Abstract

The aim of the study is to shed light on the perception of spiritual exemplars by those who consider them as such. The authors asked 300 experts in the religious-spiritual field from different traditions to nominate spiritual exemplars they knew and describe them “specifically indicating what it is that makes each of them exemplary.” Seventy-seven expert informants provided descriptions of 180 spiritual exemplars. In thematic analysis of the descriptions, 15 categories of exemplar characteristics were developed and organized into three themes: Concrete-Performative (e.g. practices, actions), Descriptive-Qualitative (e.g. presence, humility), and Relational-Impactive (e.g. love, gratitude). Salient features of spiritual exemplarity were its multifacetedness and elusiveness. The findings underscore the important role of relational feelings, subjective impressions, and felt impact in the perception of spiritual exemplars. Through the eyes of many expert informants, a spiritual exemplar is an inspiring archetype of multifaceted wholeness, exemplifying the unity of the sacred and the mundane.