Network for Spiritual Progressives
Yesterday the entire office was empty, but the pews of All Souls Unitarian Church were overflowing. Over 1,000 spiritual Americans were meeting for the east coast founding conference of the Network of Spiritual Progressives. As I sat there, surrounded by Jews, Buddhists, Christians, Unitarians, and Muslims, all committed and enthused to infuse the national landscape with a progressive spirituality, I felt a rush of hope and idealism fueled by the resounding words of the speakers.
Joan Chittister, a nun, riled up the crowd with supreme rhetoric and heartfelt sentiments. Making the classic observation that 10% of the world consumes 2/3rds of the earth’s resources, but then adding, “No wonder they buy so many guns!” And as the crowd of activists approached intoxication with her words, she boldly stated, “A miracle is not when God does something for people, it is when people do the will of God.” She left the pulpit to a rousing standing ovation that lasted for several minutes.
On her coattails rode in Peter Gabel, a Lawyer and head of the Spirituality and Politics Program at the New College of California. He proposed three key elements that the left must implement to address the deep longings for community of the American populace. First, the left must assert its own moral presence. Democrats have good values and visions, but we must be who we are! He pointed out that Bush, in all his imperfections, is authentic and clearly is himself. Second, he suggested that we build a parallel universe filled with a community of relationships giving the left a grounding in community and support during the lonely times. Thirdly, he said we must learn to speak for an agenda that is spiritually compelling. Infusing progressive agendas with moral language. Examples: “Health care is caring for the humanity of peoples.” “Social Security is one of the greatest experiments of humanity, it is the creation of an intergenerational community of caring.” In closing he turned to terrorism, insisting that the best way to address it is to first recognize the humanity of the Muslim People.
At 1:30 Rabbi Michael Lerner, the spearhead of the network, came to the pulpit to make his pitch. Starting by stating, “We must be the embodiment of our highest ideals.” He went on to describe the deep spiritual crisis in America of internalizing the marketplace. After speaking with hundreds of people across America he observed that in the world of work there is a bottom line; that success depends on maximizing money and power and that everyone is out for #1 and so others just become assets. Unfortunately, people also reported that they were taking this mentality home with them, using it in their personal lives, and consequently having surface level, insecure relationships with the people in their lives. He felt there was a deep longing for a spiritual way of thinking. Within relationships it would consist of not thinking about how others will maximize your life, but rather, seeing each other as fundamentally valuable. Politically, he added, the right has managed to nourish and develop this spiritual crisis by creating selfishness, but they have also managed to blame America’s spiritual crisis on others, namely Gays, Lesbians, Women, Blacks, and Hispanics. Meanwhile the left just sits there and does nothing to address the spiritual crisis out of some backward “enlightenment” idea that spirituality is a personal thing and has no place in the public arena. Consequently the left does not address the spiritual crisis in America at all.
Having said all that, Rabbi Lerner laid out the three conference goals, the goals for the Network of Spiritual Progressives.
1) Challenge the miss-use of God by the Right to justify Militarism, the dismantling of social justice and ecological programs, and assaults on the rights of women, gays, and lesbians.
2) Challenge the anti-spiritual biases in some parts of “the Left.”
3) Support a New Bottom Line of kindness, generosity, ecological sensitivity, and awe and wonder at the grandeur of the universe to replace the dominant ethos of selfishness and materialism.
Then he turned to the crowd and asked them to unite around these principals, take them home, expose them, and contribute to a movement of spiritual progressives. It was somewhat uncomfortable in the room full of freethinkers as a man called upon us to unite and move as a connected network. I for one, agree with him. I think we must unite; we must speak loudly and clearly about our spirits and how they fuel our progressive values. I am proud to be both spiritual and progressive and I see absolutely no reason to separate the two.
Joan Chittister, a nun, riled up the crowd with supreme rhetoric and heartfelt sentiments. Making the classic observation that 10% of the world consumes 2/3rds of the earth’s resources, but then adding, “No wonder they buy so many guns!” And as the crowd of activists approached intoxication with her words, she boldly stated, “A miracle is not when God does something for people, it is when people do the will of God.” She left the pulpit to a rousing standing ovation that lasted for several minutes.
On her coattails rode in Peter Gabel, a Lawyer and head of the Spirituality and Politics Program at the New College of California. He proposed three key elements that the left must implement to address the deep longings for community of the American populace. First, the left must assert its own moral presence. Democrats have good values and visions, but we must be who we are! He pointed out that Bush, in all his imperfections, is authentic and clearly is himself. Second, he suggested that we build a parallel universe filled with a community of relationships giving the left a grounding in community and support during the lonely times. Thirdly, he said we must learn to speak for an agenda that is spiritually compelling. Infusing progressive agendas with moral language. Examples: “Health care is caring for the humanity of peoples.” “Social Security is one of the greatest experiments of humanity, it is the creation of an intergenerational community of caring.” In closing he turned to terrorism, insisting that the best way to address it is to first recognize the humanity of the Muslim People.
At 1:30 Rabbi Michael Lerner, the spearhead of the network, came to the pulpit to make his pitch. Starting by stating, “We must be the embodiment of our highest ideals.” He went on to describe the deep spiritual crisis in America of internalizing the marketplace. After speaking with hundreds of people across America he observed that in the world of work there is a bottom line; that success depends on maximizing money and power and that everyone is out for #1 and so others just become assets. Unfortunately, people also reported that they were taking this mentality home with them, using it in their personal lives, and consequently having surface level, insecure relationships with the people in their lives. He felt there was a deep longing for a spiritual way of thinking. Within relationships it would consist of not thinking about how others will maximize your life, but rather, seeing each other as fundamentally valuable. Politically, he added, the right has managed to nourish and develop this spiritual crisis by creating selfishness, but they have also managed to blame America’s spiritual crisis on others, namely Gays, Lesbians, Women, Blacks, and Hispanics. Meanwhile the left just sits there and does nothing to address the spiritual crisis out of some backward “enlightenment” idea that spirituality is a personal thing and has no place in the public arena. Consequently the left does not address the spiritual crisis in America at all.
Having said all that, Rabbi Lerner laid out the three conference goals, the goals for the Network of Spiritual Progressives.
1) Challenge the miss-use of God by the Right to justify Militarism, the dismantling of social justice and ecological programs, and assaults on the rights of women, gays, and lesbians.
2) Challenge the anti-spiritual biases in some parts of “the Left.”
3) Support a New Bottom Line of kindness, generosity, ecological sensitivity, and awe and wonder at the grandeur of the universe to replace the dominant ethos of selfishness and materialism.
Then he turned to the crowd and asked them to unite around these principals, take them home, expose them, and contribute to a movement of spiritual progressives. It was somewhat uncomfortable in the room full of freethinkers as a man called upon us to unite and move as a connected network. I for one, agree with him. I think we must unite; we must speak loudly and clearly about our spirits and how they fuel our progressive values. I am proud to be both spiritual and progressive and I see absolutely no reason to separate the two.
posted by Adam G. Gerhardstein at 11:11 AM
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