Does the ethical heart of the world's great traditions lead to a common human wisdom?
In a world increasingly divided along religious and cultural lines, Michael Simon Baker poses a provocative question: What if the world's great wisdom traditions—despite their theological differences—share a core set of ethical teachings that transcend boundaries of time, culture, and belief?
Drawing on decades of study and personal experience living at the intersection of multiple faith communities, Baker identifies four principles that appear with striking consistency across Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Sikhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and Indigenous spiritualities:
RECIPROCITY - The Golden Rule appears in virtually every tradition, calling us to treat others as we wish to be treated.
COMPASSION - A universal imperative to extend kindness and empathy to all beings, especially those who suffer.
JUSTICE - A shared commitment to fairness, righteousness, and speaking truth to power.
HUMILITY - The call to transcend ego and recognize our place in a reality larger than ourselves.
These are not vague platitudes or wishful thinking. Baker demonstrates through rigorous analysis of sacred texts, philosophical writings, and lived traditions that these teachings emerged independently in cultures separated by thousands of miles and centuries of time. They persist because they work—communities and individuals who practice them tend to flourish, while those who violate them tend to suffer.
"4 CORE" is not an argument that all religions are "the same." Their distinctive theologies, practices, and histories matter deeply. Rather, this book examines what these traditions teach about how to treat other people—the ethical core—and finds patterns that offer hope for cooperation in our pluralistic age.
An attorney, songwriter, and independent film producer, Baker grew up as a devout Mormon in a predominantly Jewish community in Toronto. His journey through interfaith dialogue began early—from conversations with a Palestinian Muslim coworker to encounters with families of different faiths as a missionary in France, from studying comparative religion in university to decades of research into world wisdom traditions. This book distills that lifelong inquiry into a clear, accessible exploration of our shared moral foundation.
Perfect for readers interested in interfaith dialogue, comparative religion, ethics, philosophy, and the search for meaning in a diverse world, "4 CORE" offers a hopeful vision: that despite our differences, we possess common ground sufficient to build peace, cooperation, and human flourishing.
