Bridging Science and Spirit: Lessons and Research from the ProSocial Spirituality Initiative

ProSocial World’s Spirituality Initiative set out to answer a practical question: can spiritual meaning and scientific cooperation work together to strengthen real-world groups? Through an eight-week training and participatory research process, diverse organizations - from interfaith communities to community colleges - learned to connect inner experience (“vertical” meaning and purpose) with collective action (“horizontal” collaboration and governance). Participants reported greater connectedness, insight, and application of practices in their daily lives, while researchers demonstrated that these changes can be measured in real settings. The project shows that when reflection, shared purpose, and evidence-based group practices are combined, spirituality can move beyond private belief into coordinated action that helps communities navigate difference and work together more effectively.

Project funded by Templeton Religion Trust.