Whenever I’m pitched by one of the Christian student groups on campus, they appeal to some sense of incompleteness in my life.
They ask if “this” is all there is, “this” being the daily grind of classes and activities.
The West optimizes freedom and comfort in ways that often leave one self-absorbed and unaware of the larger, more significant, external world, but “is this all there is?” is not a reminder to consider things outside of oneself.
Rather, “is this all there is?” falls in line with “something greater than oneself,” “everything happens for a reason” and other vague nods toward the supernatural embraced by Christianity. “Is this all there is?” points to the spiritual: an immaterial world to which one gains access through faith and prayer.
Many people are skeptical of the Church’s restrictive rules, but still want the sense of spiritual transcendence that has traditionally come from active participation in religious communities. The Pew Research Center reports 23 percent of Americans mark “none” when asked which religion they identify with. This does not necessarily mean they are atheist, or even agnostic — only seven percent mark either of those two boxes.
The “nones” often describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. When asked “is this all there is,” they respond no. They believe in God and might even pray regularly, but all this happens outside the structure of religion.
Embracing spirituality while remaining comfortably distant from inflexible religious institutions can seem to be an appealing compromise, but the “nones” mistake the sense of transcendence religious institutions offer. They see an ascension from the material to the spiritual rather than from self to community.
There is a shared human experience that provides rich and textured connections between all people. Sadly, the depth of human interconnectedness rarely leaks into ordinary life. As one completes homework, pays bills and does laundry, the urgency and sacredness of meaningful relationships fades into self-absorption and anxiety.
Religious institutions have millennia of experience in directing people away from the petty distractions of daily life and pointing them to humanity’s profound interdependence. A weekly worship service is a weekly nudge toward compassion, forgiveness and a life well-lived.
Those who are spiritual but not religious lose the structure and community offered by religion and gain only the vagueness and wordplay of spirituality.
Those who are religious but not spiritual can remain skeptical of the supernatural while participating in the ritual and community of a religious tradition. When asked “is this all there is,” they can respond yes, this complex, fragile, beautiful world is all there is, and religion is an effective way to process it.
Danny Bugingo can be reached at [email protected]
Jeff Carbine
I loved it when you said that there is a shared human experience that provides rich and textured connections between all people. My grandfather is 70 years old. He mentioned to me to buy him a bible because he wants to get familiar with God. I will this post for him to Seeking Knowledge In God. https://christho.org
alexspaet
many people do not understand the true reason of spirituality. I did my research and did a video no it, as I believe that we have to close the gap in the misunderstanding enjoy the video tomorrow https://youtu.be/r1P1knbkr6U