Becoming Planetary People: Celebrations of Earth, Art, & Spirit

Becoming Planetary People carries forward Thomas Berry's project of infusing the scientific version of our origins with the poetry and majesty of ritualized religion. You will find in every corner of this little book rapturous psalms penned by Conlon. More importantly, the book adds to the growing chorus attempting to incorporate the beating heart of the "new story" into the theological body of classical Christianity. In this sense, the title of the book, "becoming planetary people," can be seen as an updating of the concept of "catholic"--a word that no longer automatically carries its own original meaning of "universal."

Today, a small minority of people (and that includes people of all religions and sects) believe that the evolution of humanity into a planetary people or society is inevitable. As this happens, nation states will fall away, as will instances of famine and genocide and the worst aspects of the global poverty-riches divide. We do not believe, however, that this will happen automatically. Only by working together and in concert with the Spirit of God will this be accomplished.

Becoming Planetary People is an important step in realizing this vision. And as James Conlon shows us, the renewal we long for need not leave behind the faith traditions in which we live, and from which we derive so many vital aspects of our daily existence. As such, the Christian and Roman Catholic motifs that the book calls upon should be taken symbolically, not literally, and be seen as one way of incorporating scientific narratives into a tradition of faith.

About the Author
Conlon, Jim: - Jim Conlon grew up on the shores of the St. Clair River, whose waters provide the border between Canada and the United States. The youngest child of an Irish father and French Canadian mother, Jim attended the village school. His early years were spent bathed in the beauty of the Great Lakes bio-region, and responding to his love for baseball. Both became in many ways classrooms for life's important gifts and lessons. Jim received a degree in chemistry from Assumption University of Windsor, and later in theology from the University of Western Ontario. Deeply moved by the impact of the Vatican Council II, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War, Jim moved from pastoral work to the streets. He felt propelled to follow his uncertain journey by listening to his heart. The years that followed brought him to Urban Training Centers in Toronto and Chicago; the Industrial Areas Foundation; Saul Alinsky Training Institute; the Catholic Committee on Urban Ministry; communication therapy; popular education; and subsequently the great work of humanity's mission of cosmic wisdom found in the voices of those who cry for justice, healing, and bread. Today he pursues with evolutionary faith a passion for the wisdom that is revealed in the universe story, the lives of his ancestors, and his own tradition. As a teacher and administrator, author and presenter, he strives to give voice to the cry of a people who find meaning in the narrative of their lives, in the promise of geo-justice, in the cosmic melodies that resonate among us, in the deep ponderings that take us to the precipice of new beginnings, and in the unspoken hunger that finds expression in the sacred impulses of our lives. As Jim's life continues to unfold, he now wishes to invite you to join him on the journey, and through his talks and presentations, to discover what you plan to do with your one wild and precious life.