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Michael Fox CPCC,
founder of m·agine!,
is a professional
coach and trainer,
author and creative artist, whose work has been featured throughout
the world.
Michael is a
Certified Practitioner
of the
Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator.®
Do you know someone
who might benefit
from our weekly email?
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Religiosity
and spirituality...
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Among those who follow Jesus, there are some with a preference for religiosity and others with a preference for spirituality. The words "religiosity" and "spirituality" are often defined and employed with bias: those with a preference for religiosity sometimes, contemptuously, regard those with a preference for spirituality as lacking in conviction; those with a preference for spirituality occasionally, condescendingly, regard those with a preference for religiosity as too rigid.
Let's instead, for the sake of this post, define these terms with neutrality--without bias, without judgment. Might it be reasonable to broadly identify those with a preference for religiosity as believers drawn to concepts such as truth, "doing," form, conformity, and organization, while those with a preference toward spirituality as believers drawn to concepts such as spirit, "being," function, diversity, and transformation?
Those with a preference for religiosity tend to measure themselves and others in terms of strength; those with a preference for spirituality tend to measure themselves and others in terms of enlightenment. Although there is value in both religiosity and spirituality, the two preferences can prove polarizing. Many believers of both preferences have found themselves estranged from, alienated by, other believers who regard them as either not sufficiently strong or not sufficiently enlightened.
Such alienation among believers is regrettable, for it dishonors a core value of Jesus' ministry: the "ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18)--of building, restoring, maintaining relationship with both God and neighbor.
Regardless of whether or not you are a Christian, what is your natural preference: religiosity or spirituality?
How might you hold those who prefer the opposing preference?
What can be appreciated, learned, acquired, from the opposing preference and those who hold it?
How might you be true to your natural preference while true to Jesus' ministry of reconciliation--building, restoring, maintaining relationship with both God and neighbor?
Relevant postscript: Many years ago, a beloved mentor offered this wise counsel...People, he said, can have one of two aims as they read and study scripture. The first is to satisfy their intellectual curiosity; the second is to know the heart and mind of God. The first leads to arrogance; the second leads to humility. |
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Michael Fox
m·agine!
530/613.2774
P.O. Box 9144
Auburn, CA, USA 95604
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In addition to personal and professional coaching,
m·agine! specializes in spiritual transformation coaching,
employing its proprietary models
--Values, Vision, Voice and Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength--
as well as
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® curriculum
published by CPP, the People Development People.
Michael's books include
Complete in Christ,
Complete in Christ Spiritual Transformation Workbook,
and Biblio·files.
Coaching fees are based upon a sliding scale. Contact us for details.
Limited scholarships are available for spiritual transformation coaching.
On the flip side, if you are able, please inquire about opportunities
to fund scholarships for those who cannot afford coaching fees.
View our archives!
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