Assignment | Innovation

Humans take comfort in habit and known patterns. Innovations can feel frightening, threatening, or otherwise discomforting. Religions often times use patterns of thinking and actions to standardize the faith. This means that innovation can be experienced as threatening to religion. However, as Dean Abraham illuminates, religions are also founded, lived, and continued, perhaps we could say - catalyzed - by the innovations of their leaders. There is a paradox in this which is lovely.

In response to the question, “What role does innovation play in religion?” I argue that innovation is always present, particularly here at PSR, where we continuously examine our religious beliefs, rituals, ethics, practices, concepts of God, and the beliefs of religious institutions. Religious innovation is the process by which new rituals, traditions, concepts of the Divine, and religious institutions are created. My understanding of the Divine has greatly expanded after just one semester at PSR. I came here with a limited image of God, and as a Black, gay Christian, I believe that Jesus’s ministry serves as a model of innovation, particularly in addressing the needs of marginalized individuals and those living under oppressive regimes. This perspective aligns closely with how those practicing liberation theology view him.

In this context, Jesus’s message is understood as one of resistance, solidarity with the oppressed, and liberation from systematic injustice, rather than merely focusing on individual morality, as is often emphasized by some Christian churches.

In the Western world, Jesus is frequently depicted as a “spiritual leader” whose primary purpose was to save individual souls. However, when we consider him as a brown-skinned Palestinian Jew living under Roman occupation, his teachings take on a more political, communal, and anti-imperial significance. His call to “proclaim the good news” and “set the oppressed free” (Luke 4:18) can be interpreted as a direct challenge to the empire rather than simply a metaphor for personal salvation. Moreover, Jesus’ crucifixion—an act reserved for political rebels—highlights that he was perceived as a threat to imperial power.

Moreover, innovation within religion can foster advancements in various societal dimensions, such as culture, science, technology, politics, and law—much to the dismay of certain individuals and institutions. Some argue that such innovation in religion contributes to many of our social challenges, advocating for a rigid, unchanging interpretation of scripture, practices, and rituals.

Innovation provides ways for spiritual groups or communities to look at and incorporate new ideas and practices that would be instrumental in the transformation of what has been regarded as traditional and antiquated. That has caused division and separation between humans to a more inspiring way of designing and implementing equality. In which all is made available and accessible to everyone so that we can interact with one another and work together to complete the task that has been set before us.

Yes, there is some complexity and even rejection of change. But our willingness to see beyond the hills and pits that may be in our way. Understanding that we are on a design journey to create a positive impact that will empower each other to do and be our best selves. And stir up our radical imagination empowering our creativity and productivity. Making innovative personal and communal experiences to provide freedom and design justice for all.

Test

The video made me think about how innovation can still play a significant role in religion. The example from the healthcare industry demonstrated how design thinking may question conventional wisdom. Alcohol-based sanitizers were widely used in hospitals because they appeared to be the most sensible and safest option; however, when researchers and designers looked more closely, they came to realize that constant use of alcohol could actually damage the natural microbiome of the skin and make infections easier to spread. The real breakthrough came from questioning habits that had become routine.

 Religious traditions most often place high importance on consistency, well-known customs, and enduring doctrines. This makes it challenging to reconsider behaviors that might no longer fully serve people today, even as they remain crucial for helping communities connect to their past and identity. Innovation in religion does not mean abandoning tradition, but rather examining it carefully and asking how it can continue to meet people's needs in changing contexts.

When we look at religious history, we see that innovation has always been part of it. Figures such as the Buddha and the Prophet Muhammad introduced teachings that reshaped how people understood faith and community. They responded to the problems and realities of their time and presented spiritual ideas in ways people could understand and live out.

Another lesson from the video is that innovation requires more than just a good idea; it also requires implementation. The project described in the video never reached the public because the company that owned it was not interested in continuing it. Religious communities can face the same challenge. New insights or creative approaches only make a difference when put into practice. Innovation can help religion remain meaningful, responsive, and capable of guiding people through new social and spiritual challenges.