“We are either ministers of the sacred or slaves to evil.” This quote from Rabbi Abraham Heschel has resonated with me since I read it a few days ago.
As a professional futurist, I am finding it increasingly difficult to speak about the future without publicly acknowledging my faith in a Higher Power.
I have previously kept these beliefs to myself because I felt I possessed no great credibility to speak on such matters. I also remained silent because the modern material world–especially the modern business world–doesn’t seem particularly interested in such things.
The truth is this: I still feel as though I have no great credibility to speak on matters of faith but I can also no longer remain silent.
Years ago, I wrote a piece entitled The Ecological Crisis is a Spiritual Crisis. Well, the ecological crisis is real and it is getting worse. The soil and water we, as a species, depend upon for our very survival are being contaminated with “forever chemicals” and we are poisoning ourselves, our children and our future descendants with filthy air and microplastics.
There are countless other serious issues as well (war, poverty, homelessness, injustice, climate change, etc) but I no longer accept that these troublesome issues will be solved by either politics, economics or technology. While these “tools” will remain important, they are incomplete. Until humankind begins seeing everything around us, including our neighbors (and our enemies), animals and insects, as well as lakes, rivers, and oceans as sacred, as spiritual creations we will remain lost.
If we are to re-establish a healthy, holistic path into the future we must all become ministers of the sacred.
I, for one, am committed to trying because I feel called to do so.
I also believe that many of you know in your hearts of hearts that you are called to do the same.
Jack Uldrich is a professional futurist, keynote speaker and best-selling author.
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