# data[].attributes.headline
Spiritual but Not Religious Ten Commandments

# data[].attributes.subject
Spiritual but Not Religious Ten Commandments

# data[].attributes.headline
The 'Nones' – Understanding & Reaching Those Who Step Away from Church

# data[].attributes.subject
The 'Nones' – Understanding & Reaching Those Who Step Away from Church

# data[].attributes.body
[Key ideas start at 2:00] This video explores why Nones do not go to church, but it also tells the brief stories of two individuals who make the choice to attend a Christian church.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
CBN.com - The Christian Broadcasting Network

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
BOSTON -- Christian leaders are grappling to understand the rise of the religiously unaffiliated in the U.S. - and how to reach them.

The Pew Research Center has labeled them religious "nones" which includes people who say they don't believe in God, question His existence or say their religion is "nothing in particular."

More than 23% of U.S. adults now fall in this category, compared with 16% in 2007.

Pew also says these "nones" are becoming less religious. Researchers conducted a religious survey in 2007 and again in 2014. They found the number of "nones" that don't believe in God jumped from 22% to 33%. They also found that the number of "nones" who believe in God fell from 70% to 61%.
Growing Up as a 'None'
Amanda Jodrey grew up in Massachusetts as a "none." She didn't go to church or speak with anyone who did. "My mom always told me 'we don't talk to people who believe in God because they're weird or they're different,'" she said.

Craig Aucoin, on the other hand, grew up attending church somewhat regularly but in high school he took a stand. "At that point I said 'I'm done with church. I don't want to go. I don't see any benefit. I don't see any reason why I should be going,'" he said.

Both Aucoin and Jodrey represent the emerging "nones." Pew says high numbers live in the Northeast and Northwest and many are young adults.

"It's a new phenomenon we're trying to understand," said Dr. Sharon Ketcham, associate professor of theology and Christian ministries at Gordon College.

The Pew studies found respondents expressing a wide variety of reasons for their disengagement with any religious group. Many don't believe in their faith anymore or don't like or see the need for church. Aucoin says that's what he thought in his twenties. "Really it was-'Yes, I believe in your God but I'm going to do things my way and as long as I'm a good person and as long as I do good deeds that will be enough,'" he said.

Others, like Jodrey, say they just don't think about going to church or are too busy. As a young adult Jodrey said "church never crossed my mind as something that I needed to do or seek."
A Culture Where Church-Goers are 'Consumers'
Ketcham sees a bigger picture-a culture in which people are consumers and judge church based on what it provides for their personal needs. "We then have the amplification of 'me and Jesus,'" she said, "and a reduction of the larger understanding of what the community of faith is about."

Another part of the problem, says Ketcham, is simply the growing number of choices that people have in choosing a church or ways to spend their time. "There were days that we lived in where communities were a given in our lives," said Ketcham, "But today, community is voluntary. I can choose whatever church, whatever small group, whatever program meets my needs."

Pastor Chad Braswell leads Metro Church in Marlborough, Massachusetts. He's well aware of those who are disconnected from any faith community but says he's not discouraged. "I just think that when times get darker, the light shines brighter. So yes, I see the numbers that you see but I also see this growing hunger after Christ," he said.

Many first-timers to Metro church tell Braswell that their experiences of guilt or shame in previous churches overwhelmed them and blocked any message of grace or hope. "A lot of churches put so much focus on holiness rather than the hope that Jesus talks about," said Braswell, "I feel that some people just feel they can't live up to that expectation and the guilt of what they've done or what they are into."

A focus on grace drew in Jodrey her first time at Metro. The single mom remembers a co-worker's invitation to an Easter service and how she cried throughout the sermon. "I'm like-'this is real. This actually happened'" she remembers thinking, "it wasn't just stories or people saying things."

When the service ended, however, she determined never to return. "I was so freaked out about the entire message, crying," she said, "I was so embarrassed and went out back and I got my daughter from kids church and I was like 'we are never coming back here' and she was like 'but mom, I met so many new friends-we have to come back!'"
Finding Community
They did return and today, Jodrey is involved in multiple ministries at Metro as is Aucoin, whose wife led him back to church five years ago. "At this point in my life," said Aucoin, "I couldn't imagine doing life without this community, without this group of people."

That deep connection is key because research shows that people long for community and a deeper purpose than themselves. There's no easy fix or formula for reaching the "nones" but a church that loves its members and community well is off to a great start.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 'Nones' - Understanding & Reaching Those Who Step Away from Church

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BOSTON -- Christian leaders are grappling to understand the rise of the religiously unaffiliated in the U.S. - and how to reach them. The Pew Research Center has labeled them religious "nones" which includes people who say they don't believe in God, question His existence or say their religion is "nothing in particular."

# data[].attributes.headline
Spiritual but Not Religious and Politics

# data[].attributes.subject
Spiritual but Not Religious and Politics

# data[].attributes.body
This is a long document. It is worth scanning over for some very recent statistics. It also has clear headers for sections. This might help you find a paragraph or two that interests you.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Executive Summary

The relationship between spirituality and religiosity among Americans today is complex. To measure these dimensions, PRRI developed two composite indexes. One measured spirituality using self-reported experiences of being connected to something larger than oneself. The other measured religiosity using frequency of religious attendance and the personal importance of religion. Based on this analysis, Americans fall into the following four categories:

29% are both spiritual and religious;

18% are spiritual but not religious;

22% are not spiritual but religious; and

31% are neither spiritual nor religious.

Most Americans who are spiritual but not religious still identify with a religious tradition.
Only three in ten (30%) spiritual but not religious Americans are religiously unaffiliated. Roughly one in five (18%) identify as white mainline Protestant, and an equal number (18%) identify as Catholic. Thirteen percent belong to a non-Christian religious tradition, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, or Judaism. Only 10% are nonwhite Protestant, and five percent are white evangelical Protestant.

