Spiritual AND Religious - Loving God by serving Him
I believe most, if not all of us, have come across the saying, "I'm spiritual, but not religious." Often, it is connected to having a spiritual life without having a regular Church life. But this is a hard sell if we understand spirituality as defined by the Christian faith. First, what do the words mean in this essay? Spiritual is treated as when, in everyday speech, it means a private, inward connection with the divine: meditation, feelings, personal belief. Religious means that this connection is active in loving God. It does not mean being performative, giving displays of faith that don't match the Word. It is not climbing a ladder of religiosity that puts one above others. And it is not defined by being a member of a Christian Church, though church attendance is an important part of it. Being spiritual in the Christian faith is the same as being religious: living actively by the Holy Spirit. And the Spirit does not lead people into isolation. To be spiritual...
