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Evolution's Ally: Our world's religious traditions as conveyor belts of transformation
Within each of our world's religious traditions there exists a multitude of religious perspectives. We see fundamentalists and fanatics on one hand and saints and sages on the other. In addition, we see millions of individuals who have rejected religion altogether.
Why are there such varied expressions of religious orientation throughout the globe? How is it that religion can create massive relief from suffering in some cases while simultaneously generating division and turmoil in the world in others? Is religion something that we ought to abandon altogether or does it serve a role in society and an important purpose in the unfolding of our planetary destiny?- Throughout this book, Dustin DiPerna uses Integral Theory to begin answering these questions. In doing so, he introduces a broad new discipline called Integral Religious Studies. DiPerna uses Wilber's notion of the conveyor belt to explicate evidence for five stages of psychological development (magic, mythic, rational, pluralistic, and integral) as each show up in four traditions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism). -This new type of developmental religious pluralism opens the door for a deeper understanding of the current state religion in the world. Such an understanding changes the future of religious dialogue and positions certain expressions of religion on equal footing with other rational forms of knowledge acquisition. -When liberated with an integral lens, religion serves as a catalyst for human growth and development. Rather than an impediment to humanity's evolution, DiPerna outlines a path that positions religion as evolution's greatest ally.
Why are there such varied expressions of religious orientation throughout the globe? How is it that religion can create massive relief from suffering in some cases while simultaneously generating division and turmoil in the world in others? Is religion something that we ought to abandon altogether or does it serve a role in society and an important purpose in the unfolding of our planetary destiny?- Throughout this book, Dustin DiPerna uses Integral Theory to begin answering these questions. In doing so, he introduces a broad new discipline called Integral Religious Studies. DiPerna uses Wilber's notion of the conveyor belt to explicate evidence for five stages of psychological development (magic, mythic, rational, pluralistic, and integral) as each show up in four traditions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism). -This new type of developmental religious pluralism opens the door for a deeper understanding of the current state religion in the world. Such an understanding changes the future of religious dialogue and positions certain expressions of religion on equal footing with other rational forms of knowledge acquisition. -When liberated with an integral lens, religion serves as a catalyst for human growth and development. Rather than an impediment to humanity's evolution, DiPerna outlines a path that positions religion as evolution's greatest ally.
- GenresPhilosophyNonfiction
313 pages, Hardcover
Published May 10, 2015
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May 1, 2022
The ideas contained within this book have the potential to catalyse a new renaissance in global culture; however, this book will not be the one to do it.
Building upon the foundations of Ken Wilbers work on integral spirituality and Dustin's previous work in the series, 'streams of wisdom', He delves deeply into what in his operating paradigm is called the structure stages of spiritual development. This refers to the internal belief systems one holds about questions of spirituality (the question of what is of ultimate concern to an individual) and how these beliefs orientate us and operate as the filter through which we interpret our own experience.
Dissatisfied with the current postmodern lens used in academic circles in relation to comparative religion and psychological development, which postulates that no spiritual teaching can be said to be more profound than another and the dipole nature of labelling one's spiritual understanding into just two primary camps; moderate or extreme. He poignantly demonstrates the limiting nature of this system, as two people identifying as Christian and holding moderate and inclusive beliefs can have a totally different relationship to the divine in both first, second and third-person points of view. One may view that all religious systems contain some truth, but that truth is a limited reflection of the whole reality, which can only be found in following Christ. At the same time, another may see Christ as a manifestation of a divine truth touched by all spiritual traditions and not view their understanding as essentially more complete or whole. This only touches the surface of the vast array of interpretations and relationships to the sacred that can be held under a 'moderate Christian' banner.
Seeing the need for a way to measure and identify the scope and depth of one's spiritual lense in a way that is inclusive of postmodern sensitivities to hierarchal ranking, he built on Ken Wilbers vertical map of spiritual development, which is as follows:
1. Magical (egocentric, concerned with personal gain)
2. Mythical (ethnocentric, concerned with the salvation of a select group of people)
3. Rational (Reflective, begins to scrutinise their beliefs)
4. Pluralistic (Sensitive, begins to become aware of the unity underlying different cultural perspectives)
5. Integral (integrated, rooted in truth, has a developmental perspective sensitive enough to implement hierarchy without domination or abuse)
Because the collective consciousness of our day lacks the awareness of vertical structure stages of spiritual interpretation, Religion has become a major shadow in our current society, viewed not as a living, growing & dynamic aspect of culture but as an archaic, stubborn, and often malignant outcrop of society that cannot be allowed into discussions of science, literature, politics, culture etc. as these systems have evolved with time. In contrast, religion has seemed stuck in the middle ages, a remnant of prior ignorance. However, Dustin would argue that this results from not being included in these discussions. Of course, religion stuck at the magical or mythical & literal levels of interpretation is not congruent with modern dialogue on culture and science. Still, neither is the magic understanding of science (alchemy) nor the literary lense of the dark ages. Spirituality (the question of what is of ultimate concern) is a critical part of human life. Segregating it from the rest of society has left us in somewhat of a new dark age, one of immense material and cultural progress but spiritual rot.
