What is spiritual innovation?

We define spiritual innovation as novel ways to address spiritual longings that contribute to the flourishing of individuals, communities, and the ecosystems of which we are part.

Said otherwise, it’s the creative, courageous work of meeting the soul needs of our time. It’s about helping people feel a deeper sense of belonging, grow into who they’re called to be, and experience connection to something greater than themselves. Whether through community gatherings, digital formation tools, or embodied practices of healing, spiritual innovation offers novel pathways to meaning, connection, and wholeness.

You don’t need to be part of a tradition—or outside of one—to do this work. What matters is the heart behind it: a desire to serve, to imagine more beautiful possibilities, and to help others come alive. Spiritual innovators are weaving together the old and the new, the sacred and the everyday, and creating spaces where people feel more human, more connected, and more free.

There is a vibrant conversation among practitioners and scholars around the world, as to what spiritual innovation is, why it matters, and whether it’s even the right language to describe this work. Click below to read some of their perspectives! 

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Voices on Spiritual Innovation 

• Ristina Gooden, Spiritual innovation leader and scholar focused on Black women
• Sandy Hong, Spiritual innovation trainer and practitioner focused on the US and Korean diaspora 
• Edina Leković, Muslim thought leader and community builder
• Noosim Naimasiah, Pan-African scholar-activist
• Sid Schwarz, Jewish thought leader and convener of spiritual innovators
• Susumu Shimazono, Japanese sociologist of religion
• Cristine Takuá, Maxakali Indigenous philosopher and educator 
• Brandon Vaidyanathan, Catholic sociologist of religion

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Deeper Learning 

• A great place to start understanding global spiritual innovation is this report from Sacred Design Lab, Illuminating Spiritual Innovation. It illustrates how innovators from Tokyo to Nairobi are responding to the spiritual longings of our time, and what they need to thrive.
• In the United States, the Mapping Spiritual Innovation project will introduce you to results from a national field study exploring spiritual innovators.
• Discover more about the growing ecosystem of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) spiritual innovators at bipocspiritualinnovation.org.