Nicolas Forero speculates about a new religion founded on lifelong learning practices:
Lifelong learning is the continuous process of acquiring, challenging, and refining knowledge and beliefs. This process demands critical thinking and openness to new perspectives. The term “lifelong learning” suggests a pursuit that lasts a lifetime, making it more suitable to turn into a religion than critical thinking.
Given that I aspire to lead global education reform, I will refine the following elements as I think about them. My ideas serve as a philosophical exercise to visualize the plausibility and benefits of transforming lifelong learning into a religion.
Meaning
“New religions offer narratives that help individuals understand the world and their place in it, providing coherence and significance similar to traditional religions’ explanations of existence and the human condition.”
Lifelong learning could be framed as a spiritual quest to understand life, the universe, and our existence. This quest could be tied to truth, integrity, and ethical guidance, echoing the moral teachings of religions.
Traditional religions offer progress and hope. Christianity’s narrative of redemption gives us a reason to live despite sinning. Similarly, Judaism’s Tikkun Olam (repairing the world) encourages improving the world. The lifelong learning religion might frame learning as the most effective solution to the world’s biggest and most neglected problems.
