, of  Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice  and   Eloheh Farm & Seeds  in Oregon. " Third Act Oregon is a community of Oregonians over age 60 determined to save our planet and protect our democracy for our children and grandchildren. Add your voice to ours. Join us at Third Act!" Resources offering suggested actions: Mobilize network – A platform used by many organizations (like Indivisible) to list and promote events 5 Calls – A simple and effective way for U.S. constituents to make an impact. Pass this along to family and friends. TeslaTakedown – Action Network – A list of the many Tesla protests across the U.S., including Oregon Take action with Indivisible – various chapters include Indivisible Oregon (appears to be mostly Portland Metro) and COIN (Consolidated Oregon Indivisible Network – many Indivisible chapters across the state). Go here to find a chapter near you ! Chop Wood, Carry Water – Each day, Jessica Craven shares actions and encouragement—about 10 minutes or so of your time. To receive your own daily list of things you can do to help save our democracy, click here . 50501 – Fifty Protests, Fifty States, One Movement . Provides a list of peaceful upcoming events “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” ~ Alice Walker

On November 5, 2025 , the Center for Process Studies hosted a webinar with author Nish Dubashia and co-presenter Marie Murtagh , who on YouTube discussed A Brief History of God: From Nature Spirits to Cosmic Consciousness . This thought-provoking event traced the sweeping evolution of human spirituality—from ancient tribal reverence for nature spirits to an emerging vision of unified cosmic consciousness. "Drawing from history, philosophy, psychology, science, and lived experience, Nish and Marie explored how our collective understanding of God and self has transformed through cultural shifts, scientific discoveries, and the timeless human search for meaning weaving together scholarly depth with lived insight, inviting a deeper engagement with spirituality not as doctrine, but as an evolving and integrative human experience." Whether you’re a seeker, skeptic, or simply curious about the deep undercurrents of belief that have shaped humanity, you might enjoy engaging with this rich and inclusive perspective on spiritual evolution and other future events they will be hosting. "Nish Dubashia is a British author and Integral thinker, known for creating the Diamond Model—a framework that synthesizes Bohmian physics, Integral Theory, and Eastern philosophy. Having previously studied with some of the world’s leading mathematicians at the University of Warwick, Nish has been invited to present internationally at the Science and Consciousness Conference , World Unity Week, Integral European Conference , and MIT’s Global Change Forum. " His book: A Brief History of God: From Nature Spirits to Cosmic Consciousness by Nish Dubashia was published July 7, 2025. "Marie Murtagh is a spiritual facilitator, coach, and co-creator at Evolving Nexus . With a deep background in consciousness facilitation, Integral transformation, and complexity science, Marie brings a grounded, heart-centered approach to spiritual inquiry and transformation. Her work supports individuals and communities in navigating the liminal space between old paradigms and emerging possibilities, weaving personal healing with collective awakening." Dubashia defines " religion" as: A Relationship - a connection between the self and something greater - spirit, the divine, or ultimate reality A Practice - ways to invoke, understand, and express that relationship through rituals, beliefs, and symbols. A Way of Life - a framework that shapes values, ethics, community, and daily living. Stages of Religious History Mythic and Magical - early stages shaped by stories, symbols, and ritual practices rooted in nature and mystery Rational and Postmodern - emphasis on logic, critique, individualism, and a questioning of traditional belief systems. Integral and Holistic - a synthesis of past stages - embracing complexity, interconnection, and spiritual pluralism The Seven Principles Spirit - a sense of the sacred or transcendent reality. Self - the search for identity, purpose, and inner truth. Suffering - confronting pain, loss, and the human condition. Hope -faith in renewal, transformation, or a better future. Knowledge - the pursuit of wisdom, truth, and revelation. Salvation - liberation, enlightenment, or ultimate fulfillment. Love - compassion, connection, and the desire in a relationship. Historical Stages: Tribal Religion - 40,000 years ago to 10,000 BCE, corresponding to human development of 1-4 years of age Polytheistic Religion - 10,000 to 3,000 BCE; corresponding to ages 