The transhumanist project to liberate humanity from our ages-old shackles can move faster by building bridges with communities that have broadly similar goals – including writers and activists who consider themselves to be “Christian Trans-Cosmic Optimists”.

With that thought in mind, Humanity Unshackled was delighted to welcome as the guest for Episode 8 the theologian and author Niamh M. Middleton.

Niamh lectured in theology and philosophy in Dublin City University from 2005 to 2020. She now concentrates on her own research and writing activities. Her main research interests include the religion/science controversies and the creation/evolution debate. She is the author of two books so far:

• Homo Lapsus: Sin, Evolution, and the God who is Love
• Jesus and Women: Beyond Feminism

To listen Niamh taking part in a wide-ranging bridge-building discussion with show hosts Rusty Burridge and David Wood, click on the audio player at the top of this page.

Alternatively, listen to this episode on Soundcloud, or visit the corresponding Radio Hydrogen page.

To dig more deeply into some of the ideas in this episode, take a look at:

• Pierre Teilhard de Chardin – the Jesuit priest who conceived the idea of “Omega Point”
• Keith Ward – the Anglican priest whose 1998 book God, Faith, and the New Millennium introduced the term “trans-cosmic optimist”
• Russell David Gray – Darwinian researcher and philosopher
• John Gray – Philosopher who is the author of Straw Dogs: Thoughts on Humans and Other Animals
• David Pearce – transhumanist philosopher who promotes the vision of paradise engineering, featured in Humanity Unshackled Episode 6
• Yuval Noah Harari – philosopher, historian, and author of Sapiens and Homo Deus
• Karl Rahner – German Jesuit theologian
• Archive of videos of London Futurists events
• Milton Keynes delivery robots
• The concept of “Noosphere” – the third in a succession of phases of development of the Earth, after the geosphere (inanimate matter) and the biosphere (biological life)
• “The Rebel Christ” – book by Michael Coren
• “Changing poison into medicine” – a theme from Buddhism

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For a complete listing of Humanity Unshackled episodes, see the Future Surge Media page.

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Credits:

Music: “Far Away 6,” written and performed by Sean Anthony Brennan.

Radio Hydrogen Artwork: Eleanor O’ Donnell.

Technology, Legals, and Australian FM Radio Network Liaison: Chris John Doe.

Radio Hydrogen Website: Sara Bowles & Chris Doe.

Originally published on 22 March 2022.