The understanding that religion is not a stagnant dogmatic set of beliefs but a system that operates through our levels of psychological development can free religion from the outskirts of the collective consciousness and bring it into relationship with the rest of society so that it can grow from their learnings and it can inform us about what it means to live a good life and what we should value. It is also likely that those stuck in literal interpretations of religion may start to see their religious systems not as stagnant systems but as conveyor belts of evolution that can grow with them, liberating the human spirit.
This conceptualisation of religion has the capacity to radically improve the world without the need for destructive iconoclasm, paving a way forward for spirituality to reenter the fold. Unfortunately, Dustin's books won't be able to take us there. His work can't decide whether it is for an academic or popular audience leaving the book feeling very dry at times and visionary at others. It is stuck in the middle of trying to be an informative and inspirational book and an academic reference text, and it doesn't manage to excel at either.
An excellent outlay of the way forward for religion and an idea whose time I hope is soon to come, only held back by some uninspired writing. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of spiritual development and doesn't mind digging through a little bit of drudgery for some fertile ground.
Building upon the foundations of Ken Wilbers work on integral spirituality and Dustin's previous work in the series, 'streams of wisdom', He delves deeply into what in his operating paradigm is called the structure stages of spiritual development. This refers to the internal belief systems one holds about questions of spirituality (the question of what is of ultimate concern to an individual) and how these beliefs orientate us and operate as the filter through which we interpret our own experience.
Dissatisfied with the current postmodern lens used in academic circles in relation to comparative religion and psychological development, which postulates that no spiritual teaching can be said to be more profound than another and the dipole nature of labelling one's spiritual understanding into just two primary camps; moderate or extreme. He poignantly demonstrates the limiting nature of this system, as two people identifying as Christian and holding moderate and inclusive beliefs can have a totally different relationship to the divine in both first, second and third-person points of view. One may view that all religious systems contain some truth, but that truth is a limited reflection of the whole reality, which can only be found in following Christ. At the same time, another may see Christ as a manifestation of a divine truth touched by all spiritual traditions and not view their understanding as essentially more complete or whole. This only touches the surface of the vast array of interpretations and relationships to the sacred that can be held under a 'moderate Christian' banner.
Seeing the need for a way to measure and identify the scope and depth of one's spiritual lense in a way that is inclusive of postmodern sensitivities to hierarchal ranking, he built on Ken Wilbers vertical map of spiritual development, which is as follows:
1. Magical (egocentric, concerned with personal gain)
2. Mythical (ethnocentric, concerned with the salvation of a select group of people)
3. Rational (Reflective, begins to scrutinise their beliefs)
4. Pluralistic (Sensitive, begins to become aware of the unity underlying different cultural perspectives)
5. Integral (integrated, rooted in truth, has a developmental perspective sensitive enough to implement hierarchy without domination or abuse)
Because the collective consciousness of our day lacks the awareness of vertical structure stages of spiritual interpretation, Religion has become a major shadow in our current society, viewed not as a living, growing & dynamic aspect of culture but as an archaic, stubborn, and often malignant outcrop of society that cannot be allowed into discussions of science, literature, politics, culture etc. as these systems have evolved with time. In contrast, religion has seemed stuck in the middle ages, a remnant of prior ignorance. However, Dustin would argue that this results from not being included in these discussions. Of course, religion stuck at the magical or mythical & literal levels of interpretation is not congruent with modern dialogue on culture and science. Still, neither is the magic understanding of science (alchemy) nor the literary lense of the dark ages. Spirituality (the question of what is of ultimate concern) is a critical part of human life. Segregating it from the rest of society has left us in somewhat of a new dark age, one of immense material and cultural progress but spiritual rot.
The understanding that religion is not a stagnant dogmatic set of beliefs but a system that operates through our levels of psychological development can free religion from the outskirts of the collective consciousness and bring it into relationship with the rest of society so that it can grow from their learnings and it can inform us about what it means to live a good life and what we should value. It is also likely that those stuck in literal interpretations of religion may start to see their religious systems not as stagnant systems but as conveyor belts of evolution that can grow with them, liberating the human spirit.
This conceptualisation of religion has the capacity to radically improve the world without the need for destructive iconoclasm, paving a way forward for spirituality to reenter the fold. Unfortunately, Dustin's books won't be able to take us there. His work can't decide whether it is for an academic or popular audience leaving the book feeling very dry at times and visionary at others. It is stuck in the middle of trying to be an informative and inspirational book and an academic reference text, and it doesn't manage to excel at either.
An excellent outlay of the way forward for religion and an idea whose time I hope is soon to come, only held back by some uninspired writing. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of spiritual development and doesn't mind digging through a little bit of drudgery for some fertile ground.
Displaying 1 of 1 review