3-7 years of age in the child. Axial age Religion - emerging from 900 to 200 BCE; examples are the Buddha, Socrates, and Hebrew prophets; corresponding to 6-12 years of age in the child, Humanist Religion - during the Renaissance in Europe, the Islamic Golden Age, or East Asia. Progressive Religion - emerged during the mid-1980s to 1900s; corresponding to human maturity of 15 years of age and beyond. Integral Religion - emerging in the 1970s with key figures: Aurobinda, Ken Wilbur, and Gene Gebser. Holistic Religion - a global, post-integral religion emerging in the 2000s and beyond; key figures are Rupert Sheldrake, David Bohm. Spirit is perceived as energy flowing through all life. As I have not yet read Dubashia's recent book, I cannot comment further on his analysis of the evolution of religions and a new understanding of what we call "God," but it does seem we are entering into the liminal space of "second axial religion." As dogmas and doctrines are increasingly rejected by many, something new is occurring that is yet to be clearly defined. I have previously blogged about integral religion, holistic religion, and the vision of Teilhard de Chardin as expanded with modern science and wholism by Ilia Delio. Integral Ecology in an Age of AI Theology for the Third Millennium The Holomovement Holomovement as the Unititive Narrative Two Models of Evolving Spirituality Beauty, Truth, and Goodness Why Evolution and Religion Belong Together Interspiritual Unity Consciousness Church of the Planet and a New Theology of Evolution Humans seem to be wired to find meaning and purpose in our existence. It may be that divine consciousness is fundamental to matter with the energy of love animating our co-evolving toward greater complexity and unity., supernatural religion, rationalism, humanism, meditation, mysticism, consumerism, money/power/domination/sex, online video gaming, spectator sports, or technology and AI as a religion, each with their own set of beliefs, values, and rituals. The Process & Faith program at the Center for Process Studies is a multi-faith network for relational spirituality and the common good. Support their work at https://processandfaith.org/give/ Join the Process & Faith community: https://processandfaith.org

The Beginning of Another World. " Advent marks the beginning of the church year—an invitation to step out of the empire's time and into God's time, where the last are first, the mighty are scattered, and a child born in occupied territory changes everything." ~ Diana Butler Bass Here are some links to some upcoming online and Rogue Valley in-person eco-spiritual activities that may interest you. Check back, as this post will be updated during December as we get additional information, and a new calendar listing will come out in late December 2025. Don't be intimidated by the scope of this list; choose to participate in just what calls to you. Nov. 17, 2025 - December 15, 2025  - Earth Literacies is presenting:  " The Cosmos Within Us: Living A Path of Transformation " with Betsey Crawford,  based on Brian Swimme's Powers of the Universe . Be sure to check out her website ahead of time. November 18, 2025 , at 11 a.m. PST - Join Tripp Fuller and Diana Buttler Bass for an introduction to a four-part class on Advent Against Empire , which will commence December 2-23, 2025 . " This course invites you into an alternative calendar and rhythm. While our modern world races through December toward consumption and productivity, Advent calls us to a different time—a counter-imperial waiting, a subversive hope, a radical reimagining of how God enters the world." November 30, 2025 , at 10 a.m. PST = Rev. Dr. Carol Kilby will present: S8 - Remembrance for Lost Species: Dance of Remembrance ,  " an evolutionary ritual to invoke a gentler human presence, to commemorate lost species and reorient human culture." On the International Day for Remembrance of Lost Species , we will join in ritual as an expression of sacred activism and in loving intention for a future of reconciliation and respect in the Earth Community. Register here. December 2, 2025 , from 8–9:30 a.m. PT - Elders Action Network , Elders Climate Action , and The Way Forward Regenerative Conversations Podcast are presenting: The Climate Crossroads: Why Haven’t We Changed — and How We Do Now. Join three of the leading voices on Climate for lively dialogue about breaking the deadlock. Bill McKibben, Dr. Rupert Read, and Brian McLaren, in a live conversation moderated by Dr. John Izzo, confront the hard truth of where we stand and explore what it will take to move from paralysis to action. Scan the QR code on the Elders Action Network Facebook page to register. December 2 and 16, 2025 , Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. PST- The