by Gilles Bourdeau

Gilles Bourdeau, o.f.m., is the Director of the Canadian Centre for Ecumenism.

Ce document est aussi disponible en français : Spiritualité et pluralisme.

For millions of men and women in the global village, the spiritual adventure is an ongoing part of their everyday lives and their search for meaning, perhaps even more so in recent years. Not only is spirituality back, but it is being expressed in ways that transcend former boundaries.

The search for and practice of spirituality often includes an open and rather pointed critique of the traditional expressions of spiritual experience offered by religion, including the Christian churches. Many are seeking and finding elsewhere because they feel that the Christian churches deny or reject spiritual experiences, that they are skeptical about mysticism and that they do not know about their own heritage of spiritual experiences and ministries or are simply unwilling to share it.

Furthermore, a real resurgence has signaled a renewal within the churches of spirituality and its expressions, opening the way to a re-examination of mystical traditions and ministries of walking in the Gospel and growing in the Spirit.

The flourishing and affirmation of spiritualities marks the religious and spiritual pluralism of recent decades. Alongside or along with the religions and churches that have historically been the bearers of important spiritual traditions, a number of groups and movements suggest that "spiritualities" should be considered another way and, if necessary, as an alternative to the religions and churches that in their opinion have been discredited by centuries of violence and counter-witness.

This issue of Ecumenism seeks to draw out the experiences and questions that occupy individual consciences and spiritual movements just as they do religions and churches. Michel Bertrand and Henri Boulad offer interesting insights into this emerging issue in the West. Diane D'Souza and Tony Fernandes discuss two indisputable prerequisites for ambient pluralism and interfaith dialogue.

In another vein, Bob Scott presents the significance of the seventy-fifth anniversary of Faith and Order in the fall 2002, showing how far this organization has come in seventy-five years. The ecumenical policy of Faith and Light is presented in a separate section; the humility and hospitality of the washing of feet recalls an important ecumenical lesson. A unique encounter between young Christians and Muslims at World Youth Day in Toronto, in July 2002, is related to us by Damian MacPherson.

John Simons has read and prepared a review of Philip Jenkins' interesting work The New Christendom. It was high time that we provide our readers with a critical analysis and view of this book. This review leads into the ecumenical news and a presentation of other books that both please and inspire.

Translation: Belva Webb