The Spiritual Architecture of Post-GDP Societies: Ubuntu, Christian Theology, Buen Vivir, and Indigenous Cosmologies

Abstract

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has dominated national development policy for decades, yet it largely neglects relational, spiritual, ecological, and ethical dimensions of collective well-being. As global crises—from climate change to social fragmentation—expose the limits of growth-driven paradigms, alternative frameworks emphasizing relationality, ecological ethics, and spiritual worldviews are increasingly urgent. This paper proposes a spiritual-postgrowth architecture integrating four epistemological traditions: Ubuntu philosophy, Christian theological ethics, Indigenous cosmologies, and the Andean paradigm of Buen Vivir. Drawing on contemporary scholarship, the paper critiques GDP, explores how spiritual and relational values redefine well-being, and outlines policy implications for governance, ecological stewardship, and leadership. The framework advances a postgrowth theory emphasizing relationality, stewardship, and ecological regeneration.