A culture of spirituality

With the flow of postmodernism has come many spiritual tributaries. The spirituality out there today is eclectic. The concept of orthodoxy runs counter to the kind of spiritual sensitivity that many people affirm. Church folks often make the mistake of thinking that those who are not interested in what churches teach or offer are therefore not interested in spiritual matters. Author Reggie McNeal has pointed out, though, that "many people outside the church are more spiritually passionate and enthusiastic about God than many church members." [The Present Future, Jossey-Bass 2003] If this observation grates on the nerves of us church folks, perhaps it's because we have indeed lost a bit of the zeal we once knew for God in the routine of churchly activities.

There's a lot of spirituality out there, and of course from the Christian disciple's perspective, it's not all good. But maybe we need to try to hear what those who are on a different path may be saying, find some points of contact, and especially re-acquaint ourselves with what is most powerful and meaningful in our relationship with God so that when our spiritual journey crosses paths with another, we can engage in dialog that is mutually accepting and has the potential for spiritual growth.