American Teilhard Association is presenting a Zoom webinar: Advent 2025: Living into Incarnation with Teilhard, presented by   Kathleen Duffy, SSJ. Register here. December 2-23, 2025, at 11 a.m. PST - Diana Butler Bass and Homebrewed Christianity  present the start of four livestreamed sessions on   Advent Against Empire . This transformative four-week Advent journey  will explore how the four gospels speak their own revolutionary word against empire—both in their ancient context under Roman occupation and for our contemporary world shaped by capitalism, militarism, and nationalism. Each session includes a mini-lecture followed by a conversation between Diana and Tripp. Register here . December  4, 2025,  from 2-3:30 p.m. PST - Center for Christogenesis   has announced their next live webinar with Ilia Delio: The Christian Mutation: Why God Cannot be Static. ' Racism persists. Gun violence claims the innocent. Immigrants are scapegoated. Nationalism wraps itself in the flag and claims the name of Christ. Together we’ll ask who the God of Jesus truly is—relational, becoming, and present in the world’s suffering and creativity—and why that changes public life." Learn more and register: https://buff.ly/BWmYJOL   December 6, 2025 , at 8 a.m. PST - Practicing Presence is having a Community Conversation: Awakening to Presence . Join author Jim Heaney and presence guides Jim Taylor and Brian Mueller for a 90-minute community gathering on Zoom. Register here. "The Practice of Presence is a form of contemplative prayer , meditation, and mindful breathing that helps individuals to ground themselves in the peace of the present moment. This practice is described in Jim Heaney's book Choosing Presence: How to Access God’s Peace and Release Fear, Anxiety, and Stress " December 6, 2025, to January 3, 2026 - Uplift is calling for a Global Call to Pause, Breathe, Feel, and Radiate Peace . " The Uplift Peace Immersion (UPI) is a 28-day journey offered twice a year over the Solstice, a time to experience connection, presence, and inner peace collectively in alignment with the rhythms of Nature as the Earth and the Sun dance together during the Solstice... Your most valuable contribution to a Higher Consciousness Humanity is recognizing yourself as a being of infinite love, peace, and radiant light." December 10, 2025 , at 4 p.m. PST - Third Act 's All-in call will feature Heather Cox Richardson as a special guest, who will be joined in conversation with Third Act co-founder, Bill McKibben. They will share campaign updates, hear from our local elder activists, and gain insight into what is coming up next! Register here. December 11, 2025 , at 9 a.m. PST - Institute For The Future (IFTF) is having a free Foresight Talk: Using Strategic Foresight to Imagine the Future of Connected Communities featuring two senior leaders at YUSA,   Alison Huppert , Director of Strategy and Quality Practices, Innovation, and   Heather Hughes , Senior Vice President, Strategic Alignment, They will speak about centering foresight methods during a full-day gathering of 200 staff members to develop 10-year forecasts reimagining the future of community.  Register here. At 11 a.m. the same day Jane McGonigal will be presenting IFTF Fast Futures: Foresight for Beginners - a 90-minute, introductory-level online learning experience that will teach you how to get started with your own creative foresight. Foresight is the ability to think effectively about how the future might be different, so you can prepare for anything and start to make changes in your own life and in society for the better. The fee is $99. Register here . December 11, 2025 , at 4 p.m. PST - Aspen Chapel is offering a free webinar Becoming an Evolutionary Catalys t. " In this webinar, Andrew Gaines will look at what it means to be an Evolutionary Catalyst within the crisis that we are currently facing in the world, as well as offering practical ways that we can all help." More information and registration here. January 15, 2026 - February 12, 2026 , three Thursdays at 4 p.m. PST - Creation Spirituality Communities is offering a three-week course - ReImagine: Self & Worldview with Theodore Richards . The first two courses have five sessions. Participation in the third course is contingent on completing the first two and involves collaborative, network-building, project-based work with mutual support. Registration here.   Rogue Valley Voice aggregates and curates information from many third-party sources and does not necessarily endorse all aspects of others' work. Still, we find their viewpoint provocative and interesting enough to encourage the reader to engage with and come to their understanding and actions, as they deem appropriate.

