Seeking the Divine Beyond Organized Religion

This book argues that people outside of formal religious groups seek spiritual meaning through alternative communities.

In recent years, there has been growing attention on "nones," those who claim no religious affiliation, and individuals who seek spiritual fulfillment outside of the church. Philip Towne investigates why and how many former believers turn away from traditional, church-oriented faith altogether and envision alternative, community-based forms of belief. Across eight chapters, Towne discusses one such group: a community of artists who consider themselves largely unaffiliated with traditional religion and “spiritual but not religious." Through ethnographic research, this book considers how this psuedo-religious community utilizes community connection and technologies, such as Facebook and blogs, to pursue spirituality, replacing the role of a more traditional religious group. Instead of attending weekly services or completing daily devotions, members embrace spiritual practices such as yoga and artistic creation or align themselves with activist and human rights issues, therefore echoing the ethos, if not ritual, of religious practice. Towne argues that such non-ecclesial groups practice legitimate spiritual seeking which should be understood missiologically as valid spiritual expressions. Ultimately, this book seeks to discern and discuss the implications that this faith-based community, which bridges spirituality, religious (un)affiliation, and technology, might have on the mission, goals, and future of religious groups in America.