The Infinite Ladder - Introduction to Integral Religious Studies

February 17, 2006 I finally finished my first book! I’ve taken Ken Wilber’s integral theory (AQAL) and applied it to the field of religious studies. Using the developmental scale suggested in Integral Spirituality (ranging from magic, to mythic, to rational, to pluralistic, to integral) I explored the evidence from four of the world’s most populous traditions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism) to support the theory of a conveyor belt. Using five major developmental lines (faith, cognitive, ego, value, moral) I suggest how one might determine an individual’s stage of religious orientation. At each of these vertical stages of development I suggest that individuals might fall anywhere on a horizontal spectrum of types ranging in intensity from moderate to extreme. In addition to explaining how each of these stages manifest in individual consciousness I explain how states of spiritual experience interplay with each stage of development as they unfolded throughout history and in our world today. At the beginning of the month I sent the book out for Wilber to review. I hope to have it published through Integral Books in 2008. If you have any other suggestions for potential publishers please let me know. If you are interested, feel free to email me for an e-copy (.pdf) of the manuscript (335 pgs). Please help support our efforts by making a suggested donation of $10 to the email address below at Paypal.com. DustinDiPerna@gmail.com