Thursday, July 29, 2010

A Definition of Religion

Many in American today like to distinguish between "religion" and "spirituality".  Some say that they are no longer religious but they are spiritual.  I have read that Europeans have no third category such as "spirituality".  One is either "religious" or "irreligious".  Hmmmm, I wonder if that is true of Europeans?

I have previously offered a definition of religion on this blog.  I wonder if those who prefer "spirituality" would want to reject religion as I have tried to define it?  In searching for definitions of religion, one will find many very different ones and many different approaches.  What are people rejecting when they say that they are not religious but rather they are spiritual?  While I have some ideas, I am not entirely sure what they mean. 

However for now, maybe as a step toward understanding religion and spirituality, I will repeat below a definition of religion offered by a philospher of religion, Geddes Maggregor.

Religion is chararacterized by

1)  interest in,
2)  concern for,
3)  encounter with,
4)  sense of absence from,
5)  sacrificial ove of,
6)  commitment to, and
7)  joy over,

that which is judged to be more important than anything else in one's experience and which, so conceptualized, is taken to be a symbol of that which lies at the heart of all possible experience.

I think this is a good definition.  I like that it does not have any primary emphasis on "beliefs" and seems to put more emphasis upon personal experience.

Although, what keeps this definition of religion from being totally subjective and private?  Is the spirituality that Americans want to retain more subjective and private than what they consider to be religion?

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

The Enoch Factor: The Sacred Art of KNowing God

Many people in America are moving away from religion but still like to see themselves as spiritual. They are rejecting the judgemental, out-of-touch, authoritarian approach that has predominated much of the Christian church in America. They identify "religion" with much of the parts of church life that they do not like, and they identify "spiritual" with what they want to keep.

This book can help you affirm, expand, and even transform your spiritual life. The author's approach is accepting of many different perpsectives as evidenced by the quotes sprinkled throughout the book from various religious leaders and authors. The best part of the book is the author's personal story that is woven throughout the entire book. His experience makes the book credible. Many religious leaders may also be able to identify with his experiences.

While the book has a Christian perspective, it is not proclaiming the views of any particular Christian denomination . The book also is not exclusively Christian either. The author affirms the insights and values of other religious traditions. While much of the author's perspective can be found in the writings of other Christian mystics, the material here is much more readable for the modern reader. Insights from eastern mysticism are also incorporated into the book.

This is a book that one can  use to expand her mind and expand her spiritual consciousness.