"The Great Work: Our Way Into the Future" - Thomas Berry

Introduction

As two more voices for Evolving Consciousness, we found the insights of Thomas Berry in his book "The Great Work: Our Way to the Future" had a profound personal impact on our lives.

A few excerpts are provided below:

"The Great Work now, as we move into a new millennium, is to carry out the transition from a period of human devastation of the Earth to a period when humans would be present to the planet in a mutually beneficial manner.

...In reality there is a single integral community of the Earth that includes all its component members whether human or other than human.

The historical mission of our times is to re-invent the human—at the species level, with critical reflection, within the community of life-systems, in a time-developmental context, by means of story and shared dream experience."

Great Work

Our work (and the content of this web site) is organized around Thomas Berry's 'historical mission of our times' as indicated in the table below.

Filing System Headings
(Now For Our Turn)

Filing System Contents
(Now For Our Turn)

"Re-inventing the Human"(Thomas Berry)

Deep Time

1.  From Light to the Gift of Consciousness / Deep History of Nature / The Universe Story / Epic of Evolution

(How we look and are finding the nature of nature – the “laws” (physics, chemistry, biology,….  )

5…in a time-developmental context, by means of story and shared dream experience.
             differentiation,
             subjectivity,
             communion.

Earth Time

2. Evolution of All Life (Tree of Life) -   Leading to Human Consciousness & our role as the Planet’s Eye

1… re-invent the human—at the species level: find our source of guidance in genetic coding

Human Time

3.   The Planet Earth as a Living Community / Cohabitating System - Gaia

4…within the community of life-systems

Today

4.  Social Contracts/Systems - Revisited

(Economics, Law, Ecomorality, Energy, Institutions, Business, Health Care, ….)

2…re-invent the human—at the species level:   Economics, Law,…..

Tomorrow

5. Critical Reflections on / Assessments of Today’s Issues/Problems and their Solutions

Spirituality – can the old stories be updated?
Sustainability – can we thrive on current sunlight? 
Ancient Sunlight – can we stop using it?
Peace – can we try nonviolence / cooperation?
        …. The list goes on

3…with critical reflection,

 

For more about "The Great Work"....

Excerpts from the book...


Essays about "The Great Work: Our Way Into the Future" ...

 

For more books by Thomas Berry...

For more about Thomas Berry...