Among religiously unaffiliated Americans, only about three in ten (29%) can be categorized as spiritual but not religious.
About two-thirds (65%) of religiously unaffiliated Americans are neither spiritual nor religious, compared to five percent who are not spiritual but religious and one percent who are both spiritual and religious.

Nonreligious Americans-including those who are spiritual but not religious-are substantially younger than religious Americans.
A majority of Americans who are spiritual but not religious (56%) and those who are neither spiritual nor religious (62%) are under the age of 50. Fewer Americans who are not spiritual but religious (50%) or who are spiritual and religious (46%) are under the age of 50.

Spiritual but not religious Americans are significantly more liberal than other Americans.
Four in ten (40%) Americans who are spiritual but not religious are liberal, compared to 24% of the general population. Among the other groups, 27% of neither spiritual nor religious Americans, 18% of spiritual and religious Americans, and 14% of not spiritual but religious Americans identify as liberal.
Higher levels of spirituality are strongly related with higher life satisfaction across a range of measures.
More than six in ten (61%) spiritual but not religious Americans and seven in ten (70%) spiritual and religious Americans are very or completely satisfied with their lives overall. Only 53% of those who are not spiritual but religious and fewer than half (47%) of those who are neither spiritual nor religious say the same.

Similarly, half (50%) of Americans who are spiritual but not religious, and 53% of those who are spiritual and religious, report being satisfied with their personal health. In contrast, about four in ten of those who are not spiritual but religious (42%) and those who are neither spiritual nor religious (37%) report being satisfied with their health.
Americans who are more spiritually oriented are more apt to engage in various kinds of pro-social behaviors.
Thirty-six percent of spiritual Americans -a category that includes Americans who are spiritual but not religious and those who are spiritual and religious-report having done a personal favor for a friend or coworker within the last week, compared to only 22% of nonspiritual Americans.

Roughly four in ten (41%) spiritual Americans say they have allowed someone to cut ahead of them in line within the last week, compared to only 30% of nonspiritual Americans.
Spiritual Americans are substantially more likely than those who are less spiritual to have inspirational experiences when engaging with various types of media.

Roughly half (49%) of spiritual Americans, including an identical number (49%) of the spiritual but not religious, report that they felt moved, touched, or inspired while watching television in the last week. More than one-third (36%) of nonspiritual Americans report a similar experience.

Roughly seven in ten (71%) spiritual Americans-including 69% of the spiritual but not religious-say they have been touched, moved, or inspired within the last week while listening to a song or piece of music. About four in ten (43%) nonspiritual Americans report having this experience.

Introduction: Religious Change and the Rise of Spirituality

The American religious landscape is undergoing unprecedented tectonic shifts in identity and practice. Americans who do not identify with any religious group-the religiously unaffiliated-now account for nearly one-quarter (24%) of the adult public, tripling in size over the last 25 years. ¹ At the same time, trust in religious institutions has fallen to historic lows. According to Gallup, only 42% of the public report having a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in organized religion. This is the lowest mark in the more than 40 years Gallup has canvassed American opinion on this topic. At its peak in 1975, more than two-thirds (68%) expressed confidence in organized religion. ²

The decline of formal religious affiliation and the rising distrust of institutional religion have led some scholars to question whether the fundamental nature of religious practice and belief is changing. Rising rates of disaffiliation may not necessarily indicate an increasingly secular orientation but rather an abandonment of traditional religious practices in favor of a more personalized and customizable spirituality. This argument-that in leaving formal religion, many people who disaffiliate are not becoming secular, but instead are identifying as "spiritual but not religious"-is supported by research that shows growing interest in spirituality. ³

There is some evidence to suggest that interest in spirituality and spiritual activities, such as meditation and yoga, is increasing. A report from the Pew Research Center found that Americans are more likely to report feeling a deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being or a sense of wonder about the universe than they were a few years earlier. ⁴ A CDC study, published earlier this year, found that participation in yoga nearly doubled from 2002 to 2012. ⁵

Despite the widespread attention that the spiritual but not religious group has received in recent years, there have been few efforts to undertake a rigorous investigation of the complex interplay of spirituality and religiosity among the American public. This report focuses on the group of Americans who are spiritual but not religious and explores the unique contribution that spirituality makes on personal behavior and decisions.

Measuring Spirituality and Religiosity

Spirituality is a complex concept with a wide variety of possible meanings. Because this concept is inherently subjective-many activities and experiences can be imbued with spiritual meaning-developing a standard definition poses challenges.

The approach we have taken here is to measure spirituality using self-reported experiences related to feelings of being connected to something larger than oneself. We developed a battery of eight statements that were posed to a nationally representative sample of Americans about how often they had a variety of different experiences related to spirituality. Three questions in particular were highly correlated and seemed to all tap a broader concept that fit well with definitions of what it means to be a spiritual person. These three questions asked Americans how often they "felt particularly connected to the world around you," "felt like you were a part of something much larger than yourself," and "felt a sense of larger meaning or purpose in life." ⁶ We combined these three measures to create a single composite measure of spirituality.

We also combined two measures of religious commitment-religious participation (how often Americans attend formal worship services) and religious salience (how important Americans report religion is in their personal lives)-to create a composite measure of religiosity.

We collapsed the spirituality and religiosity indexes to create a typology of four groups: spiritual and religious; spiritual but not religious; not spiritual but religious; and neither spiritual nor religious:

Spiritual and religious: people who are both more spiritual and more religious than average;

Spiritual but not religious: people who are more spiritual than average, but less religious than average;

Not spiritual but religious: people who are less spiritual than average, but more religious than average;

Neither spiritual nor religious: people who are both less spiritual and less religious than average.

