Spiritual, But Not Religious: Understanding Unchurched AmericaNearly 40% of all Americans have no connection with organized religion. Yet many of these people, even though they might never step inside a house of worship, live profoundly spiritual lives. But what is the nature and value of unchurched spirituality in America? Is it a recent phenomenon, a New Age fad that will soon fade, or a long-standing and essential aspect of the American experience? In Spiritual But Not Religious, Robert Fuller offers fascinating answers to these questions. He shows that alternative spiritual practices have a long and rich history in America, dating back to the colonial period, when church membership rarely exceeded 17% and interest in astrology, numerology, magic, and witchcraft ran high. Fuller traces such unchurched traditions into the mid-nineteenth century, when Americans responded enthusiastically to new philosophies such as Swedenborgianism, Transcendentalism, and mesmerism, right up to the current interest in meditation, channeling, divination, and a host of other unconventional spiritual practices. Throughout, Fuller argues that far from the flighty and narcissistic dilettantes they are often made out to be, unchurched spiritual seekers embrace a mature and dynamic set of basic beliefs. They focus on inner sources of spirituality and on this world rather than the afterlife; they believe in the accessibility of God and in the mind's untapped powers; they see a fundamental unity between science and religion and an equality between genders and races; and they are more willing to test their beliefs and change them when they prove untenable. Timely, sweeping in its scope, and informed by a clear historical understanding, Spiritual But Not Religious offers fresh perspective on the growing numbers of Americans who find their spirituality outside the church. |
Contents
An Introduction | 1 |
The Emergence of Unchurched Traditions | 13 |
The Flowering of Metaphysical Religion | 45 |
Exotic Messages Familiar Themes Contemporary Involvement in the American Dilemma | 75 |
Alternative Medicines Alternative Worldviews | 101 |
Powers of the Hidden Self Psychological Spirituality | 123 |
Other editions - View all
Spiritual, but not Religious: Understanding Unchurched America Robert C. Fuller Limited preview - 2001 |
Spiritual, but not Religious: Understanding Unchurched America Robert C. Fuller Limited preview - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
alternative medicine alternative spiritual American culture American religious American spirituality angels animal magnetism argued Baby Boomers become biblical Bill W Blavatsky Buddhism Celestine Prophecy chiropractic Christian connection consciousness cosmic divine doctrines Eastern Emerson ence energy existence experience faith gious Green politics harmony healer healing higher holistic human Ibid ideas individuals inner insight intellectual interest Jesus lives magic Maslow meditation mesmerism mesmerists metaphysical mind modern movement mystical nature Neo-Pagan occult organized outlook pagan Palmer Peale percent physical popular popular psychology practices psychic psychology quest Ralph Waldo Emerson reality relationship reli religion religious beliefs religious thought rituals role scientific secular seekers social spiritualist supernatural Swedenborg Swedenborgianism teachings theology theories Theosophy Therapeutic Touch thinking tion trance channeling Transcendentalism Transcendentalist tual unchurched American unchurched religious unchurched spirituality unchurched traditions unconscious understanding University Press Wade Clark Roof William James witchcraft worldview York
References to this book
Heaven's Kitchen: Living Religion at God's Love We Deliver Courtney Bender No preview available - 2003 |