\nIntellectual: This strategy involves traditions of interpretation, generally maintained by philosophy or theology. Currently in the Religious Naturalist tradition, we see this approach taking shape among contemporary thinkers such as Jerome Stone, Donald Crosby, Loyal Rue, Michael Hogue, Carol Wayne White, Owen Flanagan, Karl Peters, Robert Corrington, Wesley Wildman, and Eric Steinhart, among others.<\/li>\nExperiential: This includes mystical, numinous, and visionary experiences, serving as personal validations of a myth. Spiritual practices, drugs, natural beauty, art, and significant life events can facilitate these experiences, which can be interpreted naturalistically.<\/li>\nRitual: Rue defines ritual as\u00a0\u201cany repeatable unit of behavior, the performance of which engages individuals or groups in the meanings of a religious myth or is conducive to a religious experience.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0Rituals under this context include prayers, pilgrimages, fasting, feasting, hymns, singing, chanting, kneeling, magic, worshiping, wedding or funeral ceremonies, and sacred dances, among others. Current RN thinkers and traditions are developing ritual strategies for naturalists.<\/li>\nAesthetic: This includes perceived objects that capture ultimate meanings through their natural forms, allowing for spiritual connection through aesthetic appreciation. Aesthetic expressions of Religious Naturalism include works that examine the beauty and spiritual significance derived from appreciating the natural world.<\/li>\nInstitutional: Traditionally, these have included ritual and ceremonial events, formalized instruction in schools, churches, monasteries, gurus, and missionary traditions. Institutional traditions of Religious Naturalism have been emerging since the late 90s, including the World Pantheist Movement (WPM), the Atheopagan Society, our very own Spiritual Naturalist Society (SNS), and the Religious Naturalist Association (RNA). The Secular Buddhist<\/a> Association (SBA) could potentially be considered as an RN tradition, though it places less of an emphasis on the core myth of contemporary science (it has promoted\u00a0ecodharma,\u00a0<\/i>however). These organizations are democratic, lacking authority figures and hierarchical power structures. They exist mostly online, though a few in-person groups have appeared.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n*
**
*Rue adds that RN may develop over the coming decades, but that it\u2019s unlikely to become a dominant influence until a global disaster renders alternative myths inappropriate and distasteful.\u00a0Yet, this view is challenged by Ursula Goodenough, Michael Cavanaugh, and Todd Macalister in\u00a0The Routledge Handbook of Religious Naturalism,\u00a0<\/i>where they further elaborate on Rue\u2019s thoughts:<\/p>\n
"
While it may prove to be the case that the global adoption of an RN orientation will not happen without the kick-start of global catastrophe, the optimists in our midst envision an alternate sequence, wherein global adoption of this staves off global catastrophe. In this scenario, RN evangelism becomes a moral responsibility, even if we are only now struggling to figure out how to best deploy it.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n*
**
The authors also add that in religious contexts, \u201cevangelism\u201d is frequently used instead of \u201cpublicity.\u201d Though\u00a0evangelism usually denotes the spreading of the Christian gospel, they note that it can also be defined as\u00a0\u201czealous advocacy of a cause.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
**
One of the authors, Professor of Biology Ursula Goodenough, also mentions RN evangelism in her latest edition of\u00a0The Sacred Depths of Nature<\/i>, where she calls us to become evangelists and to pass on ecomoral principles to our communities by word and by example. She cites climate change, ethnic cleansing, fossil fuels, habitat and species preservation, human rights, hunger, inland waterways, infectious diseases, nuclear weapons, oceans, pollution, and population pressures as reasons why we need a planetary ethic, arguing that\u00a0\u201cwithout a common religious orientation, we basically don\u2019t know where to begin, nor do we know what to say or how to listen, nor are we motivated to respond.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
**
A real-life example of RN Evangelism can be found in the inspiring work of the late Reverend Michael Dowd, and his surviving wife, writer and educator Connie Barlow.\u00a0Since April 2002 until the time of Dowd\u2019s death, Dowd and Barlow have traveled across North America as full-time \u201cevolutionary evangelists.\u201d Dowd saw his evangelism as a service to the future that aligned human self interest with the well-being of our planet.<\/p>\n
**
Analogous to RN Evangelism, philosopher and theologian Jerome Stone has advocated for a \u201cpublic ecotheology,\u201d featuring \u201cnaturalistic public theologians\u201d who either avoid\u00a0traditional religious symbols with their supernaturalistic baggage or revise them in a naturalistic manner. He adds that naturalistic public theologians should only use naturalistic images of transcendence, and cites the Earth Charter as a resource for reflection on public theology from a Religious Naturalist position.<\/p>\n