In general, spirituality and religiosity are highly associated with one another. People who are highly spiritual are, on average, also highly religious. Conversely, those who are not that spiritual tend to be not that religious. Among all Americans, the two largest groups include those who are both spiritual and religious and those who are neither. Overall, about one-third (31%) of Americans are neither spiritual nor religious, meaning that they do not feel particularly spiritual and religion is not a central part of their lives, while nearly as many (29%) Americans are both spiritual and religious.

Fewer than one in five (18%) Americans are spiritual but not religious, meaning they report a high level of spirituality, while largely abstaining from religious practice. Similar numbers of Americans (22%) are classified as not spiritual but religious; they report participating in religious services regularly and say religion is important in their lives, but they demonstrate low levels of interest in spirituality.

An Examination of Spirituality and Religiosity

There are substantial differences in patterns of spirituality and religiosity by race and ethnicity. Black Americans are unique for their strong religiosity. Roughly three-quarters of black Americans are spiritual and religious (38%) or not spiritual but religious (36%). Only eight percent are spiritual but not religious. In contrast, about one in five Hispanic (21%) and white Americans (18%) are spiritual but not religious. White Americans (36%) are considerably more likely than Hispanic (21%) and black Americans (17%) to identify as neither spiritual nor religious.

Patterns of spirituality and religiosity vary widely among religious groups. A majority (54%) of white evangelical Protestants and nearly half (48%) of black Protestants are both spiritual and religious. About one-third (32%) of Catholics are spiritual and religious, while fewer than one-quarter (23%) of white mainline Protestants are spiritual and religious.

In contrast, unaffiliated Americans are the most likely to identify as spiritual but not religious (29%), although more than twice as many are neither spiritual nor religious (65%). White mainline Protestants are also far more likely to be neither spiritual nor religious (42%) than they are to be spiritual but not religious (18%). Catholics are much less likely to be neither spiritual nor religious (22%), while similar numbers are spiritual but not religious (15%). Very few white evangelical Protestants (5%) and black Protestants (5%) are spiritual but not religious.

There are significant gender differences in spirituality and religiosity, with men generally reporting lower levels of spiritual and religious activity. Nearly four in ten (37%) men are neither spiritual nor religious, compared to about one-quarter (26%) of women. Conversely, women are more likely than men to identify as both spiritual and religious (33% vs. 24%, respectively).

Partisan differences are somewhat muted. Political independents (24%) are more likely than Democrats (18%) and Republicans (12%) to be spiritual but not religious, while Republicans are more likely than Democrats to be both spiritual and religious (37% vs. 29%, respectively). About one-quarter (24%) of independents are spiritual and religious. Republicans (28%) are also more likely than Democrats (20%) and independents (19%) to be not spiritual but religious. One-third of Democrats (33%) and independents (33%) are neither spiritual nor religious, compared to only 24% of Republicans.

However, conservatives and liberals differ markedly in their spiritual and religious orientations. Nearly two-thirds of liberals are spiritual but not religious (30%) or neither spiritual nor religious (35%). Conservatives are about half as likely to be spiritual but not religious (10%) or neither spiritual nor religious (22%). More than four in ten (42%) conservatives are both spiritual and religious, compared to only 22% of liberals. Conservatives are also twice as likely as liberals to be not spiritual but religious (26% vs. 13%, respectively).

How the Spiritual but Not Religious Stack Up

Americans who are spiritual but not religious have a distinct demographic profile. They are more likely than the public overall to identify with a non-Christian religious tradition or to be unaffiliated. They are also somewhat younger and more politically liberal, and they are better educated than the population at large. Further, they are less likely than the public to identify as white evangelical Protestant or to be African American.

Differences in Religious Affiliation

The patterns of formal religious affiliation are starkly different between the different spiritual and religious groups. The majority of Americans who are spiritual but not religious identify with a specific religious tradition. Only three in ten (30%) spiritual but not religious Americans have no formal religious affiliation. Roughly one in five (18%) identify as white mainline Protestant, and an equal number (18%) are Catholic. Thirteen percent belong to a non-Christian religious tradition, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, or Judaism. Only 10% are nonwhite Protestants, and five percent are white evangelical Protestant.

Similarly, Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious are more likely than not to identify with a specific religious tradition. Roughly four in ten (39%) Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious report being religiously unaffiliated; nearly one in four (24%) are white mainline Protestant, and 15% are Catholic. About one in ten (9%) identify as a member of a non-Christian religious tradition.

Americans who are not spiritual but religious include a disproportionate number of Catholics and black Protestants. Nearly one-third (31%) are Catholic, while 22% are white evangelical Protestant, 15% are black Protestant, and 13% are white mainline Protestant. Only four percent are religiously unaffiliated.

Demographic Divisions

The gender gap varies considerably between the different groups. Americans who are spiritual but not religious are somewhat more likely to be women than men (54% vs. 46%, respectively). In contrast, the majority (56%) of Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious are men, while about four in ten (44%) are women. The gender divide is largest among those who are both spiritual and religious, among whom 59% are women.

There are wide differences in the racial and ethnic profiles of these groups. Americans who are spiritual but not religious roughly approximate the racial and ethnic composition of the public overall, although they are somewhat less likely to be black. About two-thirds (66%) of spiritual but not religious Americans are white, 17% are Hispanic, and five percent are black. Notably, more than one in three (36%) Americans who are spiritual but not religious are white women.

Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious are considerably less diverse. More than three-quarters (76%) are white, 10% are Hispanic, and only seven percent are black. Notably, nearly half (46%) are white men. In sharp contrast, those who are not spiritual but religious include a much greater share of nonwhite Americans. Fifty-four percent are white, while roughly one in five are black (19%) or Hispanic (21%). Americans who are both spiritual and religious resemble the public overall.

In general, nonreligious Americans, whether spiritual or not, tend to be significantly younger than religious Americans. A majority of Americans who are spiritual but not religious (56%) and those who are neither spiritual nor religious (62%) are under the age of 50, including about one-quarter (26% and 24%, respectively) who are under 30. Fewer Americans who are not spiritual but religious (50%) and those who are spiritual and religious (46%) are under the age of 50. Notably, Americans who are both spiritual and religious are about twice as likely as Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious to be 65 or older (28% vs. 15%, respectively).

There are significant educational disparities between these groups as well. Americans who are spiritual but not religious have substantially higher levels of formal education. Four in ten (40%) have a four-year college degree, including 17% who have a post-graduate level of education. A similar number (39%) of Americans who are spiritual and religious have a four-year college degree. Three in ten (30%) Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious have a four-year college degree. In contrast, only 24% of Americans who are not spiritual but religious are college graduates; 53% have no college education at all.

Political Divisions

Overall, political divisions are most stark between Americans who are religious versus those who are not. Four in ten (40%) Americans who are spiritual but not religious are liberal, compared to 27% of neither spiritual nor religious Americans and fewer than one in five of those who are both spiritual and religious (18%) and not spiritual but religious (14%). Roughly one in five spiritual but not religious Americans (17%) and Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious (22%) identify as conservative. Twice as many Americans who are both spiritual and religious identify as conservative (44%).

When it comes to party affiliation, the spiritual but not religious are much more likely to eschew partisan labels than other Americans. More than four in ten (44%) are politically independent, although they are more than twice as likely to identify as Democrat than Republican (36% vs. 16%, respectively). Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious are about equally likely to identify as independent (34%) as Democrat (36%); only 20% are Republican. Americans who are both spiritual and religious, as well as those who are not spiritual but religious, are about equally likely to identify as Republican, independent, and Democrat.

Spirituality, Religiosity, and Life Satisfaction

The survey included measures of life satisfaction across six areas: life in general, personal health, family life, relationships with friends, quality of life in the local community, and the way things are going in the country as a whole.

Overall, Americans report relatively high levels of satisfaction with the different facets of their lives. Nearly six in ten (58%) Americans report they are very or completely satisfied with their life in general. More than six in ten Americans also report that they are very or completely satisfied with their family life (66%) and relationships with friends (62%). Less than half of Americans report that they are very or completely satisfied with the quality of life in their local community (46%) and personal health (44%).

Notably, only about one in ten (11%) Americans say they are very or completely satisfied with how things are going in the country today; a majority (53%) of Americans say they are not too satisfied or completely dissatisfied. ⁷

The Impact of Spirituality and Religiosity on Life Satisfaction

A person's level of spirituality is a consistently strong predictor of how satisfied they are with various aspects of their life. Spiritual people-regardless of whether they are religious or not-report higher levels of satisfaction with their relationships, communities, and life in general than do nonspiritual people.

For instance, a majority (53%) of Americans who are both spiritual and religious and half (50%) of Americans who are spiritual but not religious report being very or completely satisfied with their personal health. Fewer than half of those who are not spiritual but religious (42%) and those who are neither spiritual nor religious (37%) report being satisfied with their health.

Similarly, while more than six in ten of those who are both spiritual and religious (70%) and those who are spiritual but not religious (61%) are very or completely satisfied with their life in general, only 53% of the not spiritual but religious and fewer than half (47%) of those who are neither spiritual nor religious say the same.

We combined these six measures of life satisfaction to create the Life Satisfaction Scale. Overall, nearly six in ten Americans exhibit very high (22%) or high (37%) levels of life satisfaction, compared to roughly four in ten who express moderate (27%) or low satisfaction (14%) with the various facets of their lives.

No group expresses a greater degree of satisfaction than Americans who are both spiritual and religious. Nearly three-quarters (73%) have high levels of overall satisfaction. More than six in ten (63%) Americans who are spiritual but not religious are also highly satisfied with different aspects of their lives. Fewer Americans who are not spiritual but religious (54%) and those who are neither spiritual nor religious (47%) express a high degree of overall satisfaction. A majority (54%) of Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious have moderate or low levels of satisfaction with various aspects of their life.

The Spiritual Divide in Prosocial Behavior

Americans who are more spiritually oriented are also more apt than those who are less spiritually inclined to engage in various kinds of pro-social behaviors, such doing favors for others or expressing gratitude and appreciation. Praying for someone who is not a close friend or family is the only pro-social behavior measured where religiosity, rather than spirituality, is the dominant influence.

Doing Favors for Others

Spiritual Americans are significantly more likely than those who are not spiritual to report having done a personal favor for a friend or coworker within the last week (36% vs. 22%, respectively). The spiritual divide persists regardless of levels of religiosity. Nearly four in ten (38%) Americans who are spiritual but not religious and about one-third (34%) of those who are both spiritual and religious report engaging in this type of activity in the last seven days. By contrast, about one-quarter (27%) of Americans who are not spiritual but religious and only 20% of those who are neither spiritual nor religious report having done a favor for a friend or coworker recently.

There is a similarly sized gap between spiritual and nonspiritual Americans when it comes to allowing someone to cut ahead in line. Roughly four in ten (41%) spiritual Americans, including 42% of the both spiritual and religious and 40% of the spiritual but not religious, say they have done this within the last week. Three in ten (30%) nonspiritual Americans say they have allowed someone to cut ahead of them in line in the last week, including similar numbers of those who are not spiritual but religious (32%) and those who are neither spiritual nor religious (27%).

