It is common today to hear people say they are spiritual but not religious (SBNR), also known as ‘nones’. They believe in something greater than themselves, but they don’t consider organised religion as the way to spiritual growth. They may even see organised religion as a hindrance.
Historically, we are used to the words ‘spiritual’ and ‘religious’ being synonymous. People go to church to be instructed in the process of spiritual growth, collectively and individually. Spirituality has come to be considered today, however, a private thing, involving the growth of the inner life, a private faith.
Christians can sometimes be heard insisting Christianity ‘is a relationship, not a religion,’ lending weight to the idea of ‘the inner life,’ rather than the outer experience of community. It is the religious institution, the church, many seem to have trouble with. The institution seems to them to be too rigid, dogmatic, and restrictive. The church believes certain things and excludes others. As well, because it is very visible, it is easy to see its flaws. Consequently, it is untrustworthy in some people’s minds.
Spiritual
I believe most of us can associate with the need to develop an inner life. The nones, however, regard the inner life as entirely their own business as they explore what that life consists of, experiment with what piques their curiosity.
Who can blame them, there is so much ‘out there’ to be explored and you wouldn’t want anything getting in the way? Linda Mercadante was a ‘none’ and is now a theology professor with the Presbyterian Church, USA. In her book Belief Without Borders she explores the spiritual not religious world and find SBNRs fit into five categories:
Dissenters, who have decided organised religion is a hindrance to spiritual growth.
Casuals, who see spirituality as functional, therapeutic, something you can switch into as the need arises, but nothing that defines their lives.
Explorers, spiritual tourists who have a wanderlust, who sample a variety of spiritual experiences but ultimately find nothing satisfying, perhaps enjoying the journey more than the destination.
Seekers, who are looking for a spiritual home in an alternative spiritual identity.
Immigrants, who are described as having found a new spiritual home but have yet to be entirely convinced. They still embrace the SBNR label because they are not settled.
This is a familiar picture, perhaps you see yourself somewhere on this list. Faith is often portrayed as a journey, from the journey of Israel to the promised land, to the journey of the Christian disciple described by Paul in his letter to Philippi:
‘Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.’ Philippians 3:13,14
Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory describing the journey of his main character through this world to ultimate fulfilment in the afterlife. Too many Christians, it must be admitted, are settlers when we are called to pioneer our faith, growing in it, journeying through a world that would draw us away from fulfilling our spiritual needs. For that to happen we must ultimately, like Bunyan’s Pilgrim, arrive at a destination. To do that we do need direction.
Religious
Mercadante has observed:
“Our beliefs do matter. In fact, beliefs play an integral part in every aspect of our lives: our thoughts, actions, hopes and relationships. Bad theology can be linked to such human tragedies as addiction, domestic violence, sexism, prejudice, victimization, and other problems.”
The way we look at the world, our world-view, will for most of us develop a system, a set of practical truths, a ‘theology’ we collect and collate as we make our spiritual journey. The question is, how important is it that our thinking chimes with spiritual reality. Exploring is exciting but ultimately it doesn’t satisfy, simply experiencing the journey but having no destination in view.
Christianity is both a journey and a destination, a relationship and a religion. A religion is simply an organised way of thinking about and living out what we have discovered to be true of the world and of spiritual things. In the Christian faith we do this both as community, the church, and individually as an act of self-examination and inner growth.
We can be said to journey together, though our experiences on the journey may be different. It’s that togetherness that strengthens us, making us the community we were meant to be. It is the different experiences that make the journey personal. The trouble with togetherness is how we can so easily identify each others flaws. The trouble with a determined individualism is we miss out on the experiences and wisdom of others.
The New Testament leader Paul says our spiritual treasure is kept in jars of clay. He wrote:
‘So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.’ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
If you are spiritual but not religious, it might be worth asking, why are you spiritual at all? Why is this world not enough for you? Perhaps you are not yet ready to stop journeying, exploring, but you might consider that you are being drawn towards the things as yet unseen by a God who, alone, can satisfy your spiritual hunger. St Augustine famously wrote:
‘You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.’
Perhaps you should look again at Jesus, see if there is, after all, satisfaction for your wandering soul. Jesus himself said:
‘Come to me all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’ Matthew 11:28,29