. Churches take to the streets: WCC joins massive climate justice march in Brazil at COP30. COP30 in Brazil is in its final days, mid-November, Bloomberg reports : " Dozens of countries are pushing for the COP30 summit to deliver a ' road map away from fossil fuel use ' as its key outcome,.. At the United Nations meeting, representatives from the Marshall Islands, Colombia, the UK, Germany, Kenya, and Sierra Leone led a group of about 20 countries in calling for a path to shift away from oil, gas, and coal. Organizers of the push claimed to have more than 80 nations supporting the effort." Anthropogenic Global Warming Pew Research reports that "Most Americans say the Earth is getting warmer, including a narrow majority (53%) who say it is mostly because of human activity, such as burning fossil fuels. Most also view global climate change as an extremely or very serious problem . Assessing potential consequences, 62% foresee rising numbers of extreme weather events 58% think an increase in refugees and displaced people is likely within the next 30 years because of global climate change. 54% expect food and water shortages 46% expect climate change to impact the quality of life." "Members of non-Christian religions and people who do not identify with any religion – particularly self-described atheists and agnostics – consistently express the highest levels of concern about climate change." However, other than evangelicals, many religious/spiritual communities also believe that it is vital to take climate action now. " Quiet Religious Leaders A very interesting and recent (2025) study of U.S. Christian religious leaders (1,600 of them) found that nearly 90% believe in anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change to some degree . PubMed+2Phys.org+2 Among those leaders, 60% said humans play a major role; 30% said humans play a minor role. PubMed However, despite this high belief among leaders , many rarely talk about it: roughly half have never mentioned climate change to their congregation, and only a quarter have spoken about it more than once or twice . Phys.org +1 Furthermore, many congregants underestimate how many of their leaders accept human-caused climate change. In a surveyed group of Christians, people thought climate-denying leaders were much more common in their own church than they actually are — by a factor of about 5! The biggest challenge may be communication , not disbelief — many religious leaders believe in climate change but just don’t bring it up. Religious leaders not only need to speak out , but to encourage congregants to take action - divestment from fossil fuel is a concrete action. Evangelicals "Evangelical Protestants are among the most skeptical Christian subgroups about anthropogenic climate change. For example, only about 32% of evangelicals say the Earth is getting warmer mostly because of human activity, while 36% say it's due to natural patterns, and another big chunk are “unsure or not convinced." Evangelical tend to focus on individual salvation, life after death, and 'end times' rather than stewardship of the earth is partly responsible, but political identity plays a big role. Pew notes that "climate views often align with party affiliation (e.g., many evangelicals lean Republican), which is strongly correlated with climate skepticism." Pew Research Center Speaking Out about Divestment from Fossil Fuels Meanwhile, a growing number of faith-based groups are speaking out. The Laudato Si Movement reports that as COP30 meets in Brazil, 62 faith institutions announce fossil fuel divestment commitments . A full list of the 62 institutions divesting from fossil fuels and statements from leaders can be found here . This list highlights religious institutions in Canada, Italy, Ecuador, and Germany, and is not an exhaustive list. The United States, along with Canada, Australia, and Norway, is among those most responsible for fossil fuel expansion since the Paris Agreement. "Together, these four countries increased fossil fuel production by nearly 40% between 2015 and 2024, while production in the rest of the world combined fell by 2% during the same period." "Globally, more than 1,700 institutions, with combined assets of over $40 trillion, have made some form of fossil fuel divestment commitment. Faith groups have led the way, with more than 600 faith institutions around the world making divestment commitments . Religious institutions manage a combined $3 trillion of investments globally. As well as divesting from fossil fuels, faith communities are calling on governments and banks to phase out their support for fossil fuels and to scale up investment in clean energy. More than 600 faith institutions have supported calls