Americans who are spiritually oriented are also more inclined to listen to someone talk about a problem. More than six in ten (62%) spiritually oriented Americans, including an identical number of the spiritual but not religious (62%) and the spiritual and religious (62%), report having done this within the last seven days. Only half (50%) of those who are not spiritual say they have listened to someone talk about a problem in the last week. Americans who are not spiritual but religious are somewhat less likely than those who are neither spiritual nor religious (46% vs. 54%, respectively) to report listening to someone talk about a problem in the past week.

Expressing Gratitude

Americans who are more spiritually oriented tend to express gratitude and appreciation more frequently than those who are not. A majority (56%) of spiritual Americans, including 58% of those who are spiritual but not religious and 55% of those who are both spiritual and religious, say they have paid a compliment to a colleague or coworker over the past week. In contrast, only about four in ten (41%) nonspiritual Americans say they have done this. Similar numbers of Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious (42%) and not spiritual but religious (37%) report having complimented a colleague or coworker in recent days.

Spiritual people are also more likely to report that they had thanked a stranger in the past week. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of spiritually oriented Americans, including 75% of those who are spiritual but not religious and 74% of those who are spiritual and religious, say they have done this. By contrast, 64% of nonspiritual Americans, including 62% of those who are not spiritual but religious and 65% of those who are neither spiritual nor religious, say they have thanked a stranger within the last week.

Not surprisingly, spiritual Americans express a high level of gratitude for the things in their lives. More than eight in ten (83%) spiritually oriented Americans-including 73% of those who are spiritual but not religious and 89% of those who are both spiritual and religious-say the statement "if I had to list everything I felt grateful for, it would be a very long list" describes them either exactly or very well. Significantly fewer (57%) Americans who are not spiritual, including 66% of those who are not spiritual but religious and only 50% of those who are neither spiritual nor religious, say this statement describes them very well.

Praying for Others

One measure of pro-social behavior, however, shows a different pattern: Praying for someone who is not a close friend or family member. When it comes to this personal behavior, religiosity plays a more important role than spirituality.

Americans who are spiritual and religious are most likely to pray for other people-65% say they have done this in the last week. About half (51%) of Americans who are not spiritual but religious also say they have done this recently. In contrast, only about one-third (35%) of Americans who are spiritual but not religious and about half as many (16%) Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious say they have prayed for other people within the last week.

Spirituality and Leisure Activities

Leisure activities undoubtedly impact our life satisfaction. It is reasonable, then, to expect that spiritual Americans spend their down time differently than their nonspiritual counterparts. The fact that spiritual Americans are more likely to meditate at least once a week (42%) than those who are not spiritual (21%) is not surprising. ⁹,10 However, perhaps unexpectedly, spiritual Americans are more likely than nonspiritual Americans to report spending time with friends at least once a week (73% vs. 62%, respectively). Spiritual Americans are also significantly more likely to spend time gardening, hiking, or enjoying the outdoors at least once a week (59% vs. 51%, respectively).

Spiritual Americans differ in their leisure activities in another important respect as well. Compared to Americans who are not spiritual, those who are differ in the way they engage with certain forms of media-reading a book, listening to a podcast, or watching a movie. The tendency for spiritual Americans to be moved or inspired by media consumption holds true regardless of the type of media being considered.

Spiritual Americans are substantially more likely than those who are not that spiritual to seek out media experiences to find inspiration. Roughly half (49%) of spiritual Americans, including an identical number (49%) of the spiritual but not religious, report that they were moved, touched, or inspired while watching television in the last week. Slightly more than one-third (36%) of nonspiritual Americans report a similar experience. Close to four in ten (38%) spiritual Americans report feeling inspired while watching an online video in the last week; roughly one-quarter (24%) of nonspiritual Americans say the same.

Spiritual Americans are about twice as likely as nonspiritual Americans to have found inspiration while reading a book in the last week (31% vs. 14%, respectively). About one in four (26%) spiritual but not religious Americans say they were personally moved, touched, or inspired by reading a book within the last week.

No activity is a greater source of inspiration than listening to music. Roughly seven in ten (71%) spiritual Americans-including 69% of the spiritual but not religious-say they have been touched, moved, or inspired within the last week while listening to a song or piece of music. Fewer than half (43%) of nonspiritual Americans report having this experience, including only 39% of Americans who are neither spiritual nor religious.

Endnotes

[1] PRRI 2016 American Values Atlas.

[2] Saad, Lydia. "Confidence in Religion at New Low, but Not Among Catholics." Gallup. June 17, 2015. http://news.gallup.com/poll/183674/confidence-religion-new-low-not-among-catholics.aspx.

[3] Lipka, Michael and Claire Gecewicz. "More Americans now say they're spiritual but not religious." Pew Research Center. September 6, 2017. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/06/more-americans-now-say-theyre-spiritual-but-not-religious/.

[4] Masci, David and Michael Lipka. "Americans may be getting less religious, but feelings of spirituality are on the rise." Pew Research Center. January 21, 2016. http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/01/21/americans-spirituality/.

[5] Kachan, Diana et al. "Prevalence of Mindfulness Practices in the US Workforce: National Health Interview Survey." January 5, 2017. https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2017/16_0034.htm.

[6] Response options include: "Never," "seldom," "once or twice a month," "a few times a week," "almost every day," or "at least once a day."

[7] There are strong partisan disagreements on this question, with 19% of Republicans, compared to only 3% of Democrats saying they are very or completely satisfied with how things are going in the country today; 72% of Democrats, compared to only 30% of Republicans, say they are not too satisfied or completely dissatisfied.

