There is a renewed hunger for meaning and purpose in our lives. We know that materialism and consumerism are fairly meaningless. Some people still follow a religious path, and some new religions have appeared, which are growing rapidly. Many have given up religion altogether, and about the same numbers now describe themselves as ‘spiritual but not religious.’ This group is diverse and there is not yet a common social structure, rites of passage, values or morality. Christianity has lost its way.

There is a core morality that is universal to most humans. We should be able to agree on the things that are sacred to everybody. We should celebrate rites of passage in a rich and meaningful way. We need to have core values and shared stories that inspire vocation, courage, service, duty and sacrifice. We need to come together as a community. We benefit from mentoring and support. We need kindness and care. It helps to have a meaning and purpose in life. A society that comes together for ceremonies, ritual, dance, song and storytelling is stronger than one made up of alienated individuals sitting at home watching television. Having unravelled and deconstructed the traditions of the past, there is no simple way to replace them. However, a core strength of Western Civilization is creativity, experiment and entrepreneurship. The more we do that, the sooner we’ll find a way to restore a healthy spiritual core which we can share. We need to innovate. If we don’t fill our spiritual vacuum, someone else will do it for us, on their terms, by their rules and for their benefit. So, let’s get creative!