for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty . " Climate leadership to accelerate the transition to a fossil-free future continues, even as the Trump administration continues to call global warming a hoax. State and local governments, as well as faith organizations, are responding to the climate emergency. Practical Pathways WCC suggests six practical pathways for churches to implement climate justic e : Transform theology and worship :  Reframe theology to reflect care for creation as central to Christian faith. Observe the Season of Creation annually. Create space for lament while nurturing hope rooted in the resurrected Christ. Promote holistic analysis:  Help churches understand how climate connects with gender, race, economics, and colonialism —recognizing that vulnerable frontline communities bear the greatest burden. Equip faith communities:  Provide practical Climate Justice Toolkits and training programmes. Teach ecological  metanoia . Train "climate chaplains.” Mobilize collective action:  Build momentum through Global Climate Justice Fasts, climate pilgrimages, and interfaith campaigns. Collaborate with ACT Alliance , Lutheran World Federation , and other ecumenical and interfaith partners. Advocate for systemic change:  Churches exercise their moral responsibility to speak prophetically, compelling governments to raise climate ambition. Campaign for Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, support climate litigation, and push for ecocide recognition. Support the " Turn Debt into Hope " campaign and strengthen Indigenous Peoples' territorial rights. Invest in grassroots solutions: Remove funds from fossil fuel companies and redirect resources towards renewable energy projects, Indigenous-led protection, and solidarity funds. Install solar panels, reduce waste, create community gardens - practices that embody the Economy of Life, replacing extraction with regeneration. "It's absolutely critical for churches to be where the climate-impacted communities are. Churches have to be in the streets. Churches have to be with the people demanding climate justice, demanding debt justice." ~ Athena Peralta, director of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development . Some of the many organizations engaged in climate justice divestment include : Laudato Si’ Movement is a global movement of grassroots leaders and member organisations, mobilising and inspiring the Catholic community to achieve climate and ecological justice . The World Council of Churches is a fellowship of 356 Churches from more than 120 countries, representing over 600 million Christians worldwide. It includes most of the world’s Orthodox churches, scores of Anglican, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist , and Reformed churches, as well as many United and Independent churches. Read its Save Children’s Lives resource on responsible banking: Green Anglicans is "a movement started by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, which is focused on empowering, encouraging, and holding the church accountable in caring for the earth that God has graciously placed us in." GreenFaith is "a grassroots, international, multi-faith climate justice organization with staff in 12 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. GreenFaith campaigns to stop new fossil fuel development, to upscale renewable energy development in an ethical manner, and to pressure historic climate polluters – governments and corporations – to pay for the damage they have caused." Third Act in 2023 had a Day of Action to demand that banks stop financing the expansion of fossil fuels. Bank of America, Chase, Citibank, and Wells Fargo have invested more than $1 trillion in fossil fuels since the Paris Climate Accord. Find out more here. UCC Environmental Justice  asserts, " The climate crisis is not a moral issue located in a distant future. It is a life and death struggle right now. It is a justice issue right now. Not everyone suffers equally from the pollution of fossil fuel industry." They support putting pressure on banks that invest in fossil fuel s. Divest Oregon in 2025 was an advocate for divestment, supporting t he PAUSE Act: SB681, which would have created a five-year moratorium on new PERS investments in private fossil-fuel funds. But they faced opposition from the Oregon lobbying firm Public Affairs Counse l and Oregon PERS Retirees Inc. (OPRI) , which was "lobbying on behalf of the Koch Companies, which are one of the biggest funders of climate denialism. In 2025, this Koch-friendly firm helped defeat Divest Oregon’s Pause Act." F Minus has uncovered these lobbying conflicts with its first-of-its-kind database of every fossil fuel lobbyist in Oregon–and in every other state.