[8] All six measures of personal satisfaction are highly correlated, although the bivariate relationships vary somewhat between measures. The Cronbach's alpha for the scale is 0.8, indicating that they are suitable to be combined into a single scale.

[9] This analysis is based on the previous wave of this survey: PRRI/Florida State University 2016 Inspirational Media Survey.

[10] Interestingly, spiritual Americans are not significantly more likely than those who are not spiritual to participate in yoga at least once a week (9% vs. 7%, respectively).

Appendix

Recommended Citation

Jones, Robert P., Daniel Cox, and Art Raney. "Searching for Spirituality in the U.S.: A New Look at the Spiritual but Not Religious." PRRI. 2017.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Searching for Spirituality in the U.S.: A New Look at the Spiritual but Not Religious | PRRI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The relationship between spirituality and religiosity among Americans today is complex. To measure these dimensions, PRRI developed two composite indexes. One measured spirituality using self-reported experiences of being connected to something larger than oneself. The other measured religiosity using frequency of religious attendance and the personal importance of religion.

# data[].attributes.headline
A Critical Look at the Idea of Spiritual but Not Religious

# data[].attributes.subject
A Critical Look at the Idea of Spiritual but Not Religious

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What's all this "spiritual but not religious" claptrap? Saying you're spiritual but not religious is like saying you love food, but hate cooking. Let's take it further. You love food but hate cooking? That means you can't be bothered to learn to cook. You can't be bothered to study food and a meal and how it all fits togethers. You can't be bothered to read cookbooks and learn how to make a recipe. You're not willing to give it a try and burn something and be embarrassed. You're not willing to burn your fingers, make a mess and have to clean it up. You're not willing to invite friends, plan a dinner party, take a risk, spend some money and cook for them.

Why is that? Because you have known some bad cooks in your day? Because you were brought up on junk food? Because you have never had a cordon bleu five course meal? Because a chef once offended you in some way? Because you tried cooking from a cook book once and you failed? Because your friends think good food is snobbish? Because how can you eat a fine meal when there are hungry children in the world? Because some people eat better than you do and they understand fine food, and it makes you look bad? All of these and many more reasons can be given.

"Spiritual but not Religious?" This just means the person is too lazy to look beyond their adolescent bias. They are too lazy to learn what it means to be truly religious. They are too smug and shallow and immature to ever regard anything greater than themselves as greater than themselves.

"Spiritual but not Religious"? They have dismissed religion before they have even seriously considered it or studied it, and even if they have had a chance to consider it, what kind of religion have they been offered to consider? The state of Christianity in the United States is so dire, I'm not surprised any kid with half a brain rejects it. The culture encourages passivity and being a spectator. No wonder they reject religion for religion requires commitment and hard work and wonder and fear and self sacrifice and guts.

"Spiritual without Religion" is subjective Protestantism taken to it's logical end point. It's where individuals in a Protestant culture will end up, and given the starting point it makes sense. Some time ago a Protestant woman came to see me about her teenaged son who was a pretty smart kid who stopped going to church. He said to his parents, "I can love Jesus without going to church. Church doesn't matter."

"What can we say to him!?" they wailed. In fact, they didn't have an answer. The kid was right. If it is only about me and Jesus; if it is only about me and my "personal relationship with my Lord" what is the point of going to church?

Every argument is a theological argument. So what is the underlying theological problem? A distrust of the physical world. Manichaeism. The belief that the physical world is either evil or it doesn't ultimately matter. Protestantism with its denial of the visible church and it's emphasis on eternal security and salvation by faith alone (therefore what you do doesn't matter) and it's often otherworldly Puritanical denial of this world and all that is 'worldly' is Manichean, and it is no mistake that the historians of the Protestant movement see their pre cursors as the Bogomils, Paulicians and Cathars.

"Spiritual but not Religious" is therefore a denial of all that is real and physical in God's interaction with the world. It is a denial of the importance of the physical world. It is a denial of the church, a denial of the sacraments, a denial of the incarnation, and is therefore a most noxious heresy.

No. Because the Lord Jesus Christ-the only begotten son of the Father-took human flesh he therefore sanctified the physical realm. Because he took human flesh; human flesh matters. Because he on physical matter; matter matters. My body matters for it is the temple of the Holy Spirit. My Church matters. The physical church building matters. The One, Holy, Catholic, Apostolic Church-the Catholic Church with all her institutions and history and paperwork and bureacracy and canon law and dogma-all of it matters. The incense and the candles and the books and the bells. They all matter.

The saints and their suffering matters. My rosary and my books of theology and my Infant of Prague and my plaster St Therese and my Our Lady of Lourdes-soiled and with a hole in her head because a nun from the convent where I got her dropped her once-that matters, and so does my starving neighbor and my friend with a headache and my child who needs a hug and a listening ear. They matter.

And so does the Blessed Sacrament which is the focus of the presence of God in the physical.

...and because of this I kneel to adore.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What's all this "spiritual but not religious" claptrap? Saying you're spiritual but not religious is like saying you love food, but hate cooking. Let's take it further. You love food but hate cooking? That means you can't be bothered to learn to cook.

