In Episode 3 of this season, we explore the evolving landscape of spiritual innovation, what it means to design meaningful spiritual life in a rapidly changing world, with guests Casper Ter Kuile and Angie Thurston from Sacred Design Lab, a nonprofit dedicated to nurturing the future of spiritual life.

Casper Ter Kuile shares insight and inspiration on the future of community, ritual, and spirituality. He is the author of The Power of Ritual and co-founder of Sacred Design Lab. He also co-created the hit podcast Harry Potter and the Sacred Text, co-founded Nearness, and co-authored the influential paper How We Gather.

Angie Thurston is Co-Founder and Executive Director of Sacred Design Lab. She has worked with hundreds of innovative leaders, finding new ways to address spiritual longings amid religious change. Angie has co-written eight widely read reports on the evolving landscape of community and spiritual life, including How We Gather.

In this episode, we talk about:
The origins of Sacred Design Lab and its mission
What “spiritual innovation” really means and how it appears across traditions
The story behind Harry Potter and the Sacred Text and how reading can become a spiritual practice
What it means to design for risk in ritual and liturgy
The meaning of “spiritual innovation” and why the language itself can be both inspiring and controversial
Real stories of innovators around the world: Buddhist monks leading meditation in the metaverse to Muslim leaders blending theology with psychology
What makes spiritual innovation succeed: how to meet innovators’ practical, relational, and spiritual needs
How projects endure, and what sustainable models beyond individual founders and short-term funding might look like
Common pitfalls such as ethical lapses, burnout, and the challenge of translating sacred traditions responsibly
Gen Z’s openness to religion and search for meaning, purpose, and belonging
The new Spiritual Innovation Hub and a call for cross-sector collaboration and shared wisdom

To learn more about Casper and Angie’s work, you can find them at: https://www.sacred.design

Books and resources mentioned:
The Power of Ritual (by Casper Ter Kuile) - https://www.amazon.com/Power-Ritual-Everyday-Activities-Practices/dp/0062881817
How We Gather (by Casper Ter Kuile & Angie Thurston) - https://caspertk.wordpress.com/2015/04/18/how-we-gather-a-new-report-on-non-religious-community/
Harry Potter and the Sacred Text Podcast - https://www.harrypottersacredtext.com/
Illuminating Spiritual Innovation (report by Sacred Design Lab) - https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/66cf39f3e7308e9fbab4ae6e/66cf39f3e7308e9fbab4af11_SDL_SpiritualInnovation_080724_WEB.pdf

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This episode is sponsored by Templeton Religion Trust (https://templetonreligiontrust.org/)

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