DAYTON TENNESSEE IS the site of the famous Scopes Trial. It’s not that close to Memphis, but close enough to make this story more interesting than it otherwise would be.
In the Memphis Commercial Appeal we read: Evolution evangelist to speak at Church of River. Excerpts:
Believers on both sides of the evolution-creation debate have been slugging it out for more than a century.
The journalist stumbles at the threshold. Science doesn’t have “believers.” Scientists accept currently successful theories because they explain the observed data and have survived experimental testing. Unlike doctrinal belief, theories are accepted provisionally, because there is always the possibility of new data that may challenge a theory.
But let’s not be distracted by a technical quibble. This article is actually a lot of fun:
But Rev. Michael Dowd is trying to make peace between science and faith by spreading the message that embracing evolution will bring people closer to spiritual fulfillment. He is the author of “Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and our World.” Crisscrossing the country, he has been doing what he calls “evolutionary evangelism.”
Okay, it’s an unusual ministry, but if it works for Rev. Dowd, it’s fine with us. Continuing:
Dowd will be in Memphis on Sunday at the First Unitarian Church of Memphis, also known as the Church of the River.
Unitarians in Memphis? How did they get in? Ah well …
Dowd and his wife, Connie Barlow, an atheist and a science writer, have been living out of their van for the past six years doing full-time evolution evangelism. Their vehicle displays two fishes kissing with the labels Jesus and Darwin.
Sounds like a happy couple. We wish them well.
3 responses so far ↓
Stop US Wars » Blog Archive » Evolution Evangelist in Tennessee // 25-July-2008 at 11:52 am
[...] Iosif Stalin wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptMichael Dowd is trying to make peace between science and faith by spreading the message that embracing evolution will bring people closer to spiritual fulfillment. He is the author of “Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of … [...]
bsharp55 // 28-July-2008 at 4:58 pm
Living in a van for six years is quite an accomplishment, but I’ wager it doesn’t smell of roses too often. More like smelly pits and feet than anything else is my guess.
I hear stress can cause headaches, bad breath, itching, smelly feet, excess sweating and a desire for copious quantities of food grade alcohol.
But I bet the stink in the van is but a shadow of the stink they encounter inside some of those churches.
Creationist Evangelist in Vermont « The Sensuous Curmudgeon // 31-July-2008 at 12:12 pm
[...] · No Comments WE RECENTLY reported about an Evolution Evangelist in Tennessee who had been traveling around with his wife for six years, living out of their van, and lecturing [...]