Spirituality, Gospel, Culture and Mission
We talk all the time about our desire to be ‘spiritual’, and ‘spirituality’ is regularly used to sell everything from sex to shoes, as well as being promoted as a stand-alone lifestyle or belief system that we can invent for ourselves.
What do we mean when we say we want to be ‘spiritual’, and how does that connect with anything that Christians might understand about the Gospel and God’s mission in the world? Can we create spiritual experiences for ourselves, or do they come to us from outside, unannounced and unsought? And what happens to us when we are in ‘spiritual’ mode? Is it the same thing as being ‘religious’, or something entirely different? Does ‘spirituality’ require a prior belief system, or is it a stand-alone dimension of being human?
These questions, and others like them, are of great interest not only to philosophers and theologians, but also to social scientists and healthcare workers. The possible answers are both fascinating and challenging, and will be explored in a context of asking how they might all connect with the mission of the church in a post-secular culture.
John Drane is the author of Do Christians know how to be Spiritual? The rise of New Spirituality and the Mission of the Church (Darton Longman & Todd 2005).
Olive Fleming Drane is the author of Spirituality to Go: Rituals and Reflections for Everyday Living (Darton Longman Todd 2006).Both are adjunct professors of Practical Theology at Fuller Seminary, California.
blah...manchester is a series of conversations hosted by CMS in partnership with The Church Army on mission, worship, church and Christianity in today’s rapidly changing culture. It’s a time to keep listening, chatting and reflecting as God beckons us into the future.
Tuesday 2nd May
6:30-8:30pm
Drinks and refreshments provided
Admission free
Venue: Nexus
Drinks served from 6:30
Input begins at 7:00
We have a limited number of places. It would help us to know in advance if you're coming, so please book a place and turn up!
E-mail Ben Edson on: blah@sanctus1.co.uk
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