being witches, and where the conservative Protestant and Catholic churches are rapidly spreading.

Or do you think that the conventional religions have had their day and that new forms will emerge to take their place? I’m on the side of the new. I see things like tolerance, pacifism, diplomacy, empathy, and connection as signs of social evolution, not dissolution or weakness. I think the rejection in the developed world of standard religious practice is not a sign that we are godless or even secular. We’ve matured socially faster than we have religiously. I think we are at a time in history, an exciting time, when new, fresh forms of worship will emerge; ones that will satisfy what I think is our need to be spiritually in community.

For too many, involvement in a conventional church requires constant translation of old language into new, apologies for outdated stances, and constriction by beliefs that fit too tightly. They will likely join others who actively search for spiritual organizations whose message rings true, ones that land on their side of social issues, and invite a healthy exploration of ideas. Whether the existing churches transform

themselves or new ones are created, the need for new spiritual expression is growing fast and forms are emerging to meet that need.

Like I said earlier, this is an exciting time. New spiritual philosophies, whether arising from the old or starting out fresh, require new vocabularies, new ways of celebration, and new ways of navigating our world. We’re here not only to witness it, but also to participate.

Over the coming year we plan to explore this issue. While I’ve spoken mostly in Christian terms for simplicity, it’s not the only tradition that faces the change-or-die challenge. We hope to offer a variety of views from different traditions. We start this month with an interview with Ian Lawton. He is the exectutive minister at C3 Center for Spiritual Growth in Spring Lake, Michigan, and an independent SBNR (Spiritual but not Religious) teacher.