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<div><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent;">Thanks, Herman.</font></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Greetings from Chautauqua, NY where the first program week theme is "The Elegant Universe", the afternoon lecture series being "Journey of the Universe" spearheaded by Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grim from Yale who worked closely with Thomas Berry. Their film of the same title (co-written and hosted by Brian Swimme) is being shown to capacity crowds. The Q&A period following Mary Evelyn's lecture this afternoon, as well as the talk-back after the film, indicated much interest and ripeness for action by people in the audience. We have shown the film in St Louis to groups in our local community as well as at the church we now attend. It has been a spring-board for starting local community and church action groups wanting a much broader context and sense of hope for their/our work addressing issues related to the ecology, economics, education, meaning, etc.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>[BTW, there is now a second "Journey of the Universe Conversations" dvd-- a 20-part/10 hour series that "integrates the perspectives of the sciences and the humanities into a retelling of our 14 billion year story. In a series of one-on-one interviews, scientists, historians, and environmentalists explore the unfolding story of the universe, Earth and the role of humans in responding to our present challenges"]</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I am glad the listserve has been a vehicle for sharing ideas, events, and resources related to these areas. I would like to hear even more about what people are doing: transition communities, 350.org, Earth Charter, ecology, Journey of the Universe, education, economics, policy, Pachamama Alliance/Awakening the Dreamer follow-up action groups, etc.--whatever is giving people hope in practical ways that is counteracting the prevailing sense of despair and hopelessness relative to making a difference.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Ellie</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: arial,helvetica; font-size: 10pt;">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: Herman Greene <hfgreenenc@gmail.com><br>
To: OE Listserv <oe@lists.wedgeblade.net>; Colleague Dialogue <dialogue@lists.wedgeblade.net><br>
Sent: Sun, Jun 23, 2013 11:59 am<br>
Subject: [Dialogue] Some thoughts about the future<br>
<br>
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<div>Dear All,</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This is an important email for me, though it will not be for
each of you. It is one I have thought about for months, especially since
returning from a visit in ICA headquarters in Chicago in September 2012. I made
that trip because I was going to be able to meet with Jack Gilles, who was at
ICA working on the archives project. I was also looking forward to meeting with
Pam and Terry Bergdall again. The event turned out to be overwhelming for me,
in part because of the profound memories that welled up within me, in part
because of the conversations Jack and I had and the picture he presented of the
EI/ICA archive (which brought down the full breadth of our legacy on me), and
in part because I really realized that the big corporate body that constituted
EI/ICA was gone.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I left the Order in 1975 and didn’t come back into contact
with Order folk until the Millennium Conference in 2000. I have had four or
five occasions since then to be in Chicago or at a Springboard gathering. I
have been on the OE listserve for some time and on the ICA Dialogue listserve
for a year. Nelson and Elaine Stover and John Cock live nearby and I have been
in contact with them and colleagues who live in Asheville. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The eight years I was in the Order from 1967-75 shaped my
life dramatically, but for the most part my development since 1975 has taken
place apart from EC/ICA. There have been several key influences on me and I
will name three: Thomas Berry, Alfred North Whitehead (and the International
Process Network), and the practice of business law. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>EI didn’t help me at all with the overwhelming task I was
given growing up as a Southern Baptist, which was to save the world. I have
learned though to balance this calling to make my life count with humility and
self-care. The basic impulse and teaching of EI is however still strong within
me and indeed is what leads to this email.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There is much to be written, but to write much at this point
I feel is a mistake because what is involved is not for me alone to articulate
or determine. It is a part of a conversation that has been going on some time
and it has to do with what we who have been a part of EI/ICA can contribute to
our time. The subject does not directly concern ICA US or any ICA organization
as an institution, though it is not irrelevant to any of them either.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Let me start with the easiest issue, our listserves, then go
to a particular project, then to the legacy of EI/ICA.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><b>1.<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;'> </span></b><b>The Listserves. </b>This will border on a
gripe. I initially joined the OE listserv to reconnect with my family/friends. Folks,
you are still the closest friends I have. I use friends with the knowledgeable
awareness that we were and are colleagues first and friends second, but that
latter part seems increasingly important. After going to Oklahoma City a couple
of years ago and meeting with David Dunn, I eventually asked to be added to the
ICA listserve. I thought I would be in a network of a whole different group of
people. To my surprise I found out that it was by and large the same group of
people. I don’t have any recommendation about the two existing listserves
except they are puzzling to me because I honestly don’t see the difference. The
time has passed, however, when I will do anything other than read emails that
stick out for me. I just can’t keep up and it raises the question for me, as I’m
sure it does for many of you, about what are these listserves for. Nonetheless
I keep receiving the emails because I like to at least read the titles of the
various emails. I’ll basically leave this issue open, though I am considering
going back to only being on the OE listserve. There may be a need for a