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.text
Can we just be #Spiritual but not #Religious? @tsemtulku https://t.co/NNVqtH1Whr

#tsemtulku
#Buddha
#Buddhism
#spirituality
#mindfulness
#meditation
#soulsearching
#enlightenment
#newage
#Spirituality
#Oprah
#Om
#USA
#India
#Tibet
#SuperSoulSunday

# data[].attributes.wish_content.attachment_props.original_text
Can we just be #Spiritual but not #Religious? @tsemtulku https://t.co/NNVqtH1Whr

#tsemtulku
#Buddha
#Buddhism
#spirituality
#mindfulness
#meditation
#soulsearching
#enlightenment
#newage
#Spirituality
#Oprah
#Om
#USA
#India
#Tibet
#SuperSoulSunday https://t.co/6bLMKH3khb

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
Can we just be #Spiritual but not #Religious? @tsemtulku https://t.co/NNVqtH1Whr#tsemtulku#Buddha#Buddhism#spirituality#mindfulness#meditation#soulsearching#enlightenment#newage#Spirituality#Oprah#Om#USA#India#Tibet#SuperSoulSunday pic.twitter.com/6bLMKH3khb
— Lobsang Chökyi (@Joyk999) January 11, 2018

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props_source.data.text
Can we just be #Spiritual but not #Religious? @tsemtulku https://t.co/NNVqtH1Whr

#tsemtulku
#Buddha
#Buddhism
#spirituality
#mindfulness
#meditation
#soulsearching
#enlightenment
#newage
#Spirituality
#Oprah
#Om
#USA
#India
#Tibet
#SuperSoulSunday https://t.co/6bLMKH3khb

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Can we just be #Spiritual but not #Religious? @tsemtulku https://t.co/NNVqtH1Whr

#tsemtulku
#Buddha
#Buddhism
#spirituality
#mindfulness
#meditation
#soulsearching
#enlightenment
#newage
#Spirituality
#Oprah
#Om
#USA
#India
#Tibet
#SuperSoulSunday https://t.co/6bLMKH3khb

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.text
Can we just be #Spiritual but not #Religious? @tsemtulku https://t.co/NNVqtH1Whr

#tsemtulku
#Buddha
#Buddhism
#spirituality
#mindfulness
#meditation
#soulsearching
#enlightenment
#newage
#Spirituality
#Oprah
#Om
#USA
#India
#Tibet
#SuperSoulSunday

# data[].attributes.headline
Dr. Zen's reflection on spiritual but not religious

# data[].attributes.subject
Dr. Zen's reflection on spiritual but not religious

# data[].attributes.headline
Spiritual but Not Religious Children's books

# data[].attributes.subject
Spiritual but Not Religious Children's books

# data[].attributes.body
Provides a list of books for those families who are spiritual but not religious. Brief summaries of each book are included.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
While a growing number of Americans are forsaking traditional religious identities, they're still asking the big questions: What is God? How do I make meaning in my life? What is the purpose of it all?

In fact, although the religiously unaffiliated are now the second-largest religious demographic in the country, Americans' level of spirituality seems to be on the rise. According to Pew Research Center surveys conducted in 2007 and 2014, more people in recent years are reporting feelings of wonder about the universe and spiritual peace and well-being. Among those who identify as "spiritual but not religious," about 67 percent are " absolutely certain" that God exists.

The growth of the unaffiliated is largely driven by the Millennial generation. As this group ages and begins to have kids, Millennial parents will certainly be searching for ways to pass their expansive spirituality to their children.

With that in mind, HuffPost Religion put together this book list for "spiritual but not religious" families who want their kids to look at the universe (and at the possibility of God) with plenty of awe and wonder. Most are books that describe a general sense of spirituality. Some refer to a specific religious tradition in a way that is accessible to people of all faiths. Other books celebrate the values that unite all faiths -- being kind to your neighbor, loving boundlessly, and treating people who are different with respect.

Scroll down for a list that includes books for a variety of ages -- from young children to adolescents -- and add your own favorites to the comments below.

ALSO ON HUFFPOST

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
16 Children's Books For 'Spiritual But Not Religious' Families

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While a growing number of Americans are forsaking traditional religious identities, they're still asking the big questions: What is God? How do I make meaning in my life? What is the purpose of it all? In fact, although the religiously unaffiliated are now the second-largest religious demographic in the country, Americans' level of spirituality seems to be on the rise.

# data[].attributes.headline
A Reflection on Spiritual but Not Religious

# data[].attributes.subject
A Reflection on Spiritual but Not Religious

# data[].attributes.body
Just over 5min but filled with interesting perspectives

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Spiritual But Not Religious - A Personal Experience

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
When I tell people that I am a Spiritual Life Coach, they often ask me about my religious beliefs. Although I started out as a Christian, I no longer identify as such. I usually respond by saying, "I am spiritual; but not religious." Needless to say, this answer seems to confuse some people.

# data[].attributes.headline
Spiritual but Not Religious by Oliver Koletzki

# data[].attributes.subject
Spiritual but Not Religious by Oliver Koletzki

# data[].attributes.body
Techno music by German music producer Oliver Koletzki.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Oliver Koletzki - Spiritual But Not Religious [Stil vor Talent]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get Oliver Koletzki's new album 'The Arc of Tension' here: https://OK.lnk.to/TheArcOfTension Artist: Oliver Koletzki Release Title: The Arc of Tension Label: Stil vor Talent Catalogue No: SVT193 Release: 2017-05-19 On his sixth album, The Arc of Tension, the Berlin based DJ, label owner and producer OLIVER KOLETZKI yet again presents his remarkable vision of contemporary electronic music, while he assumes the role of a storyteller.

# data[].attributes.headline
The Meaning of Spirituality - Mastin Kipp

# data[].attributes.subject
The Meaning of Spirituality - Mastin Kipp

# data[].attributes.body
Here is one perspective on what it might mean to be spiritual.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Spirituality is the measure of how willing we are to allow Grace-some power greater than ourselves-to enter our lives and guide us along our way. But that's just me. Get a room full of a thousand people and ask each one of them what spirituality means to him or her and the definition will start to get blurry. It isn't the same thing as asking someone to define a word like car or sun. Any consensus you might get will be vague, at best. And with vagueness comes confusion.

