Big ideas

[This page is incomplete]

This is a project about some big ideas - God, Quakers, science, evolution, emergence, complexity, testimonies, right relationships, wisdom and the future.

We are starting to outline a how we see these big ideas linking together in the evolutionary potential of Quakerism. You are warmly invited to discuss these big ideas using the discussion tab at the top of the page. Anybody may add to the discussion. If you want to follow the discussion and be notified of responses to your comment please subscribe to this Wiki.

Wings
The project has two main wings - theory and action (or if you prefer, faith and practice). This Wiki is mostly about the theoretical wing, but the project won't fly unless we act out the theory in practical ways. We have already started to explore some of this through action research 'on the ground' and hope to post some reports of action in this Wiki.

Evolution, potential and Quakers
The project is about evolution and about Quakerism and about potential and the relationships among these three big ideas. Our key sources include the ideas of evolution from Charles Darwin to the recent developments in evolutionary science; key Quaker practices including the potential in Quaker-inspired ideas recently expressed as collective wisdom and right relationship with the earth; and recent developments in theology.

Theology and science
The science vs religion or evolutions vs creation debate has been strident in the last few years. It seems to me than many of the loudest speakers on the religion side know their theology but not much science, while the strident atheistic voices seem to know their science but not much theology. This is very understandable. Knowledge is so complex and specialised these days, that we can't expect one person to know it all (even if they might claim to). I hope these pages will show some balance.