The Evolving Roles of Religion and Spirituality in Modern Society

This essay provides a comparative analysis of religion and spirituality in contemporary society, highlighting their similarities and differences. It discusses the traditional definitions of religion as a structured system of beliefs and practices, contrasting it with the more individualistic and autonomous nature of spirituality. The essay explores how spirituality emphasizes personal interpretation and connection, while religion often involves communal practices and established doctrines. It further examines the reasons behind the increasing preference for spirituality over traditional religion, attributing it to the desire for freedom of faith, choice, and values. The impact of secularism and multi-faith perspectives on shaping individual beliefs is also considered, concluding that the evolving dynamics reflect a broader shift in societal values and personal experiences.

Running head: RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
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1RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
Today world is entirely in a different shape than it was hundred years ago. The changes
have been observed in every aspect of life for society is continuously never static. However, the
one thing that remains to be constant is the concept of religion and spirituality (Inglehart, 2018).
Many a times, it has been a controversial discussion when it revolves around religion and
spirituality. Although some ideas in regard to religion and spirituality have been modified, there
are certain aspects that are concrete. Humans have the basic need to connect to a transcendent
universe. They have the need to have transcendent experiences. This basic idea suggests that
there is a constant place for the spiritual beliefs and the belief in god among human society.
However, there has been a wide variation among the population when it comes to practices in
regard to religion and spirituality. In the same discourse, the paper aims to compare and contrast
between religion and spirituality. The paper will discuss the concept of religion and spirituality
followed by the way they differ from each other and the way they have similarities considering
some of the concepts associated with these phenomenons.
Religion:
Religion is the set of beliefs, dogmas, feelings and practices that defines the relations
between human being and scared or divinity. Every religions is defined by specific elements of a
community of believer, sacred books, dogmas, rites, worship, moral, prescriptions, interdicts and
organizations. It is commonly from a revelation based on the exemplary history of a nation, of a
wise man or a prophet who an ideal of life. The shared collection of transcendental beliefs that
have passed on from believers to converts can be defined as religion. These are held by adherents
to be actively meaningful and serious and also based on formally documented doctrine or
cultural practices that have been established. It has been easy to define religion for the fact it is
highly complex subject that can vary along with time and place (Christiano, Swatos Jr & Kivisto,

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2015). three great characteristic of religion are belives in religious practices, the religious feeling
which is often called faith and the unity in a community of those who share the same faith, the
church.
Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. The meaning of
spirituality has developed and expanded over time and various connotations can be found
alongside. Traditionally it was referred to a religious process which was aiming to recover the
original shape of man. In the contemporary era, the term spread to a wider meaning that refer to a
wider. The search for spirituality is a man’s connection to something that is beyond the temporal.
It send him wandering down paths that offer unsatisfactory results (Furseth & Repstad, 2017).
In the contemporary era, the emergence of spirituality in holistic form suggests that
religion has failed for the purpose it serves. According to researchers the relationship of
spirituality to the visual, individual, gender, identity politics, cultural capital and education are
indulged. Religion typically sets creeds and teachings and it has a long history of scholars and
texts with a clear leadership. Religion stresses on communal gatherings, communities along with
communities of faith that organizes around a shred belief (Kadar et al., 2015). Also, it requires
membership of the community and embodies beiefs and practices that shape over the course of
history. Even though it may vary widely between groups, there is leadership structure that is
prominent in the religion. On the other hand spirituality gives the individual autonomy over her
or his interpretation of the soul or spirit. However religion implication involves participation in
certain communal practices and interpretation of divine beliefs and worship. While the many
religious tradition contains a ‘spiritual’ element within them, religion is differing widely from
spirituality. Spirituality is about freedom and finding the meaning of self, while religion is
following a belief (Koenig, 2015).

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There are many people who are spiritual however they are not religious. Spiritual experience
comes from unlikely places however religious experiences come from various religious
practices. There are even people who are atheists and yet spiritual. They are likely to make
changes in life by placing more elements that would give them the satisfaction rather than
practicing something else which are not believed by them. It is mainly associated with the
principles which are likely to cause discrimination and differences. Spirituality is mostly
associated with social inclusiveness where everyone is welcomes and treated equally (Brewer-
Smyth & Koenig, 2014). Today people have different perspectives which are often crossed by
the religious beliefs and practices. Gradually it is becoming an unaccepted phenomenon for the
people who are with broader concepts toward life. Their belief is mostly associated with the
multi-faith. There is a major part played by the concept of secularism in the way people perceive
religion and spirituality. Spirituality suggests depth within the self and awareness of a connection
beyond spiritual fitness. The question that arises while choosing between religious and
spirituality is, is it the experience of god or the experience of being god? When a person is
spiritual, the person is guided by an inner voice, cognizant of ethereal connection and focused
priority on the things that are important to the person emotionally. They begin to call them
humanist and not another term. Few people even see spirituality as religion-lite where spirituality
is not directly associated with the morality in the way theology defines it. It is associated with the
implication of goodness (Mueller, 2017).
As discussed above, Today world is entirely in a different shape than it was hundred
years ago. The changes have been observed in every aspect of life for society is continuously
never static. However, the one thing that remains to be constant is the concept of religion and
spirituality. Many a times, it has been a controversial discussion when it revolves around religion

4RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY
and spirituality. There are reasons that are making people choose spirituality than religion. It is
mainly due to the concept of freedom in term of faith, choice and values that is achievable from
spirituality and not religion. Today people have different perspectives which are often crossed by
the religious beliefs and practices. Gradually it is becoming an unaccepted phenomenon for the
people who are with broader concepts toward life.

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References:
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Furseth, I., & Repstad, P. (2017). An introduction to the sociology of religion: Classical and
contemporary perspectives. Routledge.
Inglehart, R. (2018). Culture shift in advanced industrial society. Princeton University Press.
Kadar, J. L., Scott, A. B., Hipp, K., Belavich, T. G., Butfer, E. M., Rye, M. S., ... & Zinnbauer,
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Mueller, K. A. (2017). Raising US Army Spiritual Fitness Inventory Scores Through Chaplain
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