Most people have a tendency to blur the line between Religion and Spirituality, I too was one of those people in the beginning. Till now with all the reading and research that I have done to clear the fog in my head, I came up with things that I felt are the distinctions between the Two; however this is not intended to imply one over the other.
Religion is more of an organized system of beliefs and symbols. For anything to be a Religion is has to have certain rituals and practices that are designed and believed to bring one closer to God. Spirituality on the other hand is the quest for answers to ultimate questions, and it doesn’t lead to or have any specific practices. Spirituality is more of a mystery. It is this mystical entity that shapes souls, whereas Religion shapes history. Religion is very much rooted in words and cultures and is dogmatic. Spirituality however transcends reason, language and culture and is metaphorical in nature. Spirituality is focused more on individual growth whereas Religion focuses on establishing community. Religion is more behavioral based and outward where Spirituality is more emotion based and inner experienced.
Spirituality is more universalizing, while Religion is more in particularizing, as in one group from another. Finally Spirituality is transformative and it trancends ego, whereas Religion is translational and it consoles the ego. It emancipates and gives a sense of place and psychological security.
Megan,
A wonderful summary of the distinction between the two.
For me personally, I feel that whilst religion and spirituality are different, they both form an integral part of my walk with Christ.
My regular bible reading as well as the opportunity to share fellowship with other Christian friends at church on Sundays are important to me. But so to is taking time out to really connect with god spiritually, letting his holy spirit talk to my heart and letting him guide me through life.
Cheers
Andrew
The reason for the blur is that many paths involve a mix of religion and spirituality. Christianity, for instance, is focussed on the life and teachings of a guy who challenged us to not look at things by their outward appearance, but to look at the heart. The religious tradition preserves those spiritual teachings, and gets in the way of them, at the same time. A similar thing could be said for Zen Buddhism.
But then look at the eclectic spirituality on offer today, its not conventionally organised, yet its sustained by the publishing industry in many ways.
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