Is there a universal spirituality?

Published: 23 October 2026

Four ways of celebrating shared humanity and the beauty of difference

By Rev. Matthew Smith

“Is there a universal spirituality?” My question is prompted by a chapter of the same name by British writer Mark Vernon from his book The Big Questions: God.

A more specific version of this question might be: “Is there a single true religion behind the existing world religions?” Vernon suggests that the quest for a universal spirituality arose to meet a real and entirely understandable desire in the mid-twentieth century: to overcome a feared conflict of civilisations and avoid a third world war.

On the face of it, it seems like it would be nice if we could synthesise the best bits of the world religions in a way that folks would agree on. But religions ostensibly don’t agree on some quite fundamental points.

Is it respectful to all the religions and belief systems of the world – each with a deep philosophy and a rich history – to try to downplay their differences? While the notion of a universal spirituality once appealed to me, I now tend to focus on the beauty we find in contrast and difference at least as much as in some underlying commonality.

So how do we pursue a search for the sacred, and for truth, when our experience of beauty seems to point us both towards a mysterious commonality and the genius of difference all at once? Can we share common experiences with people with different beliefs without trying to underplay the reasons those differences exist?

Here are four practices that have helped me as I have reflected on finding shared truth and celebrating the beauty of difference. These don’t conclusively “answer the question” that I have framed above, but they are some of the practices that have helped me live with it.

Reflecting on nature – the natural world is resplendent with examples of difference. From the venation of a leaf to the ripples of a river, creation can impress upon us a sense of harmony that blends every note of distinction together without disguising the contrasts. Taking a moment to reflect on nature helps the soul ponder underlying unity amid diversity
Sharing ritual together – words such as “ritual” are often misunderstood. But the practice is powerful. Sharing structured actions, gestures and patterns can bind us together in mutual support, even as the significance of the ritual for each of us may subtly differ. It can be good to open ourselves to unfamiliar rituals, but ritual also includes something as simple and familiar as singing Happy Birthday!
Celebrating difference with gratitude – the flawed, human brain has a frequent habit of interpreting any difference as a potential threat – whether that’s in mindset, language or appearance. Taking a moment to note variations in our shared humanity, and be thankful that they exist among us, can deepen our appreciation of diversity. It also helps to gradually retrain the mind to notice and celebrate difference with sincerity.
Journalling – in a world of blogging and social media, journalling has fallen from favour. We would do well to revive it. Engaging in an intentional practice that may allow us to recognise and reflect on the beauty of difference and the commonalities of human experience, expressed through everyday occurrences, can help transform our perspective to something more life-giving.

So what of our original question – is there a universal spirituality? Maybe what we humans share across cultures isn’t a single hidden religion but a sacred impulse that drives each: to give thanks, to wonder, to mark the moments that matter, and to try to make some sense of it all. We can learn to meet each other without requiring all our answers to be the same.

If these reflections have struck a chord, we share thoughts on everyday spirituality regularly on our Facebook page. Do give us a follow and join the evolving conversation.