Colleen Engel-Brown, former pastor at a First Unity Church believes Dowd has a "very provoking message". Accepting evolution as plausible "disturbs those who take the Bible literally".
Even the Dowd vehicle provokes as it displays two fishes kissing with the labels "Jesus" and "Darwin". His message of evolutionary theology attaches a lot of attention as a subject that opens up the debate on the [[creation-evolution controversy]]. Both sides of this debate have been at it for a century and a half. Dowd attempts to serve as a pacifier by showing people that accepting the Epic of Evolution will bring them nearer to spiritual fulfillment.
Although his teachings and itinerant ministry have been applauded by religious, scientific and cultural leaders, some accuse him of "demoting the sacred" or "eager to steal the hope of a happy afterlife from people". "And much of Dowd's message draws not on the overall theory of evolution, which is a very strong model with overwhelming scientific consensus, but on the much more speculative field known as evolutionary psychology. To derive our behavioral 'integrity', as Dowd recommends, from such a controversial discipline (evolutionary psychology controversy) is to build our morals on a foundation of sand." Dowd’s "idea echoes the beliefs of the Deists, who accepted "natural theology" but rejected the revealed theology that is central to the claims of Christianity. "An impersonal and unknowable god seems like no god at all, at least from a teleological point of view." Dowd’s term "'Religion 2.0' seems to refer to a hybridization between pantheism and the philosophy of Spinoza, both descendants of Eastern philosophy".(Note: there is no evidence that Spinoza, who formalized pantheism, relied on Eastern religions for his viewpoint but developed it from his Jewish background.)
Richard H. Bube said in 1992 that Dowd
Being in the middle of an on-going debate means that Dowd has critics from both sides of this theistic/atheistic dispute. Non-religious critics say he is using "religious lingo" to frame science or doing "quasi-religious science" as "mystical mumbo jumbo". Dowd’s Humanistic/Christian/Universalist views are seen as baffling, a mishmash of spirituality, mythology, pop psychology with a bit of science tossed in, a confused pretend-theology. "His use of mythical and pantheistic language to create an evolutionary-based religion is one of the vast array of Creationist offshoots that bear no weight within either the religion or science based communities". They concede however he has a "great gig" nor dispute the "smoothness of Mr. Dowd’s sales pitch". Barbara Stahura says Dowd’s offering on evolution is "unlike any other talk on the subject". Michael Spencer agrees that Dowd is "something completely different".
Those more in line with his thinking commended Dowd for "reaching across the aisle". They see him as a "thoroughgoing naturalist" who comprehends the power of symbolism and metaphor and uses it to his advantage. By utilizing traditional religious methods, Dowd invites "people to think about religion in new ways". Stephen Uhl, a former Catholic priest-become humanist psychologist, writes "Dowd does a great job of expanding minds beyond sectarian belief systems. And he entertains while doing it. No matter what he calls God, Goddess, Allah, Kosmos, Nature, etc., he does a superb job of accepting believers and non-believers where they are now."
P. LaClair in 2008 said "Whether Michael believes in a god-being or not, his approach is more likely to succeed than any other. Insisting that people start free of magical or supernatural thinking won’t get them there. Instead, find a creative way to put the issue aside, and let them figure it out for themselves once the evolutionary principle has fully permeated their thinking. That’s why his ambiguities make sense."
Bill Kempton, a spiritual naturalist and supporter of einsteinian religion, considers Dowd one of his favorite philosophers. Joan Roughgarden, Professor of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, author,
Evolution and Christian Faith explains that Dowd’s book (TGFE) "will change the minds and even the hearts of people who have been alienated by rhetoric that pits science against faith". "Few if any religious books quote Richard Dawkins in his own terms, or with approval. That this book does both hints at the breadth of audience it will intrigue".