Spirituality Adventures: At the Wild Goose
Listen: “Something to Believe In” by Young the Giant
This past weekend (July 14-17, 2022), I spent some time hanging out with people at the Wild Goose Festival (wildgoosefestival.org). It took place at Vanhoy Farm in North Carolina. Brian McLaren had encouraged me to attend the festival. (Check out my podcast interview with Brian at spiritualityadventures.com.) It’s not like the “Burning Man” festival, but wasn’t your typical Christian conference either. I met people and heard presentations from all walks of life and multiple faith traditions. I even bumped into a couple whom I pastored back in 2008. It reminded me of one of my early blogs I wrote in 2020 as I attempted to describe Spirituality Adventures. I thought I would republish the blog for those who may have missed it with some minor changes. I will be doing some future podcast interviews with people I met at the Wild Goose Festival.
In 2019, I found myself in a crises of faith, and I needed some community support for my own sanity and sobriety. In addition to attending a black church, I decided to connect with a few recovery groups in Kansas City for the support I needed. Day after day I sat in groups of people and listened to them tell their stories and talk about their struggles. I’ve listened to drunks, addicts, prostitutes, atheists, rabbis, pastors, pantheists, Buddhists, doctors, prisoners, homeless, and LGBTQ peoples. By listening to personal stories I’ve realized that everybody is spiritual, and I have been inspired by every type of person as they wrestle with addiction, honesty, spirituality, and the deep questions of life. I have found courage and hope in messy stories mixed with radical grace.
Spirituality is vital to recovery of all sorts. This truth can be challenging to the atheist, the agnostic, or the religious person who is angry at God. In 2019 as I was struggling with my own faith, I was asked to developed some content for just such a group of people. About fifty percent of the people who need recovery are atheist or agnostic and can’t tolerate religion. The course I developed was on “Spirituality and Recovery.” Since I have taught the Bible and focused on Jesus for over 40 years, the challenge for me was to teach spirituality without Jesus or the Bible as my foundational text. I enjoyed the challenge, and the AA tradition and nature itself provided plenty of resources. I feel like I learned as I prepared (most teachers learn more than their students). I discovered that regardless a person’s religious orientation or lack thereof, there are some universally recognized strategies for nurturing spirituality—a way forward, so to speak, for the doubters, the disillusioned, and the disappointed.
So first: What is spirituality and is it different from religion? If you look up these words in the dictionary you will find that they overlap. “Religion” means a reverence for and belief in a God or gods and something which serves to “bind or connect” us with the sacred. In this sense, all of the great traditions of faith would be a religion like Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity. Religion can be used in a positive sense as representing devotion to God/gods and compassion for others. A passage in the New Testament says that true religion is caring for the widow and orphan (James 1:27). “Spirituality” means a concern for the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things. It speaks of a journey to connect with the infinite, a higher power, or something beyond. It involves connection with self, others, ultimate reality, and values that arise out of this pursuit.
In popular American culture, “religion” has taken on a primarily negative connotation and “spirituality” has taken on a largely positive connotation. This is true in the recovery community and in the culture at large. I have asked the question in many group settings, “What is the difference between religion and spirituality?” Answers vary, but a pattern emerges: religion is depicted as an organized, rigid, dogmatic belief system which has injured and harmed people. In some cases, the offense comes from a rigid emphasis on ridiculous rules over against loving relationship. In many cases, religion is seen as an oppressive force for violence, hatred, exclusion, conformity, tribalism, rejection, condemnation, and unkindness. Every major religion has failed to live up to its best values at various times in history (so have individuals who represent them). Spirituality, on the other hand, is seen as a personal or communal pursuit of ultimate meaning and purpose. It subscribes to an orientation of life which affirms the deep longings of the heart for love, beauty, goodness, meaning, purpose, and connection with something greater than self.
The fastest growing demographic in the rapidly changing spiritual landscape of America is “spiritual but not religious.” Most people around the world embrace some form of spirituality. Open, curious, loving discussions with people about spirituality is a window to the soul. Most people love to talk about spirituality in a loving, nonjudgmental context. What’s interesting is that the person of Jesus and other historic spiritual leaders invariably come up in the conversation. Jesus is known and recognized as a spiritual teacher around the world—as are Moses, Buddha, Lao Tzu, and Mohammed. These five teachers have influenced the spiritual and religious landscape of the world in which we live.
Spirituality Adventures serves to ignite spiritual growth and transformation through blogs, podcasts, events, pastoral care, and in-person groups. It is a nonjudgmental place to explore spirituality. I have always enjoyed interacting with people about faith, spirituality, and religion. My first earned degree was a BA in Religion at Baylor Univeristy.
I have been a follower of Jesus since my late teenage years and I am quite certain that if Jesus were walking around today, he would be hanging out with “spiritual but not religious people.” He would listen and ask great questions (just read the Gospels with a focus on the questions Jesus asked). Jesus would also tell many spiritual stories (parables) to ignite spiritual growth. He would hang out with people of high and low reputation and his heart would bend towards the most vulnerable and marginalized among us, regardless of their beliefs or lifestyles.
Thanks for reading and joining me on this spiritual adventure. I am truly excited about the journey and those who would walk with me. Stay in touch and thanks for your support.
Shalom
©realfredherron, 2022
