THE FALSE DICHOTOMY OF RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY: INSTITUTION VERSUS INDIVIDUAL EXPERIENCE OR TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN

The article discusses the polysemy of the term spirituality in common sense and in academic circles. It considers that the perception of private spirituality as opposed to institutional religion is not entirely correct. Firstly discusses the formation of the concept of spirituality, from its origina...

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Bibliographic Details
Author: Guerriero, Silas
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2024
Country:Brasil
Institution:Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás (PUC-GO)
Repository:Caminhos (Goiânia. Online)
Language:Portuguese
OAI Identifier:oai:ojs2.seer.pucgoias.edu.br:article/14391
Online Access:https://seer.pucgoias.edu.br/index.php/caminhos/article/view/14391
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Spirituality
Secular spirituality
Privatization of religion
Espiritualidade
Espiritualidade secular
Privatização da religião
Description
Summary:The article discusses the polysemy of the term spirituality in common sense and in academic circles. It considers that the perception of private spirituality as opposed to institutional religion is not entirely correct. Firstly discusses the formation of the concept of spirituality, from its original conceptions to the numerous today´s understandings. It deals with the extent of the criticism of the concept of religion and its impact on the concept of spirituality itself. It considers that both concepts are part of the same reality and are influenced by a model of the Christian, European and colonizing church. The almost immediate perception of an essentialized and sacralized spirituality prevents us from seeing it as a historical construct and from perceiving the ideological and social implications that result from it. Finally, he states that the two categories can be seen as the result of the same reality, thus creating a false dichotomy between them.