The Christian Phenomenon: A Once and Future Church; the Vision of Teilhard de Chardin

At the end of the epilogue to The Human Phenomenon, Teilhard's great scientific treatise, he added a section entitled The Christian Phenomenon. He insists that he writes these pages as a scientist, working from tangible, observable, historical facts (phenomena) about the beginnings, growth, and development of Christianity, which he sees as essential to understanding recent evolution in the human phenomenon.

In this, his latest installment in his project to make the thought of Teilhard de Chardin more accessible to the average reader, author Louis Savary explores topics that cry for fuller development and clarification in Teilhard's thought about the phenomenon of Christianity and the future. He includes the role of evil, pain and suffering in fostering evolution, the value and role of matter vis-à-vis spirit in future evolution, and the distinction between God and the created world.

We have been part of a continually evolving religion since its beginnings. Our challenge is to think and act like evolving believers.

Louis M. Savary, PhD, STD, holds two doctorates, one in mathematical statistics and another in theology. He was a Jesuit for thirty years and for the past forty years has been promoting Teilhard's ideas for the ordinary person. He is author of many books, including The Divine Milieu Explained and The New Spiritual Exercises in the Spirit of Teilhard de Chardin (both from Paulist Press).