A Melbourne NSP is in its infancy. Contact us and express your willingness to be part of this emerging conversation.
Spiritual Progressives – An Australian Commentary
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The Network of Spiritual Progressives is a growing international movement which seeks to reflect upon public policy issues in a meaningful way, by intentionally interacting with the spiritual perspectives of faith communities. The NSP is not captive to any political party or ideology, but seeks to facilitate and resource meaningful reflection on the values which underpin policy across the poltical spectrum.
It is our goal to move beyond cynicism and renew hope by drawing people together for the purpose of focussing on our highest values and discussing how these values might come to bear in the formulation of policy and activity.
“The very notion of a polarised political Left and Right is itself problematic and deserving of intelligent analysis. It is recognized that there are few absolutes and that all ideas can be equally measured against a progressive spirituality - a spirituality that is informed by the sense that humanity is indeed progressing towards a greater unity and a deeper understanding of itself and of Life.” Nicholas Brunton-Yeung (Coordinator of Melbourne NSP Branch) Apr 2007
The Network of Spiritual Progressives was founded based on three basic tenets:
Rabbi Michael Lerner: I want to stop the blame in politics and in our lives. I don’t blame corporate leaders for acting to advance their corporations—they often have no choice. That’s why we need a whole different social reality, so that corporations can only retain their corporate charters if they can prove every ten years to a jury of ordinary citizens that their corporation has demonstrated a satisfactory history of social responsibility.
Social change movements of the past haven’t included inner change. We need to include both the inner change and the social change. The temptation is to say, “I will address my emotional and spiritual self first, then…” But there never will be a “then.” We need a political movement that encourages us to develop an inner life even as it simultaneously engages in changing the other world. That’s one of the many tasks of developing a network of spiritual progressives.
Rabbi Michael Lerner is editor of Tikkun and national Chair of The Tikkun Community, the organization that launched the Network of Progressive Spiritual Activism. His latest book, “The Left Hand of God,” was be published by HarperSanFrancisco in January 2006. For info on the conferences, go to www.tikkun.org.
last updated: 28 May 2007