WCCM Theme 2026: The Future of Religion , Laurence Freeman OSB and Sean Hagan (Recording)

Speaker: Laurence Freeman OSB Respondent: Sean Hagan What is the future role of religion? In his talk, Fr Laurence Freeman will explore whether the three elements of religion – intellectual, institutional and mystical – can be rebalanced to birth a new world in which the best potential of humanity is celebrated and realized. Within WCCM, our own contribution to this question is to understand the role of contemplation: that at the heart of every religion there is a contemplative or mystical dimension. Without a properly developed mystical dimension, the other two elements hijack the project of religion. The deep source of authentic religion must always be the mystical. It is the personal and collective experience of God, of ultimate reality, and of the meaning and purpose of all things.