EBOOK Spiritual, but not Religious:Understanding Unchurched America

Nearly 40% of all Americans have no connection with organized religion. Yet many        of these people, even though they might never step inside a house of worship, live        profoundly spiritual lives. But what is the nature and value of unchurched        spirituality in America? Is it a recent phenomenon, a New Age fad that will soon        fade, or a long-standing and essential aspect of the American experience?In        Spiritual But Not Religious, Robert Fuller offers fascinating answers to these        questions. He shows that alternative spiritual practices have a long and rich        history in America, dating back to the colonial period, when church membership        rarely exceeded 17% and interest in astrology, numerology, magic, and witchcraft ran        high. Fuller traces such unchurched traditions into the mid-nineteenth century, when        Americans responded enthusiastically to new philosophies such as Swedenborgianism,        Transcendentalism, and mesmerism, right up to the current interest in meditation,        channeling, divination, and a host of other unconventional spiritual practices.          Throughout, Fuller argues that far from the flighty and narcissistic dilettantes        they are often made out to be, unchurched spiritual seekers embrace a mature and        dynamic set of basic beliefs. They focus on inner sources of spirituality and on        this world rather than the afterlife; they believe in the accessibility of God and        in the mind's untapped powers; they see a fundamental unity between science and        religion and an equality between genders and races; and they are more willing to        test their beliefs and change them when they prove untenable.Timely, sweeping in its        scope, and informed by a clear historical understanding, Spiritual But Not Religious        offers fresh perspective on the growing numbers of Americans who find their        spirituality outside the church.