Spirituality and religion are often discussed. In the current issue of USAToday there is an article "When Spirituality and Religion Collide." In the article the author refers to the increasing gap between spirituality and religion in Western societies, and the failure of traditional religious institutions to learn from the divide. The Church of Christ is one of those religious institutions.
I take spiritual to refer to interest in a higher power of some sort and religion to refer to the weekly assemblies of the thousands of churches and folks believe they can be interested in one but not the other. I continue to believe that people claiming to be Christian are saying they can follow Jesus without attending the local congregation.
According to what I have read, 80% of Americans under the age of sixty describe themselves as "spiritual." Two thirds say they pray every day, three fourths say they want a personal relationship with God but only a third say they attended church weekly.
Years ago the Kingsport Times had a column concerning how teenagers are spiritual but not the spiritual of their fathers so this has been going on a long time. In the book "Not a Fan" the author writes about the difference between being a fan of Jesus and being a follower of Jesus. Jesus has more fans than he does followers even in the Church of Christ.
If what I read is correct the Church of Christ is shrinking relative to the population as well as in actual numbers. It appears our traditions are not working. A reasonable question would be how to change that but I will predict the Church of Christ will as will most religious groups continue to arrange the deckchairs on the Titanic. Spirituality vs. religion is, I believe, a conundrum.
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