In recent years, many of us have shifted our focus toward religion and spirituality. Particularly in places with more resources, such as certain regions of the United States and Europe, religion generally became less popular.
As the team of psychologists who study religion led by Julie Exline recently noted, shifts away from religion occur in at least three ways. First, an individual can be “done” with religion altogether. That is, they may no longer consider themselves religious and may no longer affiliate with a religious community at all.
Second, a person can continue to identify as religious, but can withdraw their participation. For example, someone may decrease attendance at religious services or spend less time reading religious texts. Third, an individual may disconnect from their religious identity and religious participation and instead focus on spirituality.
New ways to satisfy old needs
In his book The Power of Ritual, Casper Ter Kuile explores and advises on this third possibility. He argues that although many people in the developed world have become less religious in recent years, the underlying human needs that religion addresses remain vital to human flourishing. Ter Kuile writes:
“It may be helpful to think of the human longing that drives religious culture as something similar to music and the music industry, which has struggled mightily for the past twenty years, with CD sales in free fall for much of the 2000s and 2010s. But our love for music still endures. The same thing is happening in our spiritual lives. Attendance at congregations has decreased, but our hunger for community and meaning remains.
In light of this, Ter Kuile highlights something that many of us may not have noticed: the creation and increase of commitment to what could be considered spiritual “replacements” for religion. He continues:
“Formal membership is declining, but millions are downloading meditation apps and attending weekend retreats. In addition, they are finding spiritual lessons and joys in completely ‘non-religious’ places like yoga classes, the poetry of Cleo Wade and Rupi Kaur , and support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Dinner Party. Stadium concerts and karaoke replace congregational singing, and podcasts and tarot replace sermons or wisdom teachings.
Ter Kuile then points out some of the possibilities in this new era. Individuals can “unbundle traditions” and “mix” them with sacred rituals that build community and create meaning. In line with this, together with Vanessa Zoltan, Ter Kuile created the popular podcast “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” as a way for people to gather virtually and ritually share a close reading of a beloved book series.
Source: Pexels | Johannes Plenio
As another example, I recently went on a hike at my local state park in Afton, Minnesota. Following Ter Kuile, when I got out of my car, I turned off my phone to more intentionally connect with the natural beauty I encountered.
Then I set out to find a tree in the park to connect with, a tree I decided would be old and gnarly, one that would stand out from the rest. I found one that matched these criteria overlooking the St. Croix River, and I consciously walked around it three times in a kind of sacred gesture to appreciate the tree and ritualize its meaning. The next time I walk in this park, that tree will surely have added meaning to me.
Questions about spiritual “replacements”
There is much research evidence showing that increased community and meaning contribute to positive life outcomes, such as greater well-being. However, I wonder if these spiritual “replacements” might start to raise their own doubts and questions for people. For example, what actually constitutes a “sacred” text? Is Harry Potter enough? Would Mary Oliver’s poetry or some other text be better?
More generally, is spirituality defined by how we approach certain activities, or must it be anchored to a certain type of substance? Although it was a lovely experience, and although there is no reason not to do this too, could you do anything better than walking around a beautiful tree three times? Part of seeing religion and spirituality as a quest is asking these kinds of questions, honestly seeking what is true and good wherever the process leads.
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What about God?
Perhaps the biggest unanswered question concerns God. National survey data reveals how those who identify as “spiritual but not religious” are significantly less likely than those who identify as “spiritual and religious” to believe in the God of the Bible (20 percent vs. 84 percent ), but they are considerably more likely to believe in “some other higher power or spiritual force in the universe” (73 percent vs. 15 percent). Other data shows how, among the religiously unaffiliated, belief in God has declined over time.
If we find community and meaning in ways disconnected from traditional religious constructs and institutions, will it matter if we lose God in the process?
A considerable body of research demonstrates that perceiving a personal relationship with God predicts several psychological benefits, particularly when the relationship is construed as secure and when God is thought to be warm, caring, and loving. As the researchers note, people may “perceive God as an especially powerful source of support,” and this seems especially true in difficult times when perceived control is low. Also of interest is research showing how people who had difficult childhoods are much more likely to have a religious conversion later in life, perhaps due to the security that a perceived relationship with God provides when people otherwise have a history of not feeling safe.
As we explore a new religious and spiritual landscape, clarity can emerge. Do new spiritual lifestyles improve our lives, compared to our previously religious lifestyles? Do we miss God, do we long for God, or do we not care about God? What helps us thrive most about religion and spirituality? How we address such questions can contribute to the next chapter of how religion and spirituality evolve in the 21st century.
