Chris Zissis

The title for this article is taken from the subtitle of the recent (2004) book by Jim Marion, Death of the Mythic God. It refers to an emerging trend in contemporary thought and practice that seeks to combine insights from traditional spirituality with the key modern insights of evolutionary theory. Key among the latter is, simply put, the notion that things change. Prior to the 19th Century the general conception was that things (animals, plants, forms, etc.) remained pretty much the same throughout the thousands of years that the world was taken to have existed. But in the course of that century and the succeeding one, science discerned both a history of changes (disclosed by a close study of the fossil record), and a far greater time span in which these changes had taken place. Thousands of years turned into millions, then billions.

Proponents of evolutionary spirituality argue that neither present-day evolutionary thinking nor traditional religion alone is sufficient for a complete understanding of the Big Picture that so many are seeking. Traditional spirituality has the depth which comes with including the divine in one's worldview, but too often it gets burdened with archaic thinking and old-fashioned conceptions of the deity. Conversely, most evolutionary thinking is weighted too far on the material side, not taking account of the evidence for a deeply spiritual process underlying the outward manifestation of the ongoing change and advancement of forms and consciousness.

In terms of understanding spirituality, it is actually the evolution of consciousness, rather than outward form, that is most relevant. The key here is to grasp the idea that consciousness isn't static, but rather grows and changes over time. Not only this, but its growth occurs in discrete changes or steps.

This at any rate is the thesis of many modern researchers, beginning with names such as Jean Piaget and Jean Gebser, and continuing to the present day with Ken Wilber and A. H. Almaas. (For a good look at the historic predecessors of these more recent thinkers, see Tom Huston's "A Brief History of Evolutionary Spirituality" at www.enlightennext.org/magazine/j35/evo-spirituality.asp?pf=1.) And as consciousness changes, so does one's view of everything else. In particular, one's views of God and self.

Using the terms of Jean Gebser, cited by Marion, we have four basic stages of consciousness development: Archaic, magical, mythical, and mental-rational. Collectively, we have largely moved past the first two stages, though remnants remain in other parts of the world where more primitive conditions prevail. But as Marion points out, many if not most people, especially in present-day American society, are straddling the latter two stages, mythic and rational. The result is a long-standing collision and conflict of worldviews, especially in the area of religion. There it plays out as two views of the divine, one largely authoritarian and focused on the image of a God to be obeyed, even placated, vs. one where God is to be understood, and even, ideally and ultimately, known or realized.

Focusing on the latter three stages of this model of consciousness development, we can see clearly how they manifest in differing conceptions of how to relate to the deity. We can also see how these earlier stages persist in various forms of current spiritual practice and belief, while keeping in mind that one's concept of the divine may lag behind while other areas of consciousness may move ahead in step with the larger society. Thus, someone may have a fairly good grasp of the basics of modern science, while simultaneously still clinging to an outmoded image of God.

We begin with considering the second stage of magical consciousness, where the way of relating to divinity is characteristic of this level's general way of perceiving reality. The theme here is reminiscent of Peter Pan: "Do you believe in magic?" When it comes to God, all that is required is belief and allegiance. The world then neatly divides into those who believe in their God, and are thus "saved," and those who don't, thus falling outside of salvation and God's graces. (Sound familiar?)

Those who make it past this into mythical consciousness, take a step further. Here God goes from being a magical figure who requires only belief and a totemic loyalty to the Authority Figure. This is the well-known Sky God so often talked about in discussions of religion. Belief and allegiance alone are no longer enough for salvation. The follower is now expected to adhere to a set of rules and practices demanded by their respective deity. And with this shift we enter into the great teachings of the established historical religions, the great traditions that we usually think of when the word "religion" is used, viz., Judaism, Christianity and Islam in the West, and Hinduism and Buddhism in the East. Sometimes these vast collective forms of spiritual understanding and practice are called "exoteric," to distinguish them from the "esoteric" forms we'll discuss below.

Finally we reach that level of spiritual understanding that is characteristic of the rational stage of consciousness development--and it is harder to find than one may initially think. That is, it may indeed be the view of God that a rational, fully adult person would naturally gravitate towards, but it is surprising how few make it this far! By this time, the magical and mythical forms of relating to God no longer "cut it." One feels dissatisfied with them. Indeed, they can often seem as the principal obstacle to a greater and deeper understanding of who or what God really is.

By now, the taboos of the preceding steps are thrown off, to be replaced by a questioning, reasoned approach to issues of divinity. Did those events described in the holy book really happen that way? Or are these metaphoric descriptions? And when it comes to salvation, isn't it more important that I be a loving being, doing good works, then just placating some authority figure or participating in some magical cultic worship? These are a few of the characteristic questions that arise at this stage. It can be a difficult and disillusioning time for many. Indeed, it often leads to atheism, as the old God-ideas are discarded, and new ones to take their place are not forthcoming. For many, science becomes the new "religion," as it’s a more sophisticated way of knowing and more reliable (and reproducible) outcomes are far more satisfying to the rational mindset than mere beliefs and authorities.

And what happens when one's consciousness goes beyond even this stage, the rational, that is predominant in today's society? What lies beyond, in the post-rational or "integral" stage of spirituality? Here the God-image shifts yet again, to one that is more inward. Now God is not just to be understood, as at a distance, but is to be known, inwardly, directly. No longer is one satisfied with a second-hand knowledge of the divine. First-person experience is required, and is actively sought.

This is where the esoteric or mystical forms of the Great Traditions assume importance. Each has their own form: In Judaism, there is the Kabbalah. Christianity has its long line of mystics and saints. Islam has its Sufis as well. Then of course there are the monastic forms of Hinduism and Buddhism, vs. the less intense and committed lay forms. In every case they represent an intensification of the search for a deeper, more intense relationship to divinity. The shift is also from outward fidelity and obedience, and even past mere understanding, to inner experience. Often there are elaborate stage-models within each tradition that go into details of their own respective forms of the mystic ascent.

For me personally, the approach of evolutionary spirituality has pretty much resolved any lingering sense of conflict between science and religion. Indeed, by now the very notion of a necessary opposition between the two seems downright old-fashioned and outdated. I now feel confident addressing concerns with others who still feel that adherence to one prohibits enjoying the benefits of the other.

Stay tuned! There's going to be a lot more written about evolutionary spirituality from various quarters in the years to come. It represents a very exciting and dynamic way of looking at the spiritual development of the human race.