Spiritual or Religious?

I believe in many things.  I believe in the laws of gravity.  I believe there is a tiny code of DNA in my cells that maps my traits and physical characteristics.  I expect that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.  Those are solid beliefs and they are part of the backbone of my life.

I also believe in God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  It is a solid belief and the backbone of my life.  But is it really the same as a belief in those other things?  Of course not.  I don't just believe in God, I have faith in Him.  I trust Him, I serve Him and I love Him.  That requires more than a belief and requires more effort to maintain.  For me, faith is more of a relationship than a statement of fact.

When I hear someone say they are "spiritual" but not "religious," it reminds me of the differences between belief and faith.  I am not suggesting that people who describe themselves as spiritual but not religious do not have faith.  However, it is my experience that people who describe themselves as "spiritual" are usually not people who worship in a church.  They draw a distinction between spiritual and religious because "religious" people generally belong to a church and adhere to a creed.

I know some argue that the sacraments, the mass, rosaries and other elements of the Church are ritualistic and the focus becomes the method of worship and "the rules" instead of the "spirituality."  I would respond that Jesus Christ and His mother gave those to us because God wants us to be united in worship and community.  Those "rituals" provide us with the framework to maintain a relationship with God, an opportunity to serve Him in a community that shares His love.

I fear that being "spiritual" is a belief that God is real, but somewhere far removed from daily life.  He's an abstract (agnostic) concept, like gravity or chromosomes.  I will admit that even with a creed, formalized worship and a church community, there are times when God is still an abstract in my life.  However, it's those "rituals" that sometimes keep me engaged when I feel disconnected from God.  I would much rather have "religious" than "spiritual" when I'm wandering in the desert of a dry faith.  After all, isn't the goal to love and serve God in the Way established by Christ while keeping the Holy Spirit involved in your daily walk?

So can someone be both "spiritual" and "religious"?  Is it even required?  Is one better than the other?  Regardless of how you label it, we are called to know, love and serve God.  While I may not always have both a "spiritual" and "religious" life, I think practicing my faith as a member of Christ's Church gives me the best shot at a relationship in which I know, love and serve Him.

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