Spiritual but not religious

Yesterday's "Parade Magazine" featured an article by Christine Wicker summarizing data from the magazine's poll on religion in America. She observed that today Americans are "separating spirituality from religion, with many people disavowing organized practice altogether while privately maintaining some form of worship." Twenty-nine percent of poll respondents categorized themselves as "spiritual but not religious." Fifty-nine percent maintained that all religions are valid, while only 12% did not believe in the existence of God or weren't sure. The CBS program "Sunday Morning" highlighted similar ideas, suggesting that even many people in traditional religions also find meaning in non-traditional ways, such as yoga and tai chi.

The smorgasbord of spirituality in contemporary life comes as no surprise to those who have been tracking the postmodern mindset for a generation or more. People have become increasingly skeptical of moral and spiritual absolutes and tend to seek meaning within their own personal experiences and feelings. But there is, nonetheless, an awareness of "something more" among most people today. They may tend to scratch that spiritual itch in a variety of ways.

The exclusivity of the gospel of Christ is subject to criticism, under these circumstances. Again, this is not news to those of us who know that it is only by God's grace that a person may be awakened to the truth of the gospel. Yet the gospel does continue to inspire and transform lives everyday throughout the world. God's Spirit is at work, particularly in this postmodern climate today.