Today's Need for Integrative Reflection and Global Dialogue

Today we live in a pluralist society and global age. One of the greatest needs of our time is for young people and adult life-long learners to engage in integrative reflection and global dialogue. The following are ten circles for integrative reflection and global dialogue, along with some basic aspects and various perspectives for consideration within each one. These ten circles of global dialogue constitute a transforming and integrative educational currriculum for the 21st Century:

1.CONTEMPLATIVE
Faith, Hope, Love. Justice, Mercy, Peace. Spirit, Nature, Humanity. Beauty, Goodness, Truth. Being, Consciousness, Bliss. Solitude, Communion, Hospitality.

2. CHRISTOLOGICAL
Primordially Formative, Historically Incarnate, and Eschatologically Emergent. (See Raimon Panikkar, Christophany). Five Theological Worlds: Mystical Homecoming, Liberating Vindication, Humanistic Wholeness, Redemptive Forgiveness, and Existential Perseverance. (See W. Paul Jones, Theological Worlds)

3. ECUMENICAL
The Many Faces of Christianity: Mystical-Esoteric. Eastern Orthodox. Roman Catholic. Modern Protestant: Restorationalist, Millennialist, Conservative, Liberal, Progressive. Post-Modern: Pluralistic, Ironic. Trans-Modern: Global, Relational.

4. INTER-RELIGIOUS
The Major World Religions: Primordial. Hindu. Buddhist. Taoist. Jewish. Christian. Islamic. Eclectic. Syncretistic.

5. INTER-WORLDVIEW
The Major Worldviews: Monotheism (There is Only One God, the Infinite Personal Creator). Panentheism (All is in God; and God is in All; and then some). Pantheism (All is God; All is One; All is Universal Mind). Polytheism (There are many Gods, Spirits, Entities, Energies, Presences). Deism (There is one Impersonal Creator who governs by Rational and Natural Law). Naturalism (The Natural Universe is All There is; There are no Metaphysical Realities.). Agnosticism (We just don't know what is the Nature of Ultimate Reality; It's a Mystery). Paradoxicalism (Ultimate Reality is an Absolute Paradox, a Non-Dual and Non-Monist Coincidence of Opposites).

6. INTER-CULTURAL
The Perennial Inter-Cultural Value Polarities: Hierarchy and Equality. Individual and Community. Masculine and Feminine. Certitude and Ambiguity. Principles and Relationships.

7. INTER-HISTORICAL
The Ages of Man, and the Sensibilities of Each Age: Primordial, Ancient (Axial and Classical), Medieval, Modern: Renaissance, Reformation, Rationalism, Empiricism, Romanticism, Transcendentalism, Realism, Surrealism (Magical Realism), Existentialism, Pragmatism. Post-Modern: Pluralistic, Ironic. Trans-Modern: Global, Relational.

8 INTER-DISCIPLINARY
Eight Liberal Disciplines: Religion, Philosophy, History, Literature, Arts, Sciences, Psychology, Sociology

9. INTRA-PERSONAL
Eight Dimensions of Self-Knowledge and Intra-Personal Development: Senses, Emotions, Dreams, Imagination, Intellect, Volition, Conscience, Intuition

10. LIFE SYSTEMS
Twelve Life Systems to be Creatively Integrated: Self, Soul, Friendship, Love, Work, Leisure, Time, Money, Culture, Society, Nature, Spirit

In Sum, these ten circles of integrative reflection and global dialogue must be cultivated in the education of today's young people and adult life-long learners if we are going to ripen into maturity as a 21st Century civilization and realize the transforming potential of living in the pluralist society and global age.