Spiritual Institution Crisis #2

In the difficult times faced by spiritual institutions, it is interesting to imagine why anyone would bother connecting themselves to a spiritual community. What might make it worthwhile to accept the inevitable awkwardness, inconvenience and pain of joining other people in a shared expression of the spiritual journey?

To read the rest of this post, please go to: http://blogs.timescolonist.com/2012/08/03/spiritual-institution-crisis-2/

Rethinking Institutional Church #2 (see January 18, 2011)

The word “institution” seems to carry negative connotations for many people in our culture today. In the realm of spirituality, this is often expressed as being “spiritual but not religious.”

“Spiritual” is associated with discovering deeper meaning in life, acknowledging the mystery and wonder of existence, and growing in our ability to live together in meaningful human relationships.

“Religious” is associated with rigidity, dogma, rules, regulations, and restrictions. Institutions are seen as religious, not spiritual.

But, can spirituality thrive without an institution?

The Challenge of Institutions

I have been told it is not good form to reply to a blog comment with a post of its own. I have also been told that blog posts over a thousand words are ill-advised. But, there are times when it seems necessary to abandon all blog etiquette. What follows is a vastly over-long response to a comment on yesterday’s “The Problem With Religion.”

Chris,

I understand that your comment on “The Problem With Religion” is not a purely dispassionate, intellectual argument. The issues you raise are deeply important and I know your struggle is heartfelt. This struggle has profound implications for how we live out our faith and should not be taken lightly. But I want to try to respond simply to the idea you put forth, leaving aside for another forum the important and legitimate feelings behind your thoughts.

It seems to me that, if we are to survive in any institution, we are always going to be caught performing a delicate balancing act. We will always face a fundamental question – do the benefits I receive from participating in this institution, and the contribution I can make by my participation in this institution, outweigh the failures I perceive in this institution’s processes?