The Religion of Tomorrow

March 13, 2017
Wilbur (The Integral Vision) explains in detail how integrating the knowledge and spirituality that humans have developed over the millennia—in fields as diverse as science, psychology, and religion—creates what he calls a Fourth Turning that can lead humans to a new wholeness. As this wholeness expands, he writes, society will achieve new levels of compassion, peace, and inclusion. His vision includes growing up (head knowledge), waking up (soul knowledge), cleaning up (psychological baggage), and showing up (attending to integrating). This ambitious faith vision synthesizes a vast amount of information in graspable schemas, such as the four quadrants of perception and the stages of spiritual growth. While traditions such as empiricism and Eastern and Western religions have each privileged only one form of knowing, Wilbur contends that when people confront their shadow sides and spirituality becomes an integral part of all knowing and being, humankind will leap forward—and this book hopes to guide us along the path. Wilbur is clearly a passionate teacher, but he tends to repeat himself. A vision as optimistic as his could benefit from being condensed for greater accessibility.