While I am encouraged by The Center from Christogenesis ' and support Pierre Teilhard de Chardin's original notion of the noosphere, I am disturbed by a techno-optimist push toward planetary nationalism. On May 13, 2025, Boris Shoshitaishvili  and Lisa H. Siderismay  wrote about   The New Planetary Nationalism .   in   NOEMA, a magazine " exploring the transformations sweeping our world" p ublished online and in print by the Berggruen Institute . Praxis Nation describes itself as the “world’s first Sovereign Network” or “network empire.” This “new form of nation — one that exists wherever its citizens gather, whether in physical space or across the digital expanse” — aims to “restore Western Civilization and pursue our ultimate destiny of life among the stars.” Dryden Brown, Praxis’s founder, is searching first on Earth for a place to establish "a proof-of-concept, crypto-based, libertarian-minded dream city" and sees Greenland as a potential site. Trump-Vance donor Peter Thiel along with investors like Palantir ’s Joe Lonsdale and the Altman brothers' (Sam, Max, and Jack) Apollo Project , helped to fund Praxis Nation , On November 15, 2024, TechCrunch reported that " Praxis is one of the prominent examples of a 'network state,' a term defined by former a16z investor Balaji Srinivasan , as "an internet community that acquires a physical home and “gains diplomatic recognition from pre-existing states.'” Srinivasan wrote an e-book on The Network State and has a podcast . A Network State Conference was held in Singapore on September 22, 2024. Marc Andreessen has praised the concept; see Andreesen’s Techno-Optimist Manifesto . Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin created his own network state experiment . " Mother Jones on September 7, 2023 , described Praxis as “a free-market city-state' which the company hopes to build under the leadership of a CEO [ Dryden Brown ] who, former employees said, is interested in fascist authors and occultism and has touted a book that argues Black people are intellectually inferior to whites.” The article details accounts and associations of the Praxis CEO and employees with Nazi-ism, occultism, race science, and various fascist ideologies; the account is substantial and another piece of evidence that venture colonialism is fascist in character, and is being spearheaded by fascists." Venture Ca p ital Status has a rundown of Network States, Tech, and Crypto Cities . saying " Tech fascists are building The Network State -- a distributed nation-state made up of tech and crypto cities around the world. " You might also be interested in reading OpenAI's Infrastructure Blueprint for the U.S. , November 13, 2024: Trump's Weird New 'Freedom Cities' and the Network State Cult ; and billionaire Elon Musk ‘s November 2024 proposal to turn Starbase (the South Texas site where SpaceX builds and launches its massive Starship rockets) into a new tech city. Meanwhile, in June 2025, Praxis is proposing Atlas, California: a defense-focused spaceport city on 3,850 acres at Vandenberg Space Force Base. NOEMA noted " Big Tech figures who drive projects that engage planetary themes have aligned themselves more closely with nationalism in recent years. A subset of this ' broligarchy ' sat prominently in the front row at Donald Trump’s second inauguration. For instance, major Silicon Valley figures embrace the nationalist narrative that besting China in the A.I. race should be a primary U.S. focus . But positioning a transformative planetary technology like AI as a zero-sum contest between adversary nations impedes progress toward governing it on a planetary scale." On another end of the political spectrum, neither am I comfortable with explicit appeals to planetary concepts by nationalists like Steve Bannon , who has voiced a misguided interpretation of the “noosphere" - a planetary sphere of entwined human and technological activity. See the article published on July 9, 2024 by Counterpoint: Navigating Knowledge for clarification and a more appropriate contemporary interpretation of Teilhards' reference to the noosphere. # TeilharddeChardin #Noosphere # BerggruenInstitute # NOEMA #NetworkState #PraxisNation #broligarchy #SteveBannon

PBS aired an important half-hour program in fall 2025: Interconnections , produced by the Connectivity Project. " This powerful film explores how our actions create ripples in an interconnected world. Featuring Indigenous elders, scientists, and activists, it highlights shared cultural wisdom and inspiring real-life stories. From butterfly conservation to youth environmental advocacy, it empowers viewers to recognize their impact and embrace a deeper sense of responsibility and belonging." The Interconnections film includes thoughts from indigenous leaders, the perspective of Fritjof Capra, and a story about collective action in Portland, OR. The systems view of life is a change from seeing the world as a machine to seeing it as a living network. Everything is profoundly connected to all that is. The material world is a pattern of interdependent relationships. As a people, and as an earth, we need all of these parts. Every little piece of the earth needs to be there for it to exist. Our role in