Two Models of Evolving Spirituality

I asked ChatGPT to "explain the difference between Ewert Cousin's use of "second axial consciousness" and Steve McIntosh's use of "spiral dynamics."

ChatGPT said:

"Great question — both Ewert Cousins and Steve McIntosh are deeply concerned with the evolution of human consciousness, but they approach it from very different paradigms: Cousins through a theological-historical lens, and McIntosh through an integral-philosophical, developmental framework rooted in psychology.

Here’s a detailed comparison:

1. Ewert Cousins – Second Axial Consciousness

• Background: Cousins was a Catholic theologian and historian of religion. Building on Karl Jaspers’ Axial Age, he proposed the concept of a Second Axial Age.

• First Axial Age (800–200 BCE): Marked by the emergence of individual self-awareness and transcendence across multiple civilizations (Confucianism, Buddhism, Greek philosophy, Hebrew prophecy, etc.).

• Second Axial Age: Cousins argued we are now entering a new axial period, catalyzed by:

  • Globalization: Humanity is now interconnected like never before.

  • Ecological awareness: A shift from domination of nature to harmony with it.

  • Interreligious dialogue: Moving beyond exclusive truth claims toward spiritual integration.

  • Spiritual evolution: From individual salvation to planetary transformation.

• Consciousness Shift: Toward global, ecological, and mystical integration — more holistic, inclusive, and spiritually mature.

🔑 Cousins' vision is largely spiritual and theological, focused on a religious metanoia in response to the crises of modernity.

2. Steve McIntosh – Spiral Dynamics / Evolutionary Consciousness

• Background: McIntosh is a philosopher in the Integral Theory and evolutionary spirituality space, deeply influenced by Spiral Dynamics, which was developed from Clare Graves’ psychological research.

• Spiral Dynamics: Describes the evolution of value systems and worldviews in a tiered model:

  • First Tier stages (e.g., Tribal, Warrior, Traditional, Modern, Postmodern)

  • Second Tier (Integral, Holistic) introduces self-aware, systems-based thinking.

• McIntosh's Framework: Views the evolution of consciousness as:

  • Driven by cultural complexity and internal depth.

  • Including politics, psychology, science, and spirituality.

  • Needing the emergence of a post-progressive (or "integral") culture that integrates the best of all previous stages.

🔑 McIntosh’s vision is more psychological and socio-political, grounded in developmental theory and aimed at reconciling cultural conflict through consciousness integration.

Key Differences

Aspect	Ewert Cousins – Second Axial Age	Steve McIntosh – Spiral Dynamics
Root Discipline	Theology, history of religions	Developmental psychology, integral philosophy
Historical Model	Epochal shift in global religious consciousness	Continuous developmental model of worldviews
Scope	Global spiritual evolution, especially within and across religions	Cultural, political, and psychological value systems
Language of Development	Mystical, religious, global spirituality	Systems-thinking, tiers/memes, integral consciousness
Drivers of Change	Crisis, interreligious unity, ecological awareness	Complexity, inner growth, worldview conflict
Goal	Planetary spiritual transformation	Emergence of integral/post-progressive culture

In Summary

Cousins sees the Second Axial Age as a sacred turning point for humanity — a time for religions to transcend themselves and co-create a planetary spirituality. McIntosh sees Spiral Dynamics as a map of evolving consciousness, where an "integral" worldview must emerge to reconcile the fragmentation of modern and postmodern culture.

They both agree humanity is evolving, but Cousins emphasizes spiritual and religious unity, while McIntosh emphasizes developmental integration across value systems."

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Ewert H. Cousins (1927-2009) was, "a world-renowned theologian and pioneer in interreligious dialogue who brought Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and Buddhists.

One of Cousins’ greatest contributions was making the touchstone texts of Western religions accessible to a wide audience. Together with Richard Payne, he conceived of and edited the Classics of Western Spirituality, a groundbreaking, 107-volume series of classical works from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim traditions.

Cousins’ own translation of the writings of St. Bonaventure was one of the series’ bestsellers. Cousins was also the general editor of the 25-volume series World Spirituality: An Encyclopedic History of the Religious Quest.

In his 1992 book Christ of the 21st Century, Cousins argues that we are in the midst of a “Second Axial Age”. A 2016 article by Matthew Wright provides a summary of Cousins’ notion of a Second Axial Age, called The Second Axial Emergence

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"Steve McIntosh is a developmental philosopher who focuses on the evolution of consciousness and culture. He is the author of Developmental Politics (2020), The Presence of the Infinite (2015), Evolution’s Purpose (2012), and Integral Consciousness and the Future of Evolution (2007). He is also coauthor of Conscious Leadership (2020), with John Mackey and Carter Phipps. McIntosh is the cofounder of the Institute for Cultural Evolution nonprofit organization, and cocreator of DepolarizingGPT, a 3-answer AI chatbot."