Author: Bruce Schuman
Date: Monday, July 7, 2008
Subject: Moving forward

I was pleased and happy to see this workshop, when it was announced a few weeks ago. I immediately went to the Beyond Theology web site, and began to explore the very interesting materials offered there. Now, as the conference draws near -- I feel that there is a lot to discuss, and a lot that could emerge...

Just picking one tiny theme from among many, there is a quote I just picked up from one of the videos. Somebody says

We are in desperate need of another great awakening.

Regardless of the degree of desperation we may or may not be experiencing -- it seems that millions of people are feeling something like this. Out there at the cutting edge/fringe, where I tend to hang out -- people have been saying this for a long time. A careful review of the Beyond Theology series could lead to a solid outline of the many issues involved --who, how, why, what, where -- and maybe especially How...

I guess for me, the big issue is -- how. How do these hundreds or thousands of simultaneous interdependent factors and issues come together to form a single integral world view and activist perspective -- that fully supports diversity, that fully honors and respects the core values that have vitalized civilization since the beginning -- and at the same time, help the human community overcome this fragmenting insularity that can be so injurious to the harmony of our larger civilization?

The way I am seeing these things today -- some of the big questions and answers might include

• The "circle" movement
  There IS a kind of "universal spirituality" that emerges through circle processes. We need to learn how and why this works, and why this is true. We also need to articulate this process, to explain and validate and authenticate it, so as to substantiate its credibility. There is a big act of research, study, articulation, clarification, and persuasion that needs to happen...
• Interfaith
  Everything we have learned about interfaith is pertinent here -- and we need to incorporate this learning into a "new model" (a "new paradigm") -- that combines deep intuition with precise understanding -- in ways that move "Beyond Political Correctness" (title for a new series) -- and into a living and vital spiritual flow that is itself inspiring, and does not depend on backing off or retreating into the supposed framework of some historical or cultural tradition. This is another stage in the revolution, another plank that needs to get nailed down tight.
• Integral models
  This is maybe the most difficult part of the whole business. The educational aspects of this process involve becoming aware -- of many factors. For people on the fringes, or cutting edge -- these ideas are not news. But people are overwhelmed. There are SO many factors. It can be stunning. The biggest issue -- the most powerful impediment to the unfolding of this new perspective -- is simple psychological overload. People have become aware of hundreds of essential and interdependent factors -- which they instinctively recognize are important and must be included -- but nobody has yet been able to integrate all of this complexity into a workable (and "digestible") world view. It's just too much to handle.

Today, we are beginning to understand the flow of universal spirit in a diverse context. We are beginning to authenticate that experience, and reinforce it with better ideas, better research, better documentation. And we're beginning to understand the need for holistic and integral models -- that bring ALL the critical factors together, into a single framework. We are working on this very challenging issue of "connecting the dots."

It seems to me -- that some of the things that are coming together, some of the hopeful signs -- include

• An emerging instinct for community, collaboration, and teamwork
  Yes, this emerging simultaneity is too much for any individual -- but it's not too much for a team. We can build teams, we can frame out our network systems, we can build invincible documentation, we can "distribute the load". We'll find a way to handle it.
• Response from everywhere
  There are groups and projects and communities and networks emerging all over the world -- that do recognize some or many of these factors, and are taking solid steps to respond. These groups represent a primal and instinctive reaction to this call for "another great awakening". One thing we can be doing -- is looking for ways to bring these groups and communities into relationship with one another.
• New scientific ideas
  There are many emerging new concepts from science -- and near-science -- that may help us understand how these pieces can come together. We need models from cognitive science / neural science -- new ideas from semantics and the theory of languages -- new models from network theory, new models from sociology and the psychological theory of social groups -- all of this, and more, can help us develop the kind of core underlying integration it will take to weld this emerging new paradigm together, under the influence of the thousands of interdependent contributing elements.

Going "beyond theology" -- or maybe "beyond ideology" -- is a profound and beautiful and inspiring thing -- that does seem to be happening -- in many places, and through many groups and organizations, all over the world -- but it does take all of our skill and understanding and mastery. This is something new -- for the entire human community. We do have a lot on our plate.

But the "answers" we are looking for, and the vision of integration we are seeking, and the flow of spirit that can inspire and uplift the entire process -- all seem to be simple, basic, clear, intuitive -- and even obvious. As all of this gets clearer, we can introduce these potentials into the world, one step at a time, one relationship at a time -- one conference at a time.

Thanks for this interesting and fascinating series. I look forward to learning more.

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