Pat Duffy-Hutcheon

Canadian Sociologist, Educator and Humanist writer

Hutcheon judges that the closing stanza from her "Evolutionary Spiral" exhibits her skepticism regarding godly belief...

   But many now recoil in terror at the thought that in our might
   we hold potentially the power of 'heaven's' throne.
   So, too, must hominids in dim-lit caves have shuddered at the sight
   of fire new-captured and employed as tool --
   'til then the instrument of gods alone.
   For power gives us choice and choice demands responsibility;
   and we are ill prepared by our beliefs in godly wrath
   and godly grace.
   So it may be that humankind ignores the opportunity
   for evolutionary spiral far above the current habits of our race;
   the violent depredations of our past.
   And, by rejecting science, paves the way that none can stay,
   in unremitting spiral down and down;
   and into 'hell' at last!
   

The above can be found in Leaving the Cave (Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 1996). Her other books include ASociology of Canadian Education (Toronto ON: Van Nostrand; Nelson ofCanada, 1975); and Building Character and Culture (Westport,CT; London, UK: Praeger, 1999).

--CDow

CDow writes to say that D-H's current position is not clear based upon recent comments. She has been moved to the ambiguous section until more definitive information emerges.