Spiritual but not religious?
Alban Institute takes up the question of being spiritual but not religious. Rather than bemoan the trend of people to leave the institutional church, Larry Peters sees it as an opportunity:
Loyalty to religious congregations may seem to be waning among some people and many articulate their concern as a suspicion of the “organizational” aspects of religious communities or their leaders. This outlook might get expressed in a variety of ways, including the statement “I am spiritual, not religious” or checking “none” on a religious affiliation survey.Rather than bemoan this apparent trend, I believe we can listen more deeply and learn from it. The fact of the matter is that not all of those who say they are “spiritual but not religious” are outside of our congregations. Some of them are sitting in our pews. I like to think that those who say they are “spiritual but not religious” at least have one oar still in the water. I also like to think that those who don’t have a current religious affiliation may find pathways to a religious community at some point in their lives. In fact, research shows that many do.
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If we listen to folks who claim to be “spiritual, not religious” we may discover that some of their critique may be useful to hear. In particular, our forms of doing things, our way of organizing may be inhibiting rather than facilitating belonging.
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So here are some suggestions for what your congregation can do to nurture the “spiritual” in the religious:
1. Ask, what are we offering that explicitly responds to the spiritual needs of those who are searching, questioning and/or want to have meaningful experiences of encounter with God, with others in an atmosphere of dialogue and discovery?2. Do an audit of your programs and the times that you offer them. Does your schedule make it difficult for different ages and lifestyles to participate? ...
3. Are you an intentionally “practicing congregation”? Have you found ways for those who attend to enter into and cultivate practices that can nurture their spirit and that can deepen over time? ...
4. Ask, who owns our congregation? Is one generation in charge or do you have a cross-section of generations and perspectives that are allowing you to look at your congregation through multiple lenses?
5. Can you enrich your own offerings by joining with other congregations for some joint programming that you collectively sponsor? ...
Do you see this as something for despair or challenge?
I don't see it as necessarily a bad thing, although I'm sure I wouldn't want to embrace some of the ways that others will no doubt propose to address the situation!
Mark McIntosh has some great things to say about consumerism in spirituality. The Church needs to practice its own traditions in vital ways that invite others into the riches of the mystery we celebrate.
The answer to bad religion that makes no real invitation to transcendence or active practice is good, spiritually vital religion, not a rootless ecclecticism.
Posted by Bill Carroll![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 25, 2011 11:56 AM
Amen, Bill! And the Episcopal Church has plenty of solid soul-filling spirituality between the covers of the Book of Common Prayer, too--why not familiarize people without before seeking out the weird and wacky?
Posted by Derek Olsen![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 25, 2011 12:22 PM
Put another way, there is information in resistance. The situation we face is not unlike the period in American history before the high tide denominationalism of the 50s and 60s, but until we rethink the way we "do" church, a significant number of Americans will be convinced that they can't find God there.
http://www.patheos.com/Resources/Additional-Resources/Healing-Church-Hurtful-Church.html
Posted by Fwschmidt![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 25, 2011 2:11 PM
This is an interesting conversation. The Pew Study on Faith & the Millennials that came out last year showed many of my generation to be "spiritual but not religious" - ie, practicing faith yet not within organized religion. http://www.ecfvp.org/posts/talkin-about-my-generation/
I think this shows that many Millennials are finding meaning & relationship to God through other means than membership in a worshiping community - through one-on-one friendships with spiritual leaders, through small group gatherings that take place out of church, through one's work, through volunteerism and charitable giving. Combined, these can make for a rich spiritual diet with traditional membership never really coming into the picture. I appreciate Peters' openness to the idea that simply trying to figure out how to attract Millennials to traditional models may be missing the point...
Posted by Miguel Escobar![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 25, 2011 5:00 PM
I would like to add that persons 40 and below are not the only age group that are no longer "finding meaning and relationship" in the Church or parish. There are a number of us over 60 who are not satisfied with traditionalist methods of evangelism; persons who have been involved in all aspects of lay parish ministry and have retired in order for younger persons to assume leadership roles. These persons are not interested in status quo spirituality, liturgy, or church organization but are often forgotten or sidelined by the church program creators. Many of these persons are quite to the left of the center of the Episcopalian political line. They are and always have been interested in experimental and positive change and actually have some very good ideas. They are in the pews yet often describe themselves as "spiritual not religious".
This, of course, is not the place to discuss Church re-form but the age problem is part of this on-going change.
Faithfully, Clint Capers
Posted by Clint Capers![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.episcopalcafe.com/lead/nav-commenters.gif)
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January 27, 2011 4:10 PM