By Gabriel Yahya Haage听听
Several lessons arose from the MORSL/MfSC Inter-faith Dialogue program. These include the importance of respect and curiosity in interfaith dialogue. The program also emphasized the benefits of seeking commonalities when being involved in such dialogue. Interestingly, as I think back on the Inter-faith Dialogue program, my mind also turns to the Religioid spectrum.听
The Religioid spectrum was first suggested by Benthall (2006). It is a spectrum of religious and social movements, with those that have 鈥渟tandard鈥� aspects of a religion, such as a founder figure, a creator god, and a founding text, on one end of the spectrum, and social groups that do not possess any of these, like fan clubs, in the other. (For simplicity, I will be using the term 鈥渟piritual groups鈥� for all types of religion and social groups. As in an exploration, by La Cour, Ausker, and Hvidt (2012, p. 72), of the concept of spirituality, one definition, namely 鈥淪pirituality as Positive Dimensions in Human Life and Well-being,鈥� is useful here).听
I like the Religioid spectrum because it can be used to demonstrate respect. This is done by considering spiritual groups, both religious and nonreligious, equally. As someone whose spiritual positions would be dismissed by many as invalid or insufficient, I certainly feel that a sense of inclusiveness is key to dialogue. In fact, this equality in vision is something I focused on in my thesis when I discuss the Religioid spectrum (Gabriel Yahya Haage, 2023). I also used it in my research, including in comparing the views of spiritual groups regarding environmentalism (G. Yahya Haage, 2017). More recently, I used a Religioid scale to classify advocates of the Cosmic Story worldview (Gabriel Yahya Haage, 2025).听
Notably, one of the key lessons from the Inter-Faith Dialogue program, namely that of finding commonalities, can lead to deep explorations and sharing. To me, it has suggested an elaboration to the Religioid spectrum. This could be called the 鈥淩eligioid Venn diagram model.鈥澨�
The idea would be to consider the components of spiritual groups, emphasizing when there is overlap (Figure 1). An example could be that two spiritual groups have founding figures or share a holy text. The concept of comparing religions, even seeking commonalities, is not new, of course, but this model can aid in visualizing these aspects.听听
Also, as discussed in the Inter-faith Dialogue program, every person has a unique perspective of their spiritual group. Even those in the same spiritual group differ in their views. As such, the Religioid Venn diagram model can be used when individuals are discussing their personal views. It can even be quite specific, as when participants explored the question 鈥淲hat happens when you die?鈥� People with diverse spiritual traditions still found commonalities in their views. Certainly, my discussion partner and I differed in views, even regarding the existence of a soul, yet we found commonalities. The diagram could display doctrinal aspects (e.g. 鈥渢here is a soul鈥�) or emotional aspects (e.g. 鈥渕y perspective gives me a sense of peace鈥�) (Figure 2). The use of the Religioid Venn diagram could help highlight and visualize these commonalities.听
Also, a topic discussed in the program was that inter-faith dialogue often occurs when groups are brought together because of their views on a government position, say people being critical of a government鈥檚 regulations regarding immigration. The Religioid Venn diagram model could be used in brainstorming sessions, when exploring why people are opposed to the government鈥檚 regulations.听听
Finally, the arts must be considered. Certainly, much of spirituality is linked to artistic endeavors, from hymns to statues. As such, an interesting use of the Religioid Venn diagram model would be to choose a few meaningful pieces of art, each from a different spiritual tradition. Participants can then explore what the piece of art means to them, including what values it embodies (Strength, history, unity, etc.). The diagram can help highlight commonalities in the artistic endeavors of different spiritual groups.听
A note of caution is warranted. The Religioid Venn diagram should be used if it helps conversations thrive. For certain groups, it might reinforce differences, if there are aggressive attitudes to differences between groups. However, if those involved in a dialogue are open to discussion and discovery, this new version of the Religioid scale can aid in inter-faith dialogues.听
In conclusion, as discussed in the program, multicultural societies require respectful and honest inter-faith dialogue. My elaboration of a new visual way to display the lessons of the Religioid spectrum can act as a tool to aid in such dialogue, including bridging divides and seeking commonalities.听
Benthall, J. (2006). Arch. and anth. as religioid movements. Anthropology today, 22(5), 1-2.听听
La Cour, P., Ausker, N. H., & Hvidt, N. C. (2012). Six understandings of the word 鈥榮pirituality鈥檌n a secular country. Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 34(1), 63-81.听听
Yahya Haage, G. (2017). What can Religious and Philosophical Affiliation Tell Us about Views on Climate Change and Other Environmental Issues? Paper presented at CANSEE 2017, Montreal, Canada.听听
Yahya Haage, G. (2023). The Bayano dam in Panama, the nonhuman world, and a Relational Values lens: Exploring the region through surveys, workshops, and a comprehensive Stakeholder Table. (PhD thesis), 大发彩票平台, Montreal, Canada.听听听听
Yahya Haage, G. (2025). The complexities of new narratives in eco-morality: the hidden anthropocentrism in the cosmic epic worldviews and their focus on progressive development. In M. Pansera & C. V谩zquez-Santos (Eds.), ESEE-Degrowth 2024. Science, technology, and innovation beyond growth: cultivating collective creativity for a sustainable future. Pontevedra, 18-21 June 2024. Conference proceedings & abstracts (pp. 684-690). Pontevedra, Spain: Post-Growth Innovation Lab (Universidade de Vigo).听
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Gabriel Yahya Haage is a 大发彩票平台 graduate student. His past areas of study include biology, environmental studies, and world religions.
