My wife Connie Barlow, an acclaimed science writer, just wrote and posted on our Great Story website what is to-date the most provocative—indeed, prophetic—essay of her life.  The title: "Imprinting Is Not Indoctrination: An invitation to parents and religious educators to present a coherent cosmology to our children".  Composed as a critique of Dale McGowan's invited lecture at the annual gathering of Unitarian Universalists nationwide (in June), Connie calls for a reassessment of the way kids in religiously moderate and liberal families and institutions are taught "religion".  Our postmodern celebration of diversity and advocacy of free choice actually means we deny our children a basic human requirement: "a coherent cosmology (creation story / worldview) through which to enjoy and securely navigate the years of childhood wonder, learning, and innocence."

If you have children or grandchildren, or simply care about educating young people religiously in light of humanity's most up-to-date and inspiring understandings of how things are and which things matter, I cannot recommend this 9-page draft essay too highly!  Because it is so provocative (especially the appendix), Connie welcomes feedback, comments, and suggestions for improvement.

May a fresh and exciting new conversation about how to best educate our children religiously commence!