Spirituality in religion

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 Spirituality in religion

Spirituality in religion

Historically, the words religious and spiritual have been used synonymously to describe all the various aspects of the concept of religion.^[12][12] However, religion is a highly contested term with scholars such as Russell McCutcheon arguing that the term "religion" is used as a way to name a "seemingly distinct domain of diverse items of human activity and production".^[13] The field of Religious Studies cannot even agree on one definition. Critical theory in Religious Studies encourages a focus on the political nature of any attempt to determine what the "real" boundaries of religion are.^[14] Spirituality has more of a clear definition than religion and scholar, Siobhan Chandler argues that it is made up of three parts: nature, divine wisdom from a high power, and the self.^[15]

What is spirituality?

Increased popular and scholarly attention to "spirituality" has been related by scholars like Pargament to sociocultural trends towards deinstitutionalization, individualization, and globalization.^[16] According to the authors of the studies included in the edited volume Social Identities Between the Secular and the Sacred, some of those who are critical of religion see it as rigid and pushy, leading them to use terms such as atheist, agnostic to describe themselves.^[17] For many people, SBNR is not just about rejecting religion outright, but not wanting to be restricted by it.^[18] Many of those studied who identify as SBNR feel a tension between their personal spirituality and membership in a conventional religious organization. Most of them value curiosity, intellectual freedom, and an experimental approach to religion. Many go as far to view organized religion as the major enemy of authentic spirituality, claiming that spirituality is private reflection and private experience—not public ritual.^[19] To appreciate the "god within" is not a twentieth century notion with its roots in 1960s counter culture or 1980s New Age, but spirituality is a concept that has pervaded all of history.^[15]