Neptune's Dolphins

 

Stephen Dick, noted astrobiologist and former NASA historian, has developed several principles of cosmotheology. (1) “Humanity is not physically central to the universe.” (2) “Humanity is not central biologically, mentally, or morally in the universe.” (3) “Humanity is not at the top of the great chain of being in the universe.” These three principles acknowledge the cosmological de-centering of the universe for humans. According to Whitehead, “humans are as fully natural as everything else in the Universe.” In other words, humans are not the moral center of the Universe.

 

Dick continues with (4) “Cosmotheology must be open to radically new and non-supernatural conceptions of God…a God grounded in cosmic evolution.” (5) “Cosmotheology must have a moral dimension, extending to embrace all species in the universe – a reverence and respect for life in any form.” (6) “Cosmotheology must embrace the idea that human destiny should be linked to natural cosmic events, not to the divine.” Dick states that the “God of cosmotheology is a natural evolutionary product, potentially with many characteristics normally associated with God.” (Note 5)

 

Andrew Davis, a process philosopher, interprets Dick’s God as a “fully contingent super intelligence (emphasis by Davis), an outcome of evolution.” Meanwhile, Whitehead, who developed process philosophy (Note 6), claims that the “non-temporal actuality of divine mentality” is in every phase of evolution. He adds, “The universe is thus understood as including a source of ideals. There are experiences of ideals…This is the experience of the deity of the universe.” For Whitehead, God is the divine duality as experienced across the universe.

 

Davis further develops a cosmotheology based on Whitehead’s process philosophy. “(1) Humanity exemplifies metaphysical principles that are utterly central to the universe. (2) Humanity exemplifies biological, mental, and moral antecedents that are metaphysically central to the universe. (3) Humanity exemplifies the same metaphysical principles that are expressed in various intensities throughout the great chain of being in the universe. (Note 7) (4) Cosmotheology must be open to truly radical and non-supernatural conceptions of God, a God grounding and exemplifying the metaphysical conditions of cosmic evolution. (5) Cosmotheology must provide the ontological basis and stimulus for ideals of moral reverence and respect in the nature of things. (6) Cosmotheology must embrace human destiny as inextricably linked to the destiny of the cosmos as an infinite evolutionary expression of the metaphysical conditions chiefly exemplified in the divine.”

 

Since some of us may be alive when life is discovered beyond the Earth, we do need to understand our place in the cosmos. I believe that Polytheists should add their thoughts to how this affects all of us. Since Polytheism entails that humans are connected to other worlds and other beings, Polytheists have a unique perspective to offer.

 

Notes:

Note 1. The astronomer Steven Dick defines “cosmotheology” as his attempt at a theology based on what “we know about the universe based on science. It is a naturalistic theology that denies supernaturalism.” From Interview with Ted Peters, “The Cosmotheology of Steven Dick,” Patheos, 22 April, 2023. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/publictheology/2022/05/cosmotheology-steven-j-dick/.

 

Note 2. Formally stated, the Cosmological Principle is “Viewed on a sufficiently large scale, the properties of the Universe are the same for all observers.” In ordinary language, the Earth, the Sun, the Milky Way, etc. are only average and not special. The Cosmological Principle is a part of Isaac Newton’s Laws of Physics.

 

Note 3. Whitehead as quoted by Andrew Davis in “Metaphysics of Exo-Life.”

 

Note 4. “Exo-life” refers to all life other than the Earth’s including extraterrestrials (ETs).

 

Note 5. Unless otherwise defined, “God” refers to Yahweh, the Monotheistic Deity.

 

Note 6. Alfred North Whitehead developed process philosophy further in the 1920s. He believed that “there is urgency in coming to see the world as a web of interrelated processes of which we are integral parts, so that all of our choices and actions have consequences for the world around us.”

 

Note 7. “The Great Chain of Being” is a hierarchy of Gods, Angels, humans, animals, plants, and minerals. The philosophy behind the hierarchy is that everyone has a role and purpose in the Cosmos.

 

Works Used:

Davis, Andrew, “Metaphysics of Exo-Life.” Grasmere (ID): SacraSage Press. 2003.

Meade, Shannon, “Faith in the Cosmos.” Machiasport (ME): Shannon Meade. 2024.

O’Meara, Thomas, “Vast Universe.” Collegeville (MN): Liturgical Press. 2012.

Peters, Ted, “The Cosmotheology of Steven Dick,” Patheos, 22 April, 2023. Web. https://www.patheos.com/blogs/publictheology/2022/05/cosmotheology-steven-j-dick/. .

Weintraub, David, “Religions and Extraterrestrial Life.” London: Springer Book. 2014.

 

Christian authors, Alisa Childers and Tim Barnett tell what they believe deconversion to be. They wrote “The Deconstruction of Christianity” for church groups to understand why people leave and how to respond. Childers and Barnett say, “Deconstruction is not about getting your theology right. It’s not about trying to match reality. It’s about tearing down doctrines that are morally wrong to you to make them match your own internal conscience. You are the ultimate authority.” They continue, “with deconstruction, there is no external authority to tell you what your views should look like.” (The emphasis is from the authors.)

 

Meanwhile Neo-Pagan author, Yvonne Aburrow offers a different point of view. In “Changing Paths,” she writes, “leaving a religion or worldview rarely happens all at once. It happens gradually, rather like the unraveling of a knitted garment. There are many reasons for leaving a religion, and while there may be one reason that stands out above all the rest or a defining moment when you decided to quit, there are usually multiple reasons for leaving. Often it is because its worldview does not work for you any more.”