that system is not to harm. "When we see ourselves as being parts of a larger whole, that gets us to the point of feeling empowered, but it also gives us a sense of responsibility. And everything we do does have a ripple effect on the larger system. Each of our choices is an economic choice, but it's also a social choice, a political choice, an ecological choice." "Since everything is interconnected, it doesn't matter where you start. So if you ask, "What can I do?" I would say, "Do what you are already doing, but do it differently. If you are a teacher, teach differently. If you're an architect, build different buildings. If you are a farmer, farm in a different way." So it doesn't matter, wherever you are, you know, you keep the interconnectedness of problems in mind, and you act accordingly." Every decision is an opportunity to affect our shared world. The choice is up to every one of us. Keeping these interconnections in mind, what will you do with your opportunities? The Connectivity Project To learn more about what you can do to make a difference, visit their website at ConnectivityProject.com . Follow the Connectivy Project on Facebook . The Connectivity Project has many links  that show some smart and well-thought-through ideas on how to take action, and how your actions can have large impacts, Fritjof Capra Fritjof Capra is an Austrian-born American author, physicist , systems theorist, and deep ecologist . In 1995, he became a founding director of the Center for Ecoliteracy in Berkeley, California . Capra Course offers an online course, based on Capra's 2016 book The Systems View of Life , Join Fritjof Capra and explore the new systemic conception of life at the forefront of science and its application in economics, management, politics, design, medicine, and law. This course will give you the conceptual tools to understand the nature of our systemic problems and to recognize the systemic solutions that are being developed by individuals and organizations around the world. Registration for the Spring 2026 course is now OPEN. The Spring course will start on February 11, 2026 . Visit the Capra Course Vimeo page  for additional videos featuring Fritjof Capra. "We have choices every day, to decide to be in conflict, or to be in harmony -to  feel the oneness, or to feel the separation."~ Kealoha

On October 18, 2025, Philip Clayton gave a lecture at Tripp Fuller's Homebrewed Christianity Theology Beer Camp 2025 on a Theology of the Groaning of Creation (A Cosmic Account) . Clayton's talk first covered the origins and evolution of the universe, including images from space telescopes and discussions on star formation and potentially habitable planets. He explored scientific and spiritual perspectives on the nature of life and consciousness, including insights into biological processes, brain function, and animal intelligence.. He drew connections between ecological crises, human suffering, and Christian doctrine. He argued that believers and scientists should collaborate on environmental issues, noting Christians' paradoxical resistance to climate science. Perhaps we fail to see reality through emerging science, a deep-time, cosmic, and evolutionary perspective? He explored the biblical concept of creation's groaning as a metaphor for birth and suffering, emphasizing its implications for Christology, anthropology, and ecological justice. He concluded by advocating for a theology of lament that leads to action against ecological and social injustices, citing liberation theology's emphasis on the epistemic privilege of the poor and suffering. It is my guess that Clayton was referencing New Testament texts from Romans and Mark to offer a bridge to more traditional, biblical Christians a broader, cosmic understanding of our participation in the Divine unfolding of evolution and salvation as the unfolding of the Kindom of God on earth. Clayton was followed with a powerful presentation by Dr. Shaleen Kendrick , about the groaning, suffering and joy of childbirth: a buffalo herd mentality that responds to an approaching storm by running into it rather than retreating; and a neuro-relational spirituality that contributes to humanity's forward momentum by helping the integration of humanity’s three intelligence centers—mental (mind), instinctual (body), and emotional (spirit)—in unique ways and with interdisciplinary insights. I loved Shaleen's spontaneous remark about her "scholarly crush" on Ilia Delio , wanting to "make brain babies with her." Check out Desert Voices and Shaleen's website Neuro-Relational Integration. "In Neuro-Relational Spirituality (NRS), we know that true power lies in integration, where mind-body-spirit synthesize to create transformative action…or not! Kendrick says we have three “brains”—the head-brain, heart-brain, and gut-brain—each with unique insights: MIND: Our prefrontal cortex engages with values and vision. This mindful awareness grounds our decisions in purpose. BODY: Our “second brain” (gut) guides us with intuition and courage, grounding us in belonging and resilience. SPIRIT: The heart’s neural network enables empathy and connection. Through voting, we expand beyond ourselves, holding space for community well-being.

