Spiritual but Not Religious: The Advent of Eastern Religion in Western America
Introduction
In 2016, Barna Group conducted a survey of U.S. adults over the age of 18 in all 50 states to determine the beliefs of those who state they are “spiritual but not religious.”[1] The results of the research indicate that roughly 11% of the population readily identify with this designation, comprised mostly of Generation X and Baby Boomers. Less than one hundred years ago, such a category did not even exist; people identified with a defined religion or as unbelievers (atheistic or agnostic).
The Barna Group states, “what counts as ‘God’ for the spiritual but not religious is contested among them, and that’s probably just the way they like it. Valuing the freedom to define their own spirituality is what characterizes this segment.”[2] Further, it has become increasingly popular in left-wing political circles to embrace this position and has likely increased since 2016 as the default position of the most vocal of deconstructionists in America. For gospel reasons, Christians need to trace the history of this view so that they might have an answer for those who suggest that Christianity is one among many adequate religions and that one doesn’t need to define their religion to experience unity with God.
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