Around the world, humanitarians care for AIDS orphans, fight oil companies in the arctic, perform surgery in the middle of wars, save migrants from certain death in the desert or the sea, and give love and jobs to gang members. They work on intractable issues, often in the face of great challenges.
In November 2018, the Center for Religion and Civic Culture (CRCC) at the University of Southern California launched a five-year project focused on people who dedicate their lives to human flourishing. The joint academic-journalistic project resulted in the publication of more than 100 stories of “engaged spirituality” — stories about how religious values and spiritual practices inspire and sustain social action.
Explore those stories and insights on how engaged spirituality operates in the lives of humanitarians around the world.
What is a spiritual exemplar?
CRCC crafted the following criteria to focus our work on spiritually engaged humanitarians. A “spiritual exemplar” is…
- A living individual anywhere in the world;
- Engaged in significant humanitarian work;
- Inspired and sustained by their spiritual values, beliefs and practices;
- Admired and emulated by others within and beyond their community;
- Respects human rights, such as those defined by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
104
Exemplars Profiled
13
Faith Traditions
42
Countries
A Directory of Spiritual Exemplars
Through “Spiritual Exemplars: A Global Project on Engaged Spirituality,” CRCC gained insights into how spiritually engaged humanitarians understand their lives and their work, as well as how their social action affects their beliefs and practices.
This report lists the 104 people profiled, along with insights about the project as a whole.
Engaged Spirituality Stories of Religious Resilience, Inspiration, and Pursuing the Common Good
This open access book is a testimony to the power of telling good stories, revealing that the sharing of good religion stories helps advance vital conversations around some of the most critical issues of our time.
Edited by CRCC Affiliate Ken Chitwood, this volume collects compelling profiles of spiritually engaged humanitarians to chronicle individuals’ efforts to fix what is wrong, and suggests how readers might find their own solutions in exemplary stories.
Stories of Social Change: Spirituality in Action
Stories of Social Change was a multimedia exhibit presenting photography, quotations, video and audio collected through “Spiritual Exemplars: A Global Project on Engaged Spirituality.”
Visit the exhibit website to see its multimedia components, watch a panel of exemplary humanitarians and learn more about exhibit assets.
The exhibit was on display at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism in Fall 2023 and is available for display in other venues.
Explore
Commentary
Videos
Audio Profiles
How to use the map:
Single click on a point to find out more about a spiritual exemplar, including the exemplar’s area of work, gender, age, faith tradition and organization. You also will find a paragraph description that highlights these extraordinary individuals’ stories, their accomplishments and how their spirituality interacts with the work they do in the world.
If a listing inspires you, we encourage you to follow the link at the bottom of the listing, which will take you to an article, video or podcast episode that will allow you to learn more about the individual and their work in the world. You can also get in touch with the exemplar or their organization through their website listed.
We are grateful for the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation and Templeton Religion Trust, who took a risk on an innovative project that brought together scholars and journalists to reveal hope in the time of global uncertainty. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of these organizations.