What's Happening with the "Spiritual But Not Religious" Folks?
Scot McKnight relates Linda Mercandante's findings in her new book "Belief without Borders":
Instead of the traditional view of God, they transpose God into the sacred or divine self.
Instead of a sovereignty or freedom of God, they move into “readily accessible, even impersonal, divine energy” (232).
Instead of the traditional 3d person of the Trinity, the Spirit becomes “self-generating personal intuition” (232).
Instead of a savior figure or a prophet as in the major faiths, there are multiple gurus that help in self-healing.
Instead of trusting God, one trusts one’s inner voice.
Instead of praying to a God who listens, we have “self-generated positive thinking” (232).
Instead of the providential God, there is an “impersonal law of karma” (233).
Instead of guidance through God or tradition, there is self-guidance outside the tradition or intervention of God.
Instead of sin against God, it is about violating the authentic self.
Instead of justification as getting right with God, we have “getting into alignment with one’s own inner integrity” (233).
Instead of sanctification as the transforming work of God through the Spirit, we have “self-transformation and continuing self-improvement” (233).
Instead of holiness there is healing.
Instead of community and church we have the self.
Instead of spiritual gifts for the church we have “sacred power tools for the ongoing construction or revealing of the true self” (233).
Instead of worship there is a focus of the healing of the self.
Instead of tradition and authority there is “personal experience as final authority” (233).
Instead of commitment to one religious body there is “flexible, changing affiliations” (233).
Instead of an eternal life by the grace of God, there is “a seemingly endless journey, often through multiple lives or multiple realities” (233).
Read more: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2014/09/19/spiritual-but-not-religious-the-real-story/#ixzz3Du2BDpUM
Instead of the traditional view of God, they transpose God into the sacred or divine self.
Instead of a sovereignty or freedom of God, they move into “readily accessible, even impersonal, divine energy” (232).
Instead of the traditional 3d person of the Trinity, the Spirit becomes “self-generating personal intuition” (232).
Instead of a savior figure or a prophet as in the major faiths, there are multiple gurus that help in self-healing.
Instead of trusting God, one trusts one’s inner voice.
Instead of praying to a God who listens, we have “self-generated positive thinking” (232).
Instead of the providential God, there is an “impersonal law of karma” (233).
Instead of guidance through God or tradition, there is self-guidance outside the tradition or intervention of God.
Instead of sin against God, it is about violating the authentic self.
Instead of justification as getting right with God, we have “getting into alignment with one’s own inner integrity” (233).
Instead of sanctification as the transforming work of God through the Spirit, we have “self-transformation and continuing self-improvement” (233).
Instead of holiness there is healing.
Instead of community and church we have the self.
Instead of spiritual gifts for the church we have “sacred power tools for the ongoing construction or revealing of the true self” (233).
Instead of worship there is a focus of the healing of the self.
Instead of tradition and authority there is “personal experience as final authority” (233).
Instead of commitment to one religious body there is “flexible, changing affiliations” (233).
Instead of an eternal life by the grace of God, there is “a seemingly endless journey, often through multiple lives or multiple realities” (233).
Read more: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2014/09/19/spiritual-but-not-religious-the-real-story/#ixzz3Du2BDpUM
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