Network of Spiritual Progressives

Type| Non-profit / NGO
Fields| money in politics, global poverty, peace in the middle east[1]

Key people

| Rabbi Michael Lerner
Sister Joan Chittister
Cornel West[2]
Website| http://spiritualprogressives.org/

The Network of Spiritual Progressives (NSP) is an international political and social justice movement based in the United States that seeks to influence American politics towards more humane, progressive values.[3][4] The organization also challenges what it perceives as the misuse of religion by political conservatives and the anti-religious attitudes of many liberals.[5] In the international sphere, the NSP seeks to foster inter-religious understanding and work for social justice.

The NSP was founded in 2005 by Rabbi Michael Lerner, who served as co-director of the organization with Cornel West and Sister Joan Chittister. Michael Lerner's widow, Cat Zavis, is the current Executive Director. [6] More than 1,200 activists attended each of the group's conferences in Berkeley, California (July 2005) and Washington, D.C. (May 2006).

As of December 2007, the NSP had chapters in 31 states as well as Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Melbourne, Australia; and in Costa Rica.

## Basic tenets

[edit]

The Network of Spiritual Progressives was founded based on three basic tenets:

* Changing the bottom line in America.
* Challenging the misuse of religion, God and spirit by the Religious Right.
* Challenging the many anti-religious and anti-spiritual assumptions and behaviors that have increasingly become part of the liberal culture.[7]

## See also

[edit]

* Interreligious organisation
* Engaged Spirituality

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Press Center". Retrieved 11 January 2017.
2. ^ "NSP Co-Founders". Retrieved January 14, 2020.
3. ^ Kirkwood, Peter (April 9, 2010). "Rabbi takes on Religious Right". Eureka Street.
4. ^ Spencer, Metta (Oct–Dec 2007). "Progressive Spirit: A Conversation with Rabbi Michael Lerner". Peace Magazine.
5. ^ Lerner, Michael (April 6, 2006). "Bringing God Into It". The Nation.
6. ^ "Our Team". Network of Spiritual Progressives.
7. ^ "Our Mission". Network of Spiritual Progressives.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Michael Lerner, The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious Right (New York: HarperCollins, 2006). ISBN 0-06-084247-4.
* Jim Wallis, God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It (New York: HarperCollins, 2005). ISBN 0-06-055828-8.

## External links

[edit]

* Network of Spiritual Progressives
* The Tikkun Community, parent organization of the Network of Spiritual Progressives