Spiritual but not religious

According to Robert C. Fuller, author of the 2001 book Spiritual, But Not Religious, it is likely that one in every five persons could describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. Such people were less likely to evaluate religiousness positively, less likely to engage in traditional forms of worship such as church attendance and prayer, and more likely to characterize religiousness and spirituality as different and non-overlapping concepts. Spirituality, in that study, was associated with higher levels of interest in mysticism, experimentation with unorthodox beliefs and practices, and negative feelings toward both clergy and churches. Religiousness, meanwhile, was associated with higher levels of interest in church attendance and commitment to orthodox beliefs.

Read the rest of the story here.

Note: I have been thinking about this a lot lately as we have been pulling together statistics from this past year of work here at the Center. I have found that most clients state that they are "Christian", yet when asked about how their faith and practice merge, there is disconnect.