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Religious or Spiritual: What’s the Difference? Does It Matter?

Most of us assume the words “religious” and “spiritual” mean the same thing. And why not, since the two words are often used interchangeably. But that wasn’t always the case.  If you look up the original meanings of “religious” and “spiritual,” you’ll find out they once described two very different approaches to the Divine.

Words are nothing more than temporary symbols that we use by unspoken agreement. This quality allows language to keep up with our changing world, but it’s also where communication breaks down and word meanings are lost. When the original meaning of a word is lost, it doesn’t necessarily follow that the meaning was no longer valuable. As we look closer at the words religious and spiritual, you’ll see why change doesn’t necessarily imply improvement.

Currently, spiritual can mean almost anything.  Marketers regularly associate the word with beauty products, exercise classes, health food, or a trip to the spa. Spiritual is used interchangeably with religion, or it can describe the more personal aspects of religion. Sometimes it defines a private search for a connection with the Divine. This last description hits closer to the original meaning, but it still misses the original flavor of the word.

It’s fairly obvious that the word spiritual is built on the root word spirit, but the original meaning may surprise you. Spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, which means “to breathe.” Christians are often taught to associate spirit with “the breath of life” that god used to animate Adam in the Genesis creation story. The Bible also tells us that when spirit is withdrawn, the body dies. Is spirit the gift of life that can be given or withheld by God, or is it something more?

Spiritus described a life force that acts as the foundation of the universe. It actuates, permeates and continually sustains everything in existence, both animate and inanimate. In this case spiritus isn’t something used by the Divine, it is the Divine. This fits with quantum discoveries that demonstrate the universe is one interconnected, indivisible whole that shares consciousness and unending life. Matter may change to energy and energy to matter, but nothing can die.

Although we’re all constantly “in spirit,” it’s a state few of us recognize it.  When the word spiritual was originally used, it signified awareness of our true state, “in spirit.” When we’re aware, we know that we are an inseparable part of everything in existence, including the Divine.  Spirituality implies an unstructured, do-it-yourself approach and a direct, personal experience of the Divine.

The word religion evolved from a variety of related words.The French religare meant “to bind fast, to restrain or tie back.”  This referred to an obligation or contract that bound humans to gods. The Latin word religio referred to restraints put on humans by supernatural beings. And the Latin relegare literally meant “read again,” or the repetitious readings of texts that are considered holy.  The meanings of the words religare, religio and relegare were eventually combined to describe an organized body of believers that agree to:

• bind themselves to certain supernatural powers, giving them exclusive devotion
• conform to a particular set of doctrines, rules and moral values
• adhere to a specific interpretation of text they consider holy

Many religions use the same holy book, but a religious person professes allegiance to the specific interpretation of the book that’s endorsed by their church. Currently 30,000 to 40,000 Christian denominations accept the Bible but disagree on the interpretation, doctrines, rules and values they each accept.

Religion also implies organization and structure. Since religions have specific holy books, rules, rituals, and meeting places, leaders became necessary. A hierarchy that governs the church was established to protect its interests and direct the congregation. The word clergy originally denoted a person of learning and laity meant unlearned. This was especially true when the clergy class could read and the laity couldn’t.

There are three decisive differences between the religious and spiritual approach that we can each consider:

Doing vs. Being. Doing centers on the body, being focuses on the higher awareness of the mind. Religion is often connected to good works, church activities and obedience to rules and moral codes that govern the actions of the body.  On the other hand, spiritual awareness usually has little or nothing to do with the actions of the body. Although we all have the ability to experience the Divine directly, it becomes far more difficult when the body is engaged in doing.

Mediated experience vs. direct experience. The structure, hierarchy, holy books, rules and clergy direct and mediate the path a religious person will walk. A person on a spiritual path lacks outside direction, but their experience of the Divine is theirs alone.

A specified path vs. a do-it-yourself experience. The religious seeker walks a path many have travelled before them. They follow directions found in holy books and accept guidance from their religious leader. They expect their path will lead to a specific outcome. They spiritual seeker lets go of social conditioning and willingly accepts whatever Ultimate Reality shows them. Their path is free-flowing, dynamic. The goal is connection with the Divine, but the seeker does not have a preconceived idea of what that may look like.

Religious or spiritual? We can follow an established path or strike out on our own. Each approach offers a different experience and a different result. Making an informed decision about which path we really want is the first step.

Copyright © Lee and Steven Hager

About the Author

Lee Hager and her husband Steven are the authors of The Beginning of Fearlessness: Quantum Prodigal Son, a spiritual quest and scientific adventure based on Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, quantum physics and the gnostic gospels.

For more information on the synergy of science and spirituality and a free 6 part video eCourse, “Obstacles to Spiritual Growth,”  visit their website and blog at: http://www.thebeginningoffearlessness.com

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