In April of 2005 the American Teilhard Association, in collaboration with the French and British Teilhard Associations and other partnering institutions, begins a yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) in New York City. 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 religion and science. He was as well a visionary capable of imagining a viable and vibrant human 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 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. Teilhard's life and thought provide a remarkable reflection on endurance that arises from meaningful work, a productive life, and an ever-deepening spiritual vision of reality. 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 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. Moreover, his thinking regarding the unity of the human has influenced several key founders of the United Nations.