ABSTRACT
One of the creative tensions in working with critical spirituality is balancing acceptance of diversity with not accepting spirituality that is abusive or denies diversity in others. This can also be related to the tension between focusing on the individual’s desire for expression and the community’s desire for unity. This tension is epitomised in the theories of postmodernism and critical social theory explored in the previous chapter. While both encourage awareness of how the dominant culture influences expression of spirituality, postmodernism values and encourages the expression of difference and the individual seeking their own meaning, while critical social theory promotes a way of living that is socially just. The question for practitioners is often how do I work with both of these? How can I hold these together in a creative way rather than being swayed by one or the other?