 

What starts the process is a clash of beliefs or values with the current belief system. As the person examines this clash, their religious convictions become frayed. After making a leap of faith to non-belief, they then live in the unknowing place. While at that point, the person explores the alternatives and decides what is next for them.

 

In “The Anatomy of Deconversion,” John Mariott lists the stages of deconversion. First, the religion that is causing them to leave is examined. In most, cases, it is a form of Fundamentalism that prompts people to leave. Then comes a crisis of faith, which usually involves spiritual abuse. (Note 1) Now unmoored, the person resolves their crisis by seeking the truth outside of their original religion. In the face of their growing doubts, a deconvert tries to retain their faith. Unable to do that, they first become agnostic and then finally an Atheist. In the final stage, the deconvert informs others of their loss of faith.

 

In other words, deconversion starts with uncovering fear-based beliefs and identifying emotional dissonance it causes. For example, the person tries to align compassionate teachings with fear-based ones. After rejecting both, they let go of their “bad faith habits.” (Note 2) Now living in the unknowing and the uncertainty of no particular religion (Note 3), they ponder the next steps. Finally, the deconvert finds a sense of peace and serenity within another religion or without one.

 

In “Leaning Forward,” Karl and Laura Forehand discuss how to find peace beyond the confines of religion. They emphasize the importance of finding community outside of the former church. In looking, people need to figure out what type of connection they want to have as well as their reasons for having it. Moreover, any new community they join should allow anyone speak and ask questions.

 

John Beckett, Druid blogger, in his writings suggest reading about other religions and their approach to the numinous and sacred. Explore Paganism (his term) to see if there is something calling to you. Remain open to new experiences and new ways of thinking. Avoid seeking more and more intense spiritual experiences which can become addictive.

 

Some deconverts find Neo-Paganism or Polytheism compatible with their new philosophies. Entering either religion starts a new process of relating to the numinous. Within both, people explore, often moving from one to another before settling in to a particular belief system.

 

“Road Goes Ever On” by J.R.R. Tolkien

“The Road goes ever on and on

Down from the door where it began.

Now far ahead the Road has gone,

And I must follow, if I can,

Pursuing it with eager feet,

Until it joins some larger way

Where many paths and errands meet.

And whither then? I cannot say.”

 

Notes:

Note 1. Spiritual abuse ranges from threatening believers with the fires of hell to shaking people down for money for the good of the Church to sexual abuse.

 

Note 2: A “bad faith” habit is never questioning a dogma. For example, the person does not question how a loving and unchanging God could order the genocide of Canaanites.

 

Note 3. In many “revealed” religions, the certainty of dogma is stressed. God’s word is revealed for people to follow and believe.

 

Suggested Reading of Deconversion stories:

John Beckett, at his website, “Under the Ancient Oaks,” https://undertheancientoaks.com/

(From Baptist to Druid)

 

Karl and Laura Forehand, “Leaning Forward”

(From church pastor and wife to having no religion)

 

Yvonne Aburrow, “Changing Paths”

(From Christianity to various Neo-Pagan faiths, and between Neo-Pagan faiths)

 

In “Spirituality Without Structure,” Nimue Brown, Druid author, writes “Religion is the means by which countless lives have been harnessed, saddled, and sent forth to suit a private or political agenda.” She continues, “I’m too anarchic too opposed to authority and oppression.” Her version of religion is shared by many. It is also an underlying assumption by SBNR people encountering Polytheist practices.

 

In her book, Brown explains the differences between spirituality as experienced by the individual, and religion as a formal system. She states that Atheists and people of conventual faith can “lend themselves to a genuine spiritual outlook.” This separation of religion from spirituality enables people to be “spiritual but not religious.”

 

What does that mean – spiritual but not religious? This contemporary idea refers to the sacred interior life of a person, who does not belong to a religious organization. Another term for this could be “non-ritual personal faith.” According to Rev. Linda Mercadante, religious scholar, SBNR people are usually anti-institutional and private in their beliefs. She separates them into several categories. The dissenter dislikes institutional religion. The casual believer prefers therapeutic spirituality such as New Age practices. The explorer is a spiritual tourist. The seeker is searching for a new religious identity. Finally, the immigrant has joined a new spiritual community.

 

Rev. Mercadante, in her studies, said that today, religion is thought of as a social construct, and spirituality is the interior life. She says that in prior times, spirituality was considered the same as piety. For this reason, spirituality and piety overlap in modern society in a confusing manner, although modern people think of piety in terms of “annoying church ladies.”

 

In “Spirituality Without Structure,” Brown describes a spiritual experience as giving a person “a feeling of profound connection with something beyond themselves. That something doesn’t have to be a god. It could be a place, a person, tradition, or an idea.” This fits in with my working definition of spirituality as the awareness of a person of something beyond themselves. Meanwhile, religion is the response to that something.

 

Rev. Mercadante writes in “Belief Without Borders,” that SBNRs and Atheists agree that spirituality is a “this-worldly reality, often conflated with … mental health or emotional well-being.” She says that spirituality is portrayed as “a personal, individual, and heart-felt state that is easily divorced from organized religion.” She observes what Nimue Brown expresses as the standard view of religion – external, organized, dogmatized, and group oriented,” in SBNR people.

 

This presents something for modern Polytheists to ponder. As more people leave Neo-Paganism to become Polytheists, they often carry this idea of religion with them. Since many modern Polytheists are immigrants to Polytheism, I believe that the first step is to remember when we first entered the country known as Polytheism.

 

Further Reading:

 

Alain de Botton, “Religion for Atheists.”

Nimue Brown, “Spirituality Without Structure.”

Edward Butler, “The Way of the Gods”

John Michael Greer, “A World Full of Gods.”

Rev. Linda Mercadante, “Belief Without Borders.”