Spirituality and Religion Essay

Evidence has linked a strong relationship between spirituality and medicine. There is a positive correlation between a patient’s spirituality or religious commitment and health outcomes. A spiritual assessment as a part of a health assessment is a practical step to incorporating patient’s spiritual needs into practice. The FICA Tool and HOPE Questions provide serve to assist clinicians in the spiritual assessment process. By examining the research done using these tools, it has been determined that the FICA Tool is easy to use and provides basic data on a patient’s spirituality. The FICA tool is both reliable and valid. The HOPE Questions are

Spirituality does not have one definite definition, it varies depending on who is searching for the meaning. The meaning of spirituality can change within one person, the more they search for answers and find their beliefs. To this writer, spirituality reaches beyond ourselves, it is the connection between ourselves and something greater.

Mark R. McMinn’s (2011) Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling establish a way to bring Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality to Christian Counselors. He introduces a replica of how to integrate the three disciplines in the counseling office. The purpose of the book is to instruct counselors how to integrate categories of Psychology, Theology and Spirituality into Christian Counseling. McMinn (2011) contends that many challenges both professional and personal face Christian Counselors on the frontier of intradisciplinary integration. (Intradisciplinary integration is the new emerging frontier for Christian Counselors).

Even before recorded time, human beings have naturally sought a connection with one in which is greater than they are. This includes the desire to have a source of meaning. Prior to the Second World War, these connection needs were often met with various religious traditions. Around 1960 there was a change in United States with people who moved towards a more personal and spiritual expression of these connection needs. Regardless of having religious traditions or a spiritual expression they are both part of the culture and human experience for people. Since around the 1940s observers have revealed a smaller percentage of adults in attendance at church. However, studies have reported that the need for spiritual experiences is increasing (Ellor, Netting, and Thibault, 1999, pp. 1-3).

There are numerous definitions of the concept of spirituality. They vary depending on the individual.

Spirituality is defined by the Merriam-Webster (2015) dictionary as “the quality or state of being concerned with religion or religious matters.” That is the simple definition of it from a dictionary. In depth, spirituality is defined as a person’s beliefs, attitudes, values and connection

These two concepts are often confused when referring to one’s own approach of the divine or superior power. Although the definition of these two aspects arise from the personal experience of each person, and therefore, might have a subjective character, there are components that can be shared throughout these different conceptions. In general terms, spirituality can be described as the experiences and phenomena involving the personal quest to create meaning and answers to life, existence, and purpose, and might not necessary be linked to a religion (Barber, 2012). Spirituality then can be understood as the personal experience of the divine, and how the relationship is lived by the subject. On the other hand, religion is presented as an organized or institutionalized system of beliefs, rituals, practices, and shared dogmas, with a given name and identifiable group of

Christianity, one of the western religion which is accepted by more than 30% of the world population. Actually, I am not part of this religion: I am from Hindu religion, an eastern religion. In my religion, there are thousands of gods, but I don 't even know the name of more than 50 gods. Unlike Hindu, in Christianity, there is only one God, Jesus Christ, who is the central figure in Christianity. Among the Christianity community, it is believed that God sends his son to the earth to free the people from pain and suffering. For the salvation of the people son of God took an avatar of Jesus Christ. It is also believed that Jesus came back after the third day of his death. As I am the person from a different religion, I find the different concept of God in western religion. We, Eastern people worship many gods and we have many festivals to celebrate but in Christianity, people only follow to Lord Jesus. For them, Christmas is their main festival as it is the birth date of Christ, Easter as the day that Jesus came back from his death.

When examining my own view of spirituality and religion, I identify with the view that religion includes spirituality. I grew up in a traditional Catholic household, went to a Catholic grade school, and attending Catholic Church every Sunday. As I grew older, I developed my own sense of meaning and purpose in my life based on my values, personal beliefs, and meaningful relationships. Today, I do not consider myself a practicing Catholic and do not attend Church on a regular basis, however, I did take away the importance of traditions and guidelines set forth by religion.

Depending on whom you ask spirituality can have many different meanings. The definition of spirituality can be as simple as a picture on a wall that holds a significant meaning to an individual, or as complex as one’s values, religion, beliefs, or theories that one obtains from his/her life experience. In simple terms, spirituality can be found in almost anything or anyone.

What is Christianity? Some might say that Christianity is simply the belief in Jesus Christ. They would be correct, but Christianity is so much more than that. It is also the belief that Jesus Christ died for our sins and just like he came back from the dead, he will come back once again for all who have faith in him and for those who do not will wish they had. It is also the belief that God is the Trinity which is the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. In my opinion, Christianity is made up of a few things: understanding the basics of the bible, faith in Jesus Christ, and spreading the word of God.

Several authors have offered a variety of defini¬tions of spirituality: Some with atheistic and materialistic constructions (Deh¬ler & Welsh, 1994; Mitroff & Denton, 1999; Ashmos & Duchon, 2000), and others with pantheistic and deistic vi¬sions (Benner, 1989; Mohamed, Hassan & Wisnieski, 2001). To Griffin (1988), for example, spirituality is an inherent human characteristic. Definitions of spirituality abound, so the term “spirituality” is defined as it is used here. Clark’s () definition of religion also serves well to define spirituality:

The multilayered concepts of spirituality and religion have common characteristics, and are frequently used simultaneously. Furthermore, religion is expressed as a structured belief system that encompasses established moral standards and beliefs about God in the religious population. Additionally, spirituality is outlined as an internal set of values with a sense of meaning and connection to something beyond oneself. I believe spiritual and religious beliefs are traits of culture, and are shaped by one’s family of origin and other environmental influences. For many clients, spiritual and religious matters are fundamental to their worldviews. Spiritual and religious beliefs frequently outline the way in which clients believe, feel, and

What is spirituality? Everyone has it however not all understand what it is exactly. Individuals can experience and express spiritually differently. It can be confused with religion or ghosts (Lepherd, 2015). For many years, there have been many definitions and descriptions of spirituality; it is described as the search of the meaning of life, alleviation of suffering, or creating inner peace in an individual. Which explains how spirituality is made useful for meditation and practicing yoga. Each person’s spirituality is different from others because according to his article, ‘Spirituality: Everyone has it, but what is it,’ Laurence Lepherd (2015) explains, “People have [different levels] of depth or intensity of spirituality, from [person to person].”

What religion am I? In my life, I have been told many things about my religion. My mother is a Roman Catholic, while my father is Jewish. I have learned about both religions, and I have tried to practice both as best I could, but I am now faced with the decision; which one am I?