THE BASICS OF FAITH CRISES
I would like to begin with a few definitions:
Spirituality. Your perception of “the larger picture” or structure of the universe, and your sense of how you relate to this.
Religion. A human social institution designed to codify and nurture the spiritual experiences of a group of people with a similar spirituality.
Faith. Your negotiation between your spirituality and your religion.
Therefore, a person doesn’t “lose their faith”.
When a person’s spirituality and religion are out of sync, a faith disequilibrium is felt.
Street shrine in San Gwann, Malta
Faith negotiates this disequilibrium in one of several ways:
Suppressing spirituality in order to align with one’s religion
Rejecting one’s religion in order to allow spiritual expression.
Seeking out a religion that is compatible with one’s spirituality
Seeking out a deeper experience in one’s current religion
One more definition:
Crisis – an event or state in which one’s worldview becomes untenable. Your basic assumptions are proving to be flawed or inadequate. “Crisis” has the same root as “crossroads”. You are encountering evidence that suggests that you must turn down one road or another. You can no longer remain in your current state.
Everybody has a “religion”
Taken in it’s broadest sense, religion is the social support system of a person’s spirituality. Of course, if you are a Methodist, you seek out Methodist churches for support. But if you are an atheist, you still seek out communities of like-minded people to share your thoughts with and provide support. If you have absolutely no interest in spiritual or philosophical matters and you live for football, you are still adhering to a world view, specifically that happiness and meaning is based on the combination of intelligence, skill and physical prowess. There is order to existence (the rules) and there are rituals (the game, the pre-game and post-game activities, and the talk shows throughout the week).