Dear RNA members,

In response to Todd’s January Newsletter, a number of additional people signed up for our RNAnet Googlegroups forum, and active conversations are now underway. We’ve had excellent exchanges on such topics as how, going forward, to organize face-to-face RNA member interactions (no consensus as yet, but good ideas), Nancy Abrams’ book, does Nature have a character?, and what is meant by a concept? Nice poems have been posted. Etc. It’s been terrific.

Todd also noted our plan to initiate, on RNAnet, a book discussion thread, where our first selection will be Loyal Rue’s book, Nature Is Enough. This can be purchased on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Nature-Enough-Religious-Naturalism-Meaning/dp/1438438001/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1455981355&sr=1-2 but it’s a bit pricey, and happily we can offer an alternative: Loyal has kindly sent us the page proofs of the book in pdf format. Therefore, if you don’t own the book and would like to participate in this discussion, or just read the book and lurk on the discussion, please let Michael Cavanaugh know (RNAsecretare@aol.com) and he’ll send you a copy of the pdf. If you’ve not yet signed up for RNAnet and this feature prompts you to do so, please email him on that axis as well.

The online discussion will start in a week or so, to give you a chance to start/finish reading, so watch for the first email with Nature is Enough in the subject line. We’ll be considering Part 2, pp. 89-151, wherein Loyal articulates his version of religious naturalism. Fine, of course, if you elect to read the whole book! But the first part is more academic and less conducive to group discussion.

Important to note that you have two options in signing up for RNA: You can receive each posting in your email Inbox as they come in, or you can go to the website to read the posts there, sorted by category, on your own time, and respond/comment from there. Michael will ask your preference, and you can always switch.

Meanwhile, our membership continues to increase, albeit on a gentle slope (3-4 members per week). My personal experience with encouraging people to join us is that I all too often get a response along the lines of “well, it all looks great and resonates with my perspectives, but I just don’t like to JOIN things – it feels too definitive/restrictive/out-there/other synonyms along this axis.” I’m not sure I understand this sentiment, so if any of you has any insights to share, please let us know.

It’s a ridiculous 75°F in St. Louis today as I type, which is of course terrifying, but it does lure me to take a long walk into the neighboring park and activate connections with the critters.

My very best to you all,

Ursula

President, RNA