Thanks so much for the kind words — I really appreciate that.
Great question. While my personal grounding and language are explicitly Christian, Symbiotic Culture isn’t framed as a Christian project or confined to one tradition. It draws from many spiritual lineages and lived examples — Sarvodaya being an important one — that converge around building a parallel society based on shared principles of love, dignity, mutual care, and community life.
Some of the traditions I describe in my “lineage” are the framing of Sarvodaya by Mahatma Gandhi (a Hindu influenced by the Sermon on the Mount) and Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne’s Buddhist reflection of Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka.
So it’s less about exporting a single tradition, and more about naming a relational pattern that shows up across them, while being honest about the well I’m personally drawing from.
Thank you Richard, your Preface is very compelling. I'm sharing it around and hoping the book will be widely read and stimulate the sort of action that is needed to transform our world.
Hey Richard, the book looks wonderful, and I look forward to reading it.
One question - I noticed you emphasize the connection with Jesus, yet Sarvodaya, as far as I know, was Buddhist inspired.
Do you see the symbiotic age as being particularly Christian oriented, or is it drawing from all spiritual traditions?
Thanks so much for the kind words — I really appreciate that.
Great question. While my personal grounding and language are explicitly Christian, Symbiotic Culture isn’t framed as a Christian project or confined to one tradition. It draws from many spiritual lineages and lived examples — Sarvodaya being an important one — that converge around building a parallel society based on shared principles of love, dignity, mutual care, and community life.
Some of the traditions I describe in my “lineage” are the framing of Sarvodaya by Mahatma Gandhi (a Hindu influenced by the Sermon on the Mount) and Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne’s Buddhist reflection of Sarvodaya in Sri Lanka.
So it’s less about exporting a single tradition, and more about naming a relational pattern that shows up across them, while being honest about the well I’m personally drawing from.
Thank you Richard, your Preface is very compelling. I'm sharing it around and hoping the book will be widely read and stimulate the sort of action that is needed to transform our world.
Thank you 🙏 That means a lot to me ❤️