UPFRONT April 26, 2010 Issue

PUT YOUR SPIRITUALITY TO THE TEST

KIM SHIPPEY, SENIOR WRITER

New Age movements dating from the early 1970s, which often embrace Eastern-influenced metaphysical thought systems, have blurred the distinction for some people between "being religious" and "being spiritual."

Mary Baker Eddy, herself a religious leader, minced no words in discussing this subject. In 1892 she wrote, "Spirituality is the basis of all true thought and volition." She also said, "Through the accession of spirituality, God, the divine Principle of Christian Science, literally governs the aims, ambition, and acts of the Scientist" (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, pp. 156, 204). Such passages leave one in little doubt that the source of spirituality—and that includes everyone—is our relationship with God.

Mary Trammell develops these ideas further in her lead article, "Co-travelers in the universe of Spirit" (page7). After sharing some historical perspectives, she calls on readers to put their spiritual muscle to the test in every aspect of their daily lives: "Exercise your growing spirituality in praying about world issues, like governmental corruption, health care, the environment, terrorism, church issues. Everything. Even the weather." She says that mental detours like anger or fear or preoccupation with material issues only slow a spiritual traveler down. "Our spiritual identity is what's supremely real, dynamic, and indispensable about us!" she writes. "Deep down, we all know we're spiritual."

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