listserve around the next topic in this email. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><b>2.<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;'> </span></b><b>The Project. </b>The way I see the world,
humanity as a whole is moving from economic-industrial civilization to
ecological-cultural civilization. The transition we are going through is
equivalent to that which occurred with the Neolithic villages, the
establishment of the classical civilizations, the Medieval/feudal period,
modernity beginning in the 16<sup>th</sup> century and industrial civilization beginning
in the 18<sup>th</sup> century. Agricultural civilization, which began 10,000
years ago, and industrial civilization which began 200 years ago were most
fundamental. Now we are faced with converging crises (rapid in historical
terms, but not as fast as many of us expect) and for the next century or so the
changes will occur. The goal is not Heaven on Earth, but the more Heaven the
better. Thomas Berry spoke of a “viable” human future and I like that more modest
language, but he also spoke of an “ecozoic” future and the need to care for the
comprehensive community of life even for the sake of the human.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>A set of circumstances two years ago brought
me into work related to preparing for Rio+20, the third Earth Summit of the UN,
which occurred last June in Rio. Before engaging I took some time to study the “sustainable
development” history in relation to the UN. I came to the conclusion that this
was the language on the basis of which change will occur in the next few
decades if it is to occur. It is a language understood and used by all 192
member states of the UN (and no doubt those who are not members as well) is
readily understood by the business community, and is well understood in civil
society (there are 5,000 civil society groups with consultative status with the
UN). Of course, the language itself, which I found in the UN documents produced
over the last 20 years to be quite remarkable, will not bring about change in
the same way that say a local village project will. What we are faced with,
however, is the problem that we are in the planetary phase of human development
and there are no solutions to local problems without a global shift, that is a
change in the dominant mode of human civilization globally. This statement
doesn’t negate the idea of “think globally and act locally,” of course that is
where the dominant effort must occur.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I got involved in preparation for Rio+20
with a group that was advocating for the inclusion of ethics and spirituality
in the Outcome Document for the conference. The group is known as the “Ethics
and Spirituality Initiative for Sustainable Development” or “ESI” for short.
The simple ideas behind ESI are two: (a) if the lack of sustainable development
is an ethical and spiritual problem then ethics and spirituality must have
something to do with the solution, and (b) if we look only to economics and
science to address the issues related to sustainable development, we will not
make the needed changes. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Let me illustrate what I mean on that
second point by a quote from a book by Jorgen Randers, called <i>2052</i>: </div>
<div> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;">As a consequence of the increase in the average global temperature of
plus 2 degrees Centigrade by 2052, humanity will experience an increasing
number of bothersome climate effects over the decades to come. . . . Each event
will lead to public outrage and create fear for the future. But in most cases
the short-term costs of action will be seen as unacceptably high and lead to a “well-considered”
decision to postpone significant action. </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"> </div>
<div>Jorgen also writes of “last to lose”
strategies where people will feel there is no way to control globally either
resource use or demand, so their strategies will promote more economic growth
to strengthen their own strategic positions and ability to strengthen their own
resource bases and defenses. These strategies will only make matters worse.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Do you see the ethical and spiritual
problems? People will need to do the “un-well-considered,” that which in the
short-term is not in conventional terms in their own best interest.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Thomas Berry wrote that humans must become
self-limiting. While this has been honored in spiritual traditions, it is the
opposite of the march of civilization which has always been for more. He said
we needed to “reinvent the human at the species level with critical reflection within
the community of life systems, in a time-developmental context through story
and shared dream experience.”</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Now I happen to feel that OE/ICA, or let me
speak from my own experience, the Ecumenical Institute, as I knew it, had a lot
of knowledge about how to call for, teach and prepare people for the task of
large-scale change EI also knew about spiritual formation, the kind that is
needed to go through challenging times and take risks.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Therefore I can see the role of a
pedagogical effort coming out of the historic OE/ICA community in relation to
the transition from economic-industrial civilization to
ecological-cultural. I can also see the
remaining EI/ICA network as being helpful in this effort, and without focusing
on the institutional issue, I can see how this could provide an important role
for ICA.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I think there is no doubt a continuing
important role for village projects and local efforts such as the ones ICA US
has undertaken in Chicago, but that is not the subject of this particular email.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>My own primary institution now is the
Center for Ecozoic Societies. It is pip-squeak big. My institution, CES, and
others will engage in collaborative efforts related to ESI, ESI will not be an
organization in itself. We will propose various projects and then people can
take them up if they wish. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>We had a meeting of all of 20 people in NYC
on May 14 and came up with this initial list:</div>
<div> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;">There
was a discussion of authoring a book on ESI (not what this ESI group is about,
but rather a call to leaders of values-based organizations) with chapters from
the people present. The book would also serve as an anchor to this movement.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;">One common project all agreed upon