So many people today are throwing around words and phrases such as spirituality, intention, highest potential, higher self, purpose, attraction, vibration. The list goes on and on. We can form pretty sentences like, "My intention is to raise my vibration to the level of my highest self so I can reach the goal of my highest potential and FINALLY live my purpose and attract an amazing life!" It sounds good, doesn't it? But what does it mean? Did the person who said this know what he or she was talking about? To me, undefined spiritual lingo is poetry, at best-manipulation and control, at worst.

And what it often leaves out, in my humble opinion, is room for Grace. The uncontrollable, benevolent, Loving power of the Divine that wants to enter the world through and as YOU. So, why aren't all of us living in the middle of that kind of Grace? For many of us in the so-called spiritual world, it's because there's no room! We're so stuffed up with ideas about what spiritual is (chanting "Om," biking to work, eating raw food) and is not (TV, junk food, plastic bottles), that we haven't left room for it.

The good news is that even if most of us don't consciously leave room for Grace, Grace will find a way. Whether we like it, and using whatever tools are necessary. Even if that means shaking our foundations so strongly we lose all sense of control and don't know which way is up. Yep, it sometimes takes nothing less than a life-shattering crisis to break up the soil and let Grace unfurl.

What spirituality does do is help us better navigate our lives so that the cycle of crisis to Grace isn't as bumpy. When we behave in ways that are truly spiritual, there are fewer struggles and there is less suffering. We can ride the waves of crisis with more surrender, and in that way we allow Grace to carry us. Spirituality isn't about being gluten-free, wearing Lululemon, doing vinyasas, chanting mantras, going to church, tithing, doing self-help seminars, being vegan, being vegetarian, reading self-help books, subscribing to The Daily Love or any other thing that you do. While all these choices are awesome, in my estimation, they don't equate to being spiritual. You can wear all the right clothes and spend all your days at an ashram and still act like a jerk.

At its essence, spirituality is a measure of how Loving you are, how unconditionally accepting you are toward yourself and others. It is a living practice. You don't need to go to Italy, India or Bali to find your spirituality, although those places may be lovely to visit. It's right here in front of you, right now. It's in every person you meet and every breath you take. It's everywhere you go, though you can't see it. You certainly can't buy it. And you won't find it in a book. None of these "things" matter if you aren't being Loving.

The external markers are potential gateways to learning how to Love, but they are not the Loving itself, because Love itself can only be found within you. That's the promise and that's the bitch. You think you need to go to all these exotic places to find it, but it's not out there-it's in here! But "Where in here?," you might wonder. My mind? My heart? My lungs? My feet? My toes? My ankles? My eyebrows? Where is this spirituality thing? WHERE IS THE LOVE INSIDE OF ME?

Here comes one of the most important lessons I have ever learned.

The Love is in the choices we make.

Period.

Being Love is being a living thing; it's a moment-by-moment practice. If you're anything like me, you'll be refining it and trying to get it right for the rest of your life. And good for you, because people who are trying to be Loving are my kind of people. I'd rather hang out with a Loving member of an opposing political party, or a Loving carnivore atheist, than I would a cold-hearted yogi, no matter how long he or she's been a gluten-free vegan or how many times they've chanted at the altar of Shiva.

I've learned that when we begin to understand what spirituality is-and we begin to shift our lives toward unconditional Love-we start to see ourselves differently. We see that everyone has a gift to give to the world. All of us are both teachers and students. We are givers and receivers. We are unique and to be celebrated. When we go one step deeper, we start to see that we are the Divine's gift to the world. All of us. Including me.

Mastin Kipp is the author of Daily Love: Growing into Grace and The Daily Love blog and website.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Spirituality is the measure of how willing we are to allow Grace-some power greater than ourselves-to enter our lives and guide us along our way. But that's just me. Get a room full of a thousand people and ask each one of them what spirituality means to him or her and the definition will start to get blurry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.embed_code
Those #who #speak of spirituality #outside of #religion often #define #themselves as #spiritual but not religious and #generally #believe in the #existence of #different "spiritual #paths," #emphasizing the #importance of #finding one's #own #individual #path to #spirituality. pic.twitter.com/MrgsZ1w33m
— Privilege Living (@LivingPrivilege) December 23, 2017

# data[].attributes.body
This is a study from the Pew Research center about Nones and their perspectives on organized religion.

# data[].attributes.body
[Key ideas start at 4:00] Captures a
perspective on the need to search for meaning through the act of being authentic.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How The Daily Love's Mastin Kipp Found True Love

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mastin Kipp, founder of The Daily Love Blog, wanted to make a contribution of massive proportions - so he looked online...and here's what happened.

# data[].attributes.headline
Spiritual but Not Religious: A Perspective

# data[].attributes.subject
Spiritual but Not Religious: A Perspective

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
I am Spiritual but not Religious - What Does that Mean?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - These days it is more likely for someone to say that they are Spiritual instead of Religious. But what exactly does that mean? Everyone has a different definition.

# data[].attributes.body
What actually defines a millennial?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
I'm whatever generation it is when you can never die because of a sacrifice made to the olden gods. Hardly Working - What really goes on in CollegeHumor offices may surprise you, unless you're already familiar with unprofessional, inappropriate slackoffs getting nothing done.

# data[].attributes.headline
Church for the Spiritual but not Religious

# data[].attributes.subject
Church for the Spiritual but not Religious

# data[].attributes.body
This video provides perspective/commentary on the category of "spiritual but not religious"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Church For People Who Are "Spiritual, But Not Religious"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Organized religion freaks me out, but this is kind of cool.

# data[].attributes.body
This is from a study by the Pew Research Center on the rise of individuals (considered by ethnicity) who consider themselves spiritual but not religious.