Spiritual but not Religious: Understanding Unchurched America

Unchurched Spiritiuality in American History

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Fuller spends a significant portion of the book tracing the interest in unchurched spirituality throughout American history, as shown in such movements as Swedenborgianism, Theosophy, mesmerism, and mind cure. He then addresses the intimate connection between unchurched spirituality and alternative medicines, as well as the impact upon popular psychology and the self-help movement. Finally, he considers some of the criticisms typically leveled at unchurched believers, and whether or not theirs can be called a "mature" spirituality.

While Fuller's sympathetic treatment of such seekers is useful, there are still some problems with the book. For one thing, he never clearly defines what he means by "church." At times, he appears to be using it as a synonym for any organized religion (and indeed, his description of spiritual seekers demands this). At other times, his perspective shrinks considerably, and he seems to be looking through a particularly Judeo-Christian lens. For example, he calls reincarnation an "unchurched" belief, but of course it's only unchurched with regards to biblical traditions - it's very much an established part of many organized Eastern religions.

Another problem is that while there are three stated goals in the book, they aren't all addressed with equal thoroughness. One main goal is to identify and describe the group of people he calls "spiritual but not religious." This he does very well, and it's perhaps the book's most useful contribution to the subject.

A second goal is to show how this interest in non-biblical spirituality is not new, but rather part of an ongoing tradition dating from America's earliest beginnings. This he also accomplishes, and he even includes information on how the various movements impacted upon each other, though it would have perhaps been nice to devote more space to a discussion of why such interests and ideas keep recurring throughout American history, despite different immediate cultural circumstances.

Spiritual but not Religious: Understanding Unchurched America

A final stated goal was to show that "unchurched spirituality is gradually reshaping the personal faith of many who belong to mainstream religious organizations." This is the point I would have liked to see receive more attention - the only place where he really seems to stress the impact is in the influence of popular psychology, specifically on mainstream Christianity. Perhaps the overall connections are indeed there, but in general they aren't made explicit enough.

These issues notwithstanding, the book is definitely worth reading for the insight it provides into nontraditional spirituality, both as currently experienced and as practiced throughout American history. For those who tend to see theists as monolithically dogmatic in their beliefs and heavily dependent on the dictates of authority, the outlook of those who consider themselves spiritual, but not religious may come as a refreshing change.

What to learn more? Read the site's interview with the author, Robert C. Fuller

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