was commenting collectively on the post-2015 UN development agenda.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;">Other collaborations are possible
and these were suggested at the meeting. Please add to this list:<b></b></div>
<div align="center" style="text-align: center; margin-left: 1in;"><b> </b></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Advocating for culture/spirituality as the
fourth pillar of sustainable development</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Developing an educational curriculum on
sustainable development for VBOs (this is to help enable people to understand
how to be global citizens and the relationship of ethics, spirituality and
culture to sustainable development).</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Host ecological civilization conferences</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Engage teams of interested persons in different
regions of the world to prepare a vision and pathway to ecological civilization
(the transition from economic-industrial civilization to ecological-cultural
civilization)</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Promote the International Ethics Panel for Ecological
Civilization, Ombudsmen for Future generations, Trusteeship of the Global Commons,
Office of Ethical Assessment in the UN Secretariat and other ethical structures
of governance<b></b></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><b> </b></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Work on the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (contribute to
the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (WASH stands for water sanitation and
hygiene), and support a similar initiative focused on energy) </div>
<div><b> </b></div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in;">I can imagine that those who have
had the training and experience I have had through OE/ICA could be very helpful
in preparing and carrying out these two in particular:</div>
<div> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Developing an educational curriculum on
sustainable development for VBOs (this is to help enable people to understand
how to be global citizens and the relationship of ethics, spirituality and
culture to sustainable development).</div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol;">·<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span></span>Host ecological civilization conferences</div>
<div> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in;">Another list that I want to put
forward, without comment is this one:</div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 60pt;">The following
were identified as areas where transformational leadership is needed in books
by David Orr and Paul Schafer:</div>
<div style="margin-left: 96pt;"> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;">(i) creating
a new theoretical, practical, historical and philosophical framework for the
world of the future (with an emphasis on the importance of the cultural
dimension of life and of strengthening this dimension);</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;">(ii) dealing
with the intimate relationship between people and the natural environment,</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;">(iii)<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span>providing
uncommon clarity about our best economic and energy options,</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;">(iv)<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span>helping
people understand and face what will be increasingly difficult circumstances,
and</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1.5in;">(v)<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt;'>
</span>fostering
a vision of a humane and decent future.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 0.5in;"> </div>
<div>I can imagine some of you want to be
involved in ESI. I can imagine a new Ecumenical or Ecozoic Institute to carry
out the educational programs. I can imagine this is connected with ICA though
not that ICA would have to be involved.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Well, I’ve gone on longer than I thought I
would. I haven’t brought this section to a conclusion, but I believe I have
provided enough of a flavor for you to “get it.” I’ll be interested in what you
have to say either through this listserve or by emailing me directly.</div>
<div style="margin-left: 0in;"> </div>
<div><b>3.<span style='font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal;'> </span></b><b>The Order (or EI/ICA) Legacy. </b>The story
of who we were needs to be told and the past needs to be preserved. I have
wondered from time to time if there needs to be some kind of loose order going
forward. Since I haven’t had any brilliant insights into that I am letting that
ride. In some ways I would like an affiliation where I can honor my vows (the
ones I took long ago in EI to poverty, chastity and obedience), but I can only
presently see work in forming such an order as a distraction. It is part of our
history to say that what needs to come into being must come into being around
the mission and that is enough guidance for me. I am going to do this work and
let the forms emerge.</div>
<div><b> </b></div>
<div>There are two troubling parts about the
legacy about which I would like to speak. One is the sense that “if we only do
this ___________, everything will change.” The second is the idea that
everything is perfectly expressed in a model. If we are to do this work, it is
necessary to let go completely of dogmatic certainty and the idea that we can
make things happen.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>A key event in the life of the Order which I
keenly remember but no one else to whom I have spoken seems to have remembered.
McClesky gave a lecture on the turn to the world. He drew a football diagram on
the board and talked of doing an end run around the church. He said we had a
decision to make about whether we would be a force or a leaven. At the time,
the notion was that we would be a force. So we mapped out the world and, being
obsessed with numbers in grids, went out to change it.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In this effort we can only be a leaven.</div>
<div> </div>
<div style="margin-left: 0in;">Herman</div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div> </div>
<div><br>
</div>
-- <br>
__________________________________________________
<div>Herman F. Greene</div>
<div>2516 Winningham Road</div>
<div>Chapel Hill, NC 27516</div>
<div>919-942-4358 (ph & fax)</div>
<div><a href="mailto:hfgreenenc@gmail.com">hfgreenenc@gmail.com</a></div>
</div>
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