Reviews, Interviews, News, Commentaries, Excerpts, My Top 5 Books, Wilson's Bookmarks, Book AwardsSpirituality Starts in the Pews
"Religion" has become a dirty word in today's society. "Institution" is another verbal no-no, and we all know that the word "preachy" is entirely absent of positive connotation. Don't let the monosyllabic simplicity of "pew" fool you, either. It may seem like an innocent enough word for some. But many of those unmoored from the ecclesial harbors of their childhood will stiffen at its mention, instantly tormented by memories of sitting up straight on hard varnished planks while some preachy, institutionally-vetted clergyman pushed his religion on them.
And it is not just the secularists who dislike "religion." Anti-religious sentiment is so pervasive in our culture that even among Christians, criticizing the church and its varied institutional trappings is in vogue.
"Spirituality," however, is quite reputable—even popular. The preferred public profession of faith for a massive swath of our society—"I'm spiritual, but not religious."—is so common that it would not be surprising if it became a category on religious affiliation surveys. Participants could check Catholicism, Evangelical Christianity, Mainline Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Atheism, Agnosticism, or Spiritual/Not Religious. Spiritually inclined yet religiously jaded, many of us seem to want a spirituality liberated from the shackles of organized religion and its uncomfortable pews.
Okay, enough, rings a voice of frustration. Please stop, because you spiritual-but-not-religious people are boring me. But that voice does not belong to a hidebound archconservative eager to defend the traditional church against the onslaughts of a hostile culture. The voice belongs, instead, to Lillian Daniel, minister of a mainline Protestant church that might seem quite at home touting spirituality over religion. And her complaint was not originally aired on an evangelical Christian television network. It appeared at the Huffington Post, in an article ("Spiritual But Not Religious? Please Stop Boring Me") now expanded into her latest book: When "Spiritual But Not Religious" Isn't Enough: Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church (Jericho Books).
What specifically bores Daniel? She is simply unimpressed with any sort of spiritual life extracted from the messiness of a community. Finding God outside a tradition in which spiritualists (or religionists, as the case may be) have wrestled for centuries over the wonders and trials of life and faith? This has no attraction to her: "Where life with God gets rich and provocative is when you dig deeply into a tradition that you did not invent all for yourself."
Daniel takes the anti-religious sentiment that has become axiomatic for those outside the church walls (and for many still glued reluctantly to those church pews) and deftly exposes its narcissism and emptiness—but without sounding too "preachy."
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Bob Bobo
"there are some darker chapters in our history that need not be retroactively whitewashed, but in many respects, that heritage and our communal traditions are precious gifts". I agree, and I get the point. Certianly I have wonderful memories of the churches I attended and served in through the years. And I also have seen the reasons why people shake the dust of their feet and walk out. Yet, God is in it all and we do not throw the baby out with the bathwater But, we must both embrace community, tradition and all the good of the old fashioned sunday morning organizations, and also be fearful of the problems that can come from relying on organization. Truth is, Jesus is where two or more are gathered in his name. It matters not what the building looks like.
audrey ruth
A relationship with the Lord begins in the heart. Some people who warm church pews have such a relationship, some don't. Jesus said there would be tares (unbelievers) among the wheat (believers). I've attended funerals where church pastors lauded church members to the skies, since all they knew about them was their pious behavior at church. Sadly, their friends and family members knew the awful truth. There's a balance to anything, and the Lord tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves with other believers. He also tells church leaders not to lord it over the "underlings". Church abuse happens and it is a real problem.
John Carothers
"Spiritual But Not Religious" folks and the "Nones", by an overwhelming majority, like Jesus. Christians like Jesus. Let's see if I can't make this simple for those inclined to complicated. That's common ground not battle lines. Clear enough? When I see attitudes like those expressed by self-important religious elites like Pastor Daniel I wonder, “Have you ever sat down with one of those so called “Spiritual But Not Religious” people for a heart to heart talk about matters of faith? Have you ever sincerely asked them why they feel the way they feel about religion, not to start a debate, but just to listen to what they have to say? I have, and the experience is extraordinary. Turns out, many of them have a deep yearning for a close relationship with God, and an even deeper belief that God needs to be a central part of their life. And they’re not at all convinced they need to be in church to achieve that. Now the issue for a guy like me isn’t whether they’re right or wrong, but rather the incredible opportunity they represent for the Harvest. They, by a vast majority, have a high opinion of Jesus, they spend a lot of their time thinking about their relationship with God, and they love talking openly and acceptingly with others with similar goals. They’re perfect for us. So why do we insult them? What deep flaw in our souls causes us to condemn them instead of engage with them? Mathew 23 might be a chapter many of our leaders need to read.