Spirituality vs Religous

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Sara753

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What is the difference? I have been thinking about this for some time. I am more spiritual as in Our Holy Father is in my mind and heart at all hours of the day and night.
I have prayer time with Him often and praise His Holy Name.
I attend church weekly, and I used to attend daily.

The question seems simple enough, what is the difference between a spirit filled person, one that contemplates things we cannot see.
What is the Religious? One who is more church minded?
I really don’t know. Please tell me what are your thoughts.
 
The Church defines spirituality and religiousness as follows -

Spiritual - “The life of the Holy Spirit, dwelling in the souls of the faithful and enabling them to praise and love God and serve him in the practice of virtue. It is called the spiritual life because: 1. its animating principle is the Spirit of god, the “Soul of the soul” in sanctifying grace; 2. it is the supernatural life of the human spirit; 3. it is mainly lived out in the spiritual faculties of intellect and will, although affecting the whole person, body and soul.”

Religion - “The moral virtue by which a person is disposed to render to God the worship and service he deserves. It is sometimes identified with the virtue of justice toward God, whose rights are rooted in his complete dominion over all creation. Religion is also a composite of all the virtues that arise from a human being’s relationship to God as the author of his or her being, even as love is a cluster of all the virtues arising from human response to God as the destiny of his or her being. Religion thus corresponds to the practice of piety toward God as Creator of the universe.”

as you can see, they really work hand in hand, and you cannot really have one without the other, at least in the Catholic sense,
and the main aspect of either spirituality or religiousness, is virtue, and love of God, both of which, again, you cannot have one without the other.

going to church really doesn’t make one “religious” or “spiritual”, because not everyone who goes to church is going out of love for God, many go merely to fulfill their Sunday obligation, and many go without really knowing exactly why…and then some cannot go to church, for whatever circumstance, especially in areas of religious persecution, and yet they can be just as or even more religious than those who do go…
but the true spiritual and religious life, which work hand in hand, are lived mainly on the inside, and the reason for that can be found by reading the first epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians “If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”
Charity is the love of God, and it is God Himself, and although we may be motivated by charity outwardly, charity is interior, it is the infused supernatural virtue by which a person loves God above all things for his own sake, and loves others for God’s sake, and it is the foundation of all things, because if charity is God, and God is charity, than to have charity is to have God, and to have God is to have all things.

well, i hope that makes sense, take care.
 
Great post and answer. I wanted to add that some drivers sport bumper stickers that read, “I am spiritual but not religious.”

These are people that are not connected with any organized faith but have developed their own spirituality. Not a good idea by the way.
 
When I think of spirituality, I’m thinking of mystical theology, aka the science of love. This is concerned with matters of the heart, which can happen regardless of religion. For example, what does a soul want? how does it go about getting it? how does it invite God in? I don’t know, I’m just making these up, but stuff along those lines. These are the things that help take us along the spiritual journey, into union with God and each other.

When people say religion, I think of dogma, moral codes, rituals, etc.

The problem I have with all this, is the vast majority of the Catholics I know are very familiar with the religion, but never even heard the term “spiritual journey” until I was 42 year old cradle Catholic and I hooked up with a spiritual director. You’d think in that much time sometime I would have heard some terminology.

I see it as kind of the “outer” and “inner” workings of the church. Religion can be defined and enforced, spirituality is a whole different matter. These aren’t intended to be literally true statements, but they depict my idea of approximately what it is like.

Alan
 
AlanFromWichita said:
The problem I have with all this, is the vast majority of the Catholics I know are very familiar with the religion, but never even heard the term “spiritual journey” until I was 42 year old cradle Catholic and I hooked up with a spiritual director. You’d think in that much time sometime I would have heard some terminology.Alan
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I like your points about religion and spirituality, but the part I quoted caught my attention. The teachings of our Church are very rich and deep. We seem to have to work hard for them.

I think the internet is responsible for allowing people to delve deeper into our faith. I know that it has helped me. 10 minutes of homily once a week did not do the trick.
 
I think it could be said that the purpose of religion should be to lead us to spirituality, IOW to a genuine relationship of love between God and ourselves. In that case our faith-our Church-is the Shepard, leading us to the Father.
 
Thank you one and all for your thoughts and for your insightful posts.

I am going through some internal changes, I don’t know if I can explain it.
Actually its best that I do not explain what I mean to say. I have no wish to dampen anyones feelings. Just know I am going through something of a change in my heart, regarding my church life.

I am a spiritual being, I have always known this since I was small. I am absolutely convinced that God our Father is within all of us, Jesus is the King of Kings. I know this.
We are drawn to right more so than wrong. We are drawn to truth, justice, goodness, and most of all love. Love is the greatest gift of all. Through this we can overcome all things.

A Religious may be a person that is drawn to the Spirit of God and through works, do many good things for the sake of the believers and unbelievers. STaying close to the celebration of the Mass, are reminders of his presense. All wonderful exercizes of the spirit.

They do go hand in hand, in an organized fashion through the church. Is it necessary?
Let me say that it is the gifts of the spirit to attend church and to consume its rich history and absolutly receive the sacraments for this holy journey of life. Holding tight to what is good.

This understanding - is at the core of my confusions. I have discord in my soul. I hope someone prays for me.
 
fhansen said:
I think it could be said that the purpose of religion should be to lead us to spirituality, IOW to a genuine relationship of love between God and ourselves. In that case our faith-our Church-is the Shepard, leading us to the Father.
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Wow. I think that’s the most I’ve heard said in those few words, in my life. :dancing:

:bowdown:

Alan
 
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