Religion, spirituality, and faith.

One of the chapters in the Master's dissertation that I completed last year, is headed "Spirituality or Religion?" and, indeed, there is a difference between the two concepts.

Spirituality is that which, within the created order, marks out mankind from everything else. It is the sense of the transcendent; the awareness of “otherness”; the consciousness of that which is beyond the natural world of the physical senses. Often, when we use the word ‘spiritual’ we have something good in mind, something positive and attractive. In this sense it’s easier to think of Mother Teresa as spiritual than an Adolf Hitler. That which is ‘spiritual’ is that which is of the spirit. The latter is non-physical, yet not abstract. It is much more than “the unique search for human identity”. It is, indeed, something supernatural, that could not have “evolved”.

Spirituality has been termed “the fifth dimension”. In our natural, physical, world we experience three spatial dimensions – length, breadth, height/depth – and one, linear, time dimension. However, eminent physicists such as Stephen Hawking, postulate that there are as many as ten dimensions in the known universe, including two time dimensions - one of which he refers to as "imaginary time".

This second “imaginary” time has no beginning and no end – effectively what theologians refer to as “eternity”! The whole concept of the spiritual may easily be thought of as that dimension that links the material, physical universe with the supernatural – that which is above, beyond, and superior to, the time-space continuum that is our natural experience.

Religion tends to take that which is spiritual, and then organise it! Such organisation leads to a hierarchy (a priesthood), and an organising of the rituals to provide an element of uniformity (a liturgy). This leads to a formulation, and unifying, of the central beliefs of the group (creed and doctrine), and a religion is born. It is this order and tangibility that makes religion easier to share with others than spirituality. The latter is, as a former ministerial colleague was, colloquially, wont to say, “Better felt than telt”!

Christianity has an undoubted spiritual aspect. However, in spite of the endeavours of people since its earliest days to make it so (and how well they have succeeded, in popular terms!), Chistianity is not a religion! It is a relationship - a relationship with Almighty God, the Creator of all that is; through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; confirmed by the indwelling of God, the Holy Spirit. It is a matter of placing our trust, solely and completely, on the sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary; accepting that there is no other way by which we may be saved from the righteous judgement of God. And, in the Greek language, the same word (pistos) may be transated "faithful" or "trustworthy". Chistianity is a matter of faith!

We are, whether we admit it, or not, spiritual beings - we have the very breath of God breathed into us (Gen.2:7); many are religious, some very much so! But it is a living faith in the Lord Jesus that, alone, brings the guarantee of eternal life. I commend Him to you.