... numerous papers have been published on "religion vs. magic," "religion vs. mysticism," and "spiritual but not religious." Formal distinctions have been made by the field of anthropology and, to a degree, this is often what people are referring to. (Although, I agree, many times I'm not entirely sure what distinction people are making when they use these words.)
I read a comment somewhere that people who are 'spiritual but not religious' have been put off by people who are 'religious but not spiritual'
In these examples, religion specifically refers to the communal and organized aspects of religion.
And, as ever, I wonder what 'disorganised religion' looks like?
I'm not disagreeing, just offering another pov.
Magic is the use of private rituals to enact physical change through sympathy or contagion.
But is there not a common aspect to its shape and form ... and I rather think many religious people are private within the communal aspect.
Mysticism is the pursuit of altered states of consciousness through ascetic practices.
I am critical of the pursuit of mysticism, as it's a pursuit of experience ... and the great mystics seem to be non-experiential. It's a big topic, but if you've comes across Denys Turner (for example), you know what I mean.
Spirituality, then, often refers to an individual's interior experience and self-growth. Someone who is "spiritual but not religious" does not identify with any religious community or organisation, but often they feel connected to something greater than themselves and they may even engage in private spiritual practices like meditation (often a form of mysticism) or prayer (often a kind of magic).
Indeed, and not knocking that, but it has given rise to shops selling fetishes and dream-catchers and trinkets ... and often the SBNR means 'I do my own thing" which is problematic from certain standpoints.
Suffice to say I see spirituality in the Orthodox sense, as "the everyday activity of life in communion with God." and the doing of it is religion.
So, perhaps, spirituality is the interior disposition, religion its outward form ... but to say SBNR too often means "I like to think of myself as ..."
As for the communal aspect.
There is no greater test of love of neighbour than going to Church!
And having spoken to monastics about the nitty-gritty of living in community ... man, that is tough!
As ever, it's a big thing and as per my organic approach, it's never black-and-white, never just this-or-that.
Even Thomas Merton was told by his director that really, deep down, he wants to be a hermit in the middle of Times Square!
