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What
is the difference between spirituality and religion?
Terms
like “spirituality,” “faith,” and “religion”
mean different things to different people and often are used interchangeably.
I will tell you what they mean to me.
I think
“faith” refers to our response to God’s love.
It is belief in a divine being whom we cannot see or adequately
understand, and the hope that is God’s gift to us. Faith has
some element of decision to it, but at its core, faith is like a
child crying out to a parent.
“Religion”
refers to the customs and practices (such as prayer, worship, sacraments)
that enable us to act out our faith.
“Spirituality,”
as I understand it, refers to some of those customs and practices,
such as prayer and praise, as opposed to study and mission work.
The
distinctions can seem artificial, and I wouldn’t suggest making
too much of them.
--Tom
Ehrich
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