Spiritual? Or Religious?

I have long held a distinction in my mind that religion and spirituality are not equivalent. My concept of religion has been one of institutionalized doctrine, dogma, practices and proscribed beliefs.   Spirituality described an orientation to life based on universal spiritual principles, and not necessarily as a part of any organized religion.

Discussion in class muddied this distinction for me. 

A quick web search turned up 20+ pages of links (200+ links) in answer to the question “what is the difference between religion and spirituality?”  https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+the+difference+between+religion+and+spirituality%3F&oq=what+is+the+difference+between+religion+and+spirituality%3F&sugexp=chrome,mod=13&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Obviously a question pondered by many.  Some selected perspective and quotes:

Religion = organized / Spirituality = Individual

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_religion_and_spirituality

Spirituality = humankind’s impulse for the Divine / Religion = structured pathway to the Divine

http://www.worldblessings.com/difference-between-religion-and-spirituality.html

Religion = an attempt to point the way to spirituality / Spirituality = direct communion with the Divine  http://www.wicca-spirituality.com/religion-spirituality.html

“…religion is a set of beliefs and rituals that claim to get a person in a right relationship with God, and spirituality is a focus on spiritual things and the spiritual world instead of physical/earthly things.” http://www.gotquestions.org/religion-spirituality.html

“Religion talks about God. Spirituality helps to make us godly. The two need not be at odds. Religion at its best is spirituality in community.” 

http://www.spiritualityhealth.com/articles/what-difference-between-religion-and-spirituality

“Spirituality is a form of religion, but a private and personal form of religion. Thus, the valid distinction is between spirituality and organized religion.”

http://atheism.about.com/od/religionnonreligion/a/spirituality_2.htm

“In general though, religion refers to a more organized practice, with some sort of human institution, whereas spirituality refers to a more personal experience, which may or may not fit within an organized religion.”

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_difference_between_religion_and_spirituality

“Spirituality is something that we all possess or manifest simply by virtue of being alive in this human form. Religion, on the other hand, is something that we choose to take part in or not. Spirituality is a universal human experience or quality, whereas religion asks that an individual’s spirituality be brought into accord with its dictates – its rituals, teachings, and beliefs.”  http://crossingnebraska.blogspot.com/2011/01/spirituality-and-religion.html

Interesting…. And confusing!

So, in an effort to get some clarity, I turned to the definitions in the Revealing Word.

religion--A systematic exposition on the awareness of a deity who is the supreme ruler of heaven and earth; that which arouses reverence and love for a supreme being. There is a wide range of religious experience between the blindly groping faith that caused men to pass their children through the fire as sacrifice to their deities, and the divine consciousness of Jesus, who submitted His body to the purifying fire of the Spirit and came forth alive with a life that never dies.

In the study of things pertaining to religion we should keep in mind the three activities of consciousness: spiritual, psychical, and physical. The spiritual is the realm of absolute principles; the psychical is the realm of thought images; the physical is the realm of manifestation. The well-balanced, thoroughly developed man, of which Jesus is the type, comprehends and consciously adjusts his spirit, soul, and body as a whole, and thereby fulfills the law of his being. Those who are on the way to this attainment have various experiences, which are symbolically set forth in the Scriptures. (p. 166)

spirituality--The consciousness that relates man directly to his Father-God. It is quickened and grows through prayer and other forms of religious thought and worship. (p. 184)

So, pondering the relationship of religion to spirituality, some thoughts emerge:

·     Spirituality, as defined by Charles Fillmore, must encompass all of religion.

·     Each activity of consciousness (spiritual, psychical and physical) operates both within and outside of the boundaries of religion and spirituality.

·    With regard to spirituality, if the consciousness is undeveloped, is humankind still spiritual?  Since all humans are “created in the image and likeness” of Spirit –even those that profess no religious or spiritual leanings, is there anything outside the boundaries of “spiritual”?

A Venn diagram might display the relationships thusly:

So, the discussion in class left me thinking perhaps religion is about practices and spirituality is about belief… I am still not convinced that the two are synonymous.

On the other hand, many “spiritual” human institutions / organizations that have a “systematic exposition on the awareness of a deity…” may in fact, according to Charles Fillmore’s definition, be “religion”.

Hmmmmm………