What is Interfaith?
When the term “Interfaith” first appeared in the late 1800’s, it was used as an adjective to refer to a coming together of people from different faith traditions to complete a particular task (“interfaith dialogue”). If one person from a religious background married someone from a different religion, it was said to be an “interfaith marriage.”
Interfaith in today’s world is more likely to be used as a noun, referring to a spiritual path that integrates practices and beliefs from several or numerous traditional and nontraditional religions, denominations, belief systems, and ethical systems. Interfaith is the honoring of all faith traditions, believing that there are many paths to the Divine called by many names (God, Love, Allah, Brahma, Great Spirit, (the) Absolute, Ultimate Reality, among others). An interfaith ministry embraces and respects each of the world’s wisdom traditions.
Emergence of Interspirituality
“Interspirituality” was first coined by a Catholic monk, Brother Wayne Teasdale in his 1999 book, The Mystic Heart: Discovering a Universal Spirituality in the World’s Religions. He believed that the only viable religion for the future is spirituality itself:
“The real religion of humankind can be said to be spirituality itself, because mystical spirituality is the origin of all the world religions. If this is so, and I believe it is, we might also say that interspirituality—the sharing of ultimate experiences across traditions—is the religion of the third millennium.”
He believed that beneath the diversity of theological beliefs in the world’s wisdom traditions lies a deeper unity of experience that is our shared spiritual heritage. That is, a mystical spirituality. An universal unity consciousness that lies at the heart of all inner exploration, a spirituality so deeply rooted in the heart and the heart-experience of oneness (a “felt-sense”) that any creed, belief, background, history, or anything that may cause separation becomes secondary.
We see this in the mystical core of all the world’s spiritual and wisdom teachings, as they are committed to common values of peace, compassionate service, and love for all creation. An awakened inner life transcends ideas, beliefs, or concepts, but also includes them all, and naturally expresses itself through engaged spirituality similar in ethical and behavioral standards that all these traditions hold—most widely known as THE GOLDEN RULE (do unto others as you would have done to you), such as kindness, compassion, understanding, loving service.
The 9 elements of a Universal Spirituality as published in Teasdale’s book included:
- Actualizing full moral and ethical capacity
- Living in harmony with the cosmos and all living beings
- Cultivating a life of deep nonviolence
- Living in humility and gratitude
- Embracing a regular spiritual practice
- Cultivating mature self-knowledge
- Living a life of simplicity
- Being of selfless service and compassionate action
- Empowering the prophetic voice for justice, compassion, and world transformation
This vision for an interspiritual era in the future was developed further and published by lead author, Dr. Kurt Johnson in 2013, The Coming Interspiritual Age. Dr. Kurt Johnson and co-author David R. Ord explain that interspirituality, the more universal and mystical inner life experiences of the world’s religions, emphasize shared experiences of heart and unity consciousness and are not a blending of religions or a “new religion,” but represent spiritual, ethical, and moral maturity in the context of any of the world’s spiritual traditions.
Interspirituality is the sacred ground upon which all religious and wisdom traditions intersect and share their deeper unity of experiences, It acknowledges the integrity, gifts and resources of all traditions, while recognizing their commonalities in ethics, ideals and global purpose. The time has come for an engaged spirituality that fully embodies our beliefs, respects our differences and inspires us to compassionate action.
Explore more online:
Interspiritual Pioneers – from The Coming Interspiritual Age book website
Universal Principles and Action Steps Prepared with the Education Synergy Circle of the Evolutionary Leaders Circle a Project of The Source of Synergy Foundation, editors, Dr. Kurt Johnson, Rick Ulfik, Rev. Shannon Winters, MS.
Light on Light Publications and Press – Publications include Conscious Business, Light on Light (Spiritual Practices and Lifestyle), The Convergence (Sacred Activism), and Special Editions such as the Annual International Day of Yoga Issue with the IDY Committee at the UN. All e-magazines are available via ISSUU online.
The Growing Edge of Interspirituality by Kurt Johnson in The Interfaith Observer 2018
Interfaith Observer interview with Kurt Johnson and David Ord on the book, The Coming Interspiritual Age
Pioneers in Hindu-Christian Spirituality—Merton, Griffiths and Teasdale by Kurt Johnson, Robert Toth and Adam Bucko in The Interfaith Observer
Spirituality in the 21st Century—Editorial on Johnson and Teasdale in The Interfaith Observer
The Dawn of Interspirituality Conference 2013 in The Interfaith Observer
Interfaith Seminaries Chart New Territory, by Kurt Johnson and Diane Berke, in The Interfaith Observer
Tension in Barcelona: the 2004 Parliament of the World’s Religions, by The Interspiritual Dialogue, in Kosmos Journal
Recent Major Shifts in Science and Religion, by Kurt Johnson, in Kosmos Journal
A Spirituality for the 21st Century: Inevitabilities and Possibilities, by Kurt Johnson and David Robert Ord, in Kosmos Journal
Interspirituality—Evolving Toward Cooperation, by Kurt Johnson in Kosmos Journal
Further Integrating Integral, by Kurt Johnson and David Sloan Wilson, in the Integral Leadership Review
Mature Interspirituality: Wayne Teasdale’s Nine Elements and Beyond, 2017, Sacred Feet Publishing. In 2017, through her Sacred Feet publishing imprint and, as Editor, Swami Shraddhananda published Mature Interspirituality: Wayne Teasdale’s Nine Elements and Beyond, featuring multiple authors from the interspiritual community and The Community of The Mystic Heart’s first residential retreat, also hosted by her in Kentucky. The book was met with widespread praise and endorsement.
Additional Website Resources
ISDNA’s website includes many photos and links, to all of Br. Wayne Teasdale’s writings available online.
The Coming Interspiritual Age website includes a photo archive of the world’s renowned Interspiritual Pioneers.
The Interspiritual Multiplex created nearly twenty years ago by Br. Wayne Teasdale and associates is available online.
The Interspiritual Network’s website is preserved for historical reference.
For more about The Gospel of Joy, click here, for more about Shannon, click here, to connect, click here, to return to the home page, click here.
