The Spirituality of Authentic Interiority and the Option for the Economically Poor
Keywords:
Authentic Interiority, Option for the Economically Poor, Art of inwardnessAbstract
O’Donohue’s endorsement of ‘the art of inwardness,’ though captivating is open to misunderstandings. Interiority is often branded as a withdrawal from or refusal to engage the public realm with a view to serve oneself embracing a spirituality of detachment. This article is an attempt to explore the notion of interiority in its diverse textures and to propose authentic interiority as a spiritual praxis (reflective and reflexive practice aimed at developing access to, affirmation of, and personal response to ultimate reality) of engagement with the world. The article will further explore how such praxis grounds and develops a preferential option for the economically poor, who constitute the majority of the world’s population. Engaging in a continuous soul-searching into one’s own foundational human spirit a person can arrive at a realization that at the level of common human experience they themselves hunt for such human goods as food, shelter, clothing, relaxation, education, health and friendship.
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