"The EcoCiv Institute (EcoCiv) first emerged as a vision of the scholar and activist John B. Cobb, Jr.  A professor at the Claremont Graduate University and Claremont School of Theology and a leader in ecological thinking. Prof. Cobb wrote the founding work in eco-theology in 1971,   Is It Too Late? A Theology of Ecology . Over the decades that followed, Cobb published over 50 books, inspired two generations of scholars and activists, founded multiple organizations, and organized scores of conferences, most notably through the Claremont Center for Process Studies (CPS). - a nonprofit think-and-action tank, now based in Portland, Oregon, that conducts interdisciplinary research and education to cultivate holistic understanding for human and planetary flourishing." The non-profit Institute for Ecological Civilization was initially incubated within the Center for Process Studies. Founded by Philip Clayton and Wm. Andrew Schwartz, the Institute for Ecological Civilization, was created to be a catalyst for advancing the vision of ecological civilization worldwide. Its first event, “Ecology and Community,” was held in Fall 2015. Many of the signature features of the organization were seeded and developed during this first event: carrying out preparatory research, convening experts, facilitating visioning and back-casting, and producing a roadmap for action." Visionary thinker, President  Philip Clayton  led EcoCiv  to expand and deepen its mission at the intersections of environment and humanity. With several decades of experience in university-based research, teaching, and lecturing, Philip conceptualized all EcoCiv’s projects and ensures their mission. In particular, he helped project leaders think about relevant intersectional societal changes for their projects. Clayton holds a PhD from Yale University; has held guest professorships at Harvard, University of Cambridge, and University of Munich; and is the author or editor of several dozen books and some 300 articles on science, ethics, and religion. In 2025 the non-profit changed its name to the Ecocivilization Coalition with a new website and visionary author Jeremy Lent as new Acting President. "Their new name marks a deeper commitment to global transformation:  Supporting grassroots movements  Amplifying system-wide change  Building a life-affirming future, together "Jeremy Lent is an author and speaker whose work investigates the underlying causes of our civilization’s existential crisis and explores pathways toward a life-affirming future. His 2922 award-winning book, The Patterning Instinct: A Cultural History of Humanity’s Search for Meaning , examines the way humans have made meaning from the cosmos from hunter-gatherer times to the present day. His 2021 award-winning The Web of Meaning: Integrating Science and Traditional Wisdom to Find Our Place in the Universe, offers a solid foundation for an integrative worldview that could lead humanity to a sustainable, flourishing future. He has written extensively about the vision and specifics of an ecological civilization, and is the founder of the Deep Transformation Network , a global community exploring pathways toward a life-affirming future on a regenerated Earth. Follow him on his author website." "Our economies must change with our changing climate to ensure a sustainable future for all. What could it look like to design an economy that simultaneously serves people and planet? This was the question addressed in April 2024 at the inaugural California Just Economy Summit that EcoCiv co-hosted with the California Wellbeing Economies Coalition in Sacramento, California. #Ecocivilization   #SystemsChange   #ClimateJustice   #GlobalCoalition   #JeremyLent   #EcoCiv