This series of programs explores the relationship between spiritual practice and societal engagement.

Programs focus upon religiously-rooted ritual, and how these might be experienced as spiritual practice that can inform a social vision, motivate spiritual practitioners to engage in social issues, and sustain individuals and groups in their efforts to improve society.

Questions looked at may include:

• Is there a relationship between religious devotional teachings, focused on the internal spiritual life of individual human beings, and the social teachings of religious traditions?
• Does personal religious practice affect an individual’s state of mind, which then affects the society that individual is helping to create?
• Does the society we live in affect an individual’s state of mind, which then returns to affect the society we live in?
• If so, how might religious practice affect this interaction?

 

Programs may be in the form of retreats, presentations, discussions, workshops or observances. Specific programs focus on the teachings of particular traditions, possibly including Buddhist, Quaker, Catholic, Taize, Iona, Jewish, Sufi, Pentacostal and others. We will look to collaborate with other existing spiritual life centers of various traditions.