Theodore Richards
Theodore Richards is an educator, writer, and philosopher. He is the founder of The Chicago Wisdom Project (now Wisdom Projects, Inc.) and editor of the online magazine and podcast ReImagining. His work is dedicated to re-imagining education and creating new narratives about our place in the world. He has received degrees from various institutions, including the University of Chicago and The California Institute of Integral Studies, but has learned just as much studying the martial art of Bagua; teaching in various settings and students; and as a traveler from the Far East to the Middle East, from southern Africa to the South Pacific.
He is the author of eight books and numerous literary awards, including two Nautilus Book Awards and three Independent Publisher Awards. His latest book, Reimagining the Classroom, is now available. He lives on the south side of Chicago with his wife and three daughters.
Courses
For full course descriptions and details please visit our Course Descriptions page.
To audit a course below, please visit our audit page.
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Spiritual Activism Zone
The relationship between activism—work that transforms or heals the world—and spiritual life has often been contested. For some, spirituality is an entirely separate realm from the worldly. Firm distinctions are often made between the inner life and the external world. In this course, we will challenge those assumptions and approach the concept of Spiritual Activism through the lens of a reimagined worldview, one that is holistic and relational.
The first part of the course will consider the emergence of this worldview as an apocalyptic moment—the unveiling of a new story as the old patterns of thinking and living no longer hold. We’ll explore cosmologies and spiritual practices—past and present—that emphasize interconnection and relationship.
We will also consider the role of teaching and education—not just curriculum, but pedagogy as well—in this emergent and transformative worldview. We’ll approach education itself as a form of critical activism, undermining the traditional power dynamic of teacher and student. Students, as teachers, will be asked to reflect on and share their work in the world as spiritual activists.
The second part will look at specific spiritual activist approaches from various cultural contexts and spiritual traditions. We’ll emphasize traditions that subvert the modern idea that the inner and the outer—world and soul—are distinct and separate realms. Students will then create their own approaches to spiritual activism and present them to the class.
Ultimately, the aim is to see activism—and spirituality—in a different way: more holistic and relational than dualistic and compartmentalized. Through these teachings and through a process of shared inquiry, we will cultivate the connection between the inner life and the outer world, between spiritual practice and our work in the world.