The Magnificent Cosmos by Mary Conrow Coelho

The American Teilhard Association explores and builds on the life and work of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The American Teilhard Association, since its foundation in 1967, is committed to making the thought and vision of Teilhard more widely available. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955), a French Jesuit and paleontologist, was one of the leading thinkers of the 20th century. Teilhard integrated his scientific understanding of evolution with his religious understanding of the “divine milieu.” His vision of the human as part of a dynamic unfolding universe is expressed in his classic text, The Human Phenomenon. As an accomplished scientist and as a person of deep religious conviction, Teilhard was himself a pioneer in bridging science and religion. He was a visionary capable of imagining a viable and vibrant future. In advance of his time and in the midst of great turmoil Teilhard perceived an emerging global consciousness. This was consistent with his understanding of evolution that would unify the human spirit despite the disruptions of war and conflict evident in the first half of the 20th century. Though exiled to China from his native homeland and refused permission to publish The Human Phenomenon during his lifetime, Teilhard did not lose his humility or his zest for life. In addition to his multi-volume scientific work on paleontology completed during his lifetime, Teilhard’s religious writings were eventually published after his death in New York in 1955. With his idea of human consciousness encircling the planet as the noosphere, Teilhard is also credited with anticipating the complex technological connection of human thought now evident in global communications and in the worldwide Internet. His thinking regarding the unity of the human community also influenced several key founders of the United Nations.