The Ideology Of Progressive Spirituality

A summary of:
Lynch, G. (2007). New Spirituality: An Introduction to Belief Beyond Religion. I.B.Tauris: London.
Chapter 2 – The Ideology of Progressive Spirituality
& Chapter three – Progressive Spirituality in addition to the New Generation of Progressive Religious Organizations

Lynch tries to distance his Progressive Spirituality from whatsoever religious connotations. This spirituality is closer to ‘morality’ than ‘religion.’ It is, to Lynch, an ideology (41). He writes, “Progressive spirituality tin also last understood every bit a production of what Charles Taylor has described every bit the long cultural march inward western modernity towards a novel feel of moral monastic tell based on the rights, liberty in addition to inherent value of the individual” (67).

As an ideology, progressive spirituality is organized some three fundamental beliefs: 1) “The divine is an ineffable unity, in addition to is both the guiding (43) tidings behind the evolutionary processes of the universe, in addition to (within) the textile classify in addition to unloose energy of the universe itself” (44); 2) nature is sacred (43); 3) the human self is sacred (43). In reading this book, I observe it really slow to agree inward this box. Not just practise I concur amongst this ideology, but I also observe it, for the most part, fairly non-controversial, i.e. I would hollo upwards that nearly everyone I know would likely concur (though mayhap would non utilisation the term ‘sacred’, but instead, ‘important’ or ‘inviolable’). It makes feel that I’m concerned amongst human values inward technology, because of (3). And I believe that inward role it’s of import to instruct this right because it is the just way I come across of realistically correcting our human relationship amongst nature… because I believe strongly inward (2).

I accept sometimes described my PhD aim every bit creating a cyber culture/environment inward which spirituality tin thrive – or at to the lowest degree does non erode spirituality. This agency that I volition accept to plow over some idea to what spiritual evolution is. This chapter provides i definition: “Spiritual evolution consists of a displace beyond this fake ego towards one’s true self. Unlike forms of New Age idea which depict this procedure inward damage of a flying from the textile to a higher ‘spiritual’ self, however, progressive spirituality understands this procedure to a greater extent than inward damage of an authentic integration of the self which is witting of the (58) divine presence inside the complexities of embodied experience” (59). I would tell that this is exactly what Lanier is getting at when he speaks of making ‘contact amongst the mysteries of nature’.

Yet at that topographic point is, undeniably, a tension betwixt spiritual evolution in addition to technology. Many cannot conceive of a realistic wedlock betwixt the two: “At the same time, however, some writers inside progressive spirituality are highly critical of novel technologies – what Mary Daly calls ‘necrotechnology’ – every bit a rootage of spiritual evolution” (47). Similarly, people may inquiry whether modern life itself is incompatible amongst spirituality. I hollo upwards this is playing the victim, because nosotros accept the ability to alter aspects of our societies nosotros don’t like. Furthermore, this opinion fails to recognize the adaptive capabilities of spirituality. Our spirituality is finding ways of thriving: “Progressive spirituality is non thence much postmodern, every bit a item classify of modernity – a softer modernism – a spiritual way of living for the modern age” (68).

We also accept to recognize that nosotros are piffling bricoleurs inward contemporary society. We extract, nosotros construct meanings. As such, nosotros construct progressive spirituality out of bits of pieces of other spiritual traditions that brand feel to us today. “William Bloom, for example, comments that holistic spirituality ‘deepens the amount of all religious traditions’ – a perspective that Paul Heelas has referred to every bit ‘perennialism’. This notion of the ‘essence’ of truth inside all religious traditions rests on the supposition that religious traditions are meaningful in addition to true exactly to the extent that they confirm the basic assumptions of progressive spirituality” (61). Given this, it would brand feel – i.e. it would agree amongst Progressive Spirituality – to clit from spiritual traditions when applicable inward my PhD research; they are role of our contemporary agreement of the world, because they are our history.

A final, small-scale point: Lynch argues that at that topographic point is a “lack of collaboration” betwixt “organizations inside the progressive milieu” because they “have a attain of unlike priorities” (94). Given that I empathize amongst this spirituality, in addition to would similar to come across it flourish, it would look that role of my mission could last to conceive of ways that the progressive milieu could collaborate ameliorate through novel cyberspace technology. But this is an exclusively dissever issue, namely how to brand lodge to a greater extent than spiritual. If I am going to brand lodge to a greater extent than spiritual, it would last a side-effect of twenty-four hours of the month amongst to a greater extent than spiritual technology. I practise non desire to hollo upwards of engineering scientific discipline every bit a tool inward this respect. I desire to hollo upwards of engineering scientific discipline every bit an experience.