Spirituality, social work practice, and sustainable development

Based on human experience and history we know faith and culture are distinct and different. Cultural expression is a fundamental aspect of one’s identity and a human right that must be protected. Culture is a universal phenomenon, that is shaped primarily by one’s socialization. All people have a culture and may belong to a particular faith/spiritual tradition. They may also relate to others who belong to a cultural group or identify with a particular faith/spiritual tradition. To live peacefully we must strive to understand each other’s cultural, faith-based, spiritual realities as well as methods of conflict resolution and survival stories. These are challenges inherent in having awareness of faith, spirituality, cultural dimensions, and competent communication. It is imperative that we mobilize our inner spiritual wisdom and life-enhancing aspects of culture and leverage them for change. This is urgent when considering sustainability and development. The authors propose a transactional model of faith, spirituality, culture, and development and provide a context for understanding of pursuit of sustainable development. With increased awareness of the implications of a globalized world, encouraging transformation of social development, social work practice, and knowledge building of the field is critical. Case scenarios included are guided by the transactional model presented in the paper.