Spiritualism appears to be alive and well in America. The most recent findings of social science, courtesy of the Pew Research Center, show that 70% of Americans consider themselves “spiritual” in some way. The Pew data show that more than eight in 10 of us “believe people have a soul or spirit” outside their physical body and that there is something unseen, “something spiritual beyond the natural world.” Three-quarters of us also believe “there are some things that science cannot possibly explain.”
This overview of spirituality suggests many people whose beliefs align with those of traditional Christianity. Ask any Bible-believing Christian if they believe in the soul, life beyond that of Earth, and whether science is unable to explain certain things, and pretty much all of them will say yes.
But spirituality is not necessarily associated with faith. Among those who consider themselves spiritual, 22% say they are “not religious.” Religions have orthodoxy to which many people adhere, so there is guidance in religion on what people believe and how they behave. Many Christians believe the Bible is God's inspired and inerrant word and rely on it for how to live their lives. The same holds true for Jews, Muslims, and people of other faiths whose worldview is founded on sacred texts.
Spiritual but not religious people don’t necessarily have such scriptural guidance. Without a Torah, a Qur’an, a Bhagavad Gita, a Bible, or any other compendium of wisdom and belief, it’s difficult to define the meaning of spirituality. Some people may pick and choose certain concepts from each of these sacred texts to construct their own belief system, and I presume many of them live good and decent lives.
Pew researchers also explored the activities of spiritual people, searching for answers to what they believe and how they practice that belief. The primary practices examined by Pew included “spending time looking inward or centering yourself, spending time in nature, exercising, meditating, and practicing yoga.” The striking thing about these practices is that they are largely geocentric. They are focused on the self.
Sixty-four percent of respondents said they “spend time looking inward or centering themselves.” Among those people, 27% do so to connect with their “true self,” and another 19% do this for health or enjoyment. Only 13% do it to feel connected to “something bigger than themselves.” Additionally, more than three-quarters of spiritual people report spending time in nature, with half doing so for their health and personal enjoyment, and 18% to connect with something larger than the self.
There’s nothing wrong with introspection and taking in the splendor of nature. Everybody does that from time to time. And none of this is to criticize people who consider themselves spiritual but not religious. We all are free to observe and practice faith in our chosen way, and it’s wrong for any of us to belittle or marginalize our freedom of conscience. But I would suggest that those whose belief system amalgamates concepts from various traditions are short-changing themselves. They’re denying themselves the true joy and freedom that comes with a convicted belief in the Bible.
Many Americans disbelieve parts of the Bible because they find certain events implausible. The creation story, Jesus' birth, and resurrection come to mind. These events are not logical in any scientific sense, and they defy human understanding. For those who believe only what they can see, their unbelief is unsurprising.
Contrast this view with something more secular. The quantum vacuum and dark matter also defy human understanding, yet both are widely accepted science principles even though neither has been proven. Like the biblical stories of creation, the virgin birth, and Christ’s resurrection, belief in dark matter, the quantum vacuum, and much else in science also rely on faith. My hunch is that faith in the saving grace of Jesus Christ provides more comfort and contentment than that of dark matter.
There is no better season than this Christmas season for spiritual people to take another look at the Bible. For some people, it’s just not a good fit. But for others, it might inspire a deeper exploration of this book and the truths it contains, which has changed and molded the world for nearly 2,000 years. For spiritualists who believe in the human soul, life beyond the Earthly world, and the mysteries of the universe, there’s a lot of good news in the Bible, something bigger than all of us combined, and it begins with the birth of Christ.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member