I am in absolute awe that nobody seems to know Thomas Berry! This book more than any other book I have EVER read gave me meaningful context for EVERY other book and teaching I have ever read or otherwise incorporated. I truly mean that and am not just writing it for effect. Thomas Berry’s contribution to planetary evolution will someday be seem as immense, and I predict him to be recognized as the godfather of the unfolding ecozoic / biocratic age. Every page is a treasure trove of mind expanding gems, and even though he overuses the word numinous, we have to forgive him that as there really aren’t any suitable synonyms for it. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for anyone who has any interest whatsoever in relation to the earth and humanity’s place within the greater community of life.

We might sometimes reflect and recall that the purpose of all our science, technology, industry, manufacturing, commerce, and finance is celebration, planetary celebration.  This is what moves the stars through the heavens and the earth through its seasons.  The final norm of judgment concerning the success or failure of our technologies is the extent to which they enable us to participate more fully in this grand festival.

The excitement of life is in the numinous experience wherein we are given to each other in that larger celebration of existence in which all things attain their highest expression, for the universe, by definition, is a single gorgeous celebratory event.