**
Despite his advocacy, Stone clarifies that Religious Naturalism will not solve environmental policy issues, some dilemmas in conservation biology, or complex interactions between humans and other life forms. He maintains however, that perceiving nature as sacred will profoundly influence our mindset, leading to more cautious actions and practical effects on our behavior. Stone also critiques Religious Naturalism as having not grown out of the struggle for caste, gender, or class justice, but recognizes its potential in challenging oppressive elements within traditional theism and the authoritative tendencies of some conservative religious, political, and social movements.<\/p>\n
**
\u201cReligious\u201d vs. \u201cSpiritual\u201d Naturalism
\nA common objection to Goodenough, Cavanaugh, and Macalister\u2019s promotion of the RN orientation is the\u00a0\u201cI would never use the R-word\u201d\u00a0<\/i>response.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0One of the most well-known critiques of this terminology can be found in\u00a0The God Delusion\u00a0<\/i>by Richard Dawkins, where he argues that to call oneself religious is misleading because for most people, the word \u2018religion\u2019 implies \u2018supernatural.\u2019 On his website, Dawkins adds that his atheistic views are identical to Ursula\u2019s religious views, stating\u00a0\u201cone of us is misusing the English language, and I don\u2019t think it\u2019s me.<\/i>\u201d\u00a0<\/i><\/p>\n
**
Professor of Religion, Bron Taylor has critiqued Dawkins\u2019 stance in his 2009 book\u00a0Dark Green Religion<\/i>. Taylor has pointed out that Dawkins does not sufficiently address why nontheists often use religious terminology to articulate their deep-seated emotions and convictions about the world and their care for it. He emphasizes that humans are inherently social creatures, and that religious communities play a significant role in forming and reinforcing social norms.<\/p>\n
**
*Yet, Dawkins affirms that science can be spiritual in\u00a0A Devil\u2019s Chaplain.<\/i>\u00a0Professor of Philosophy Eric Steinhart notes this in\u00a0Believing in Dawkins,<\/i>\u00a0where he proposes the term\u00a0Spiritual Naturalism (SN)<\/i>\u00a0to refer to a science-based alternative to religion. Evidently, SNS adopts this term, and is the only known organization to incorporate it into its name. Our founder, Daniel Strain has contributed to\u00a0The Routledge Handbook of Religious Naturalism<\/i>, where he makes a distinction between Religious and Spiritual Naturalism:<\/p>\n
"
Religious Naturalists mean religion in its best sense. That is, a tradition, body of knowledge, community, and practices\u2014those things that promote our current understanding of the world and our place in it, as well as our values, wisdom, meaning, and inspiration. Spirituality is another matter. Though spiritual community and communal practices are a healthy part, spirituality is mainly about our inner experience and development and practices. Religion cannot manifest in its finest form unless its people have spirituality. Without that, religion becomes an institutional, bureaucratic, or even dogmatic endeavor\u2014even when it is a naturalistic religion. Thus, it is possible for one to be spiritual without being religious. But, if we mean religion in its proper sense, it is impossible to be truly religious without being spiritual.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n*
**
Despite some pushback against the use of the word \u201creligious,\u201d Goodenough defends it in her latest edition of\u00a0The Sacred Depths of Nature.\u00a0<\/i>Specifically, she clarifies that the adjective\u00a0religious<\/i>\u00a0differs from the noun\u00a0religion<\/i>. She adds that the noun religion does not apply to the RN orientation, which involves shared interpretations and practices celebrated without formal codification. Hence, she speaks of a\u00a0Religious Naturalist orientation<\/i>\u00a0rather than a canonical\u00a0Religious Natural-ism,<\/i>\u00a0yet she admits that the term \u201cReligious Naturalism\u201d is often a useful shorthand.<\/p>\n
**
But this begs the question: why give it a name at all? In\u00a0Encountering Naturalism<\/i>, Thomas Clark notes that\u00a0\u201cnot to name your worldview leaves it at a competitive disadvantage in the marketplace of belief.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0Hence, effective evangelism requires the use of a term. Yet, it\u2019s clear that both terms are attractive to different people. Strain argues that RN can\u2019t manifest in its finest form without spirituality, though it could also be said that retaining an RN orientation as defined by Rue and Goodenough is essential to a Spiritual Naturalism that\u2019s honest to our current predicament (some approaches to naturalistic spirituality could be seen as lacking a core myth or as being too individualistic). Yet, what\u2019s most important here, is regardless of which term you prefer, there will always be people who will prefer a different term.<\/p>\n
**
Furthermore, if you want to evangelize effectively, you have to use the language of your target demographic. Hence, \u201cReligious Naturalism\u201d can be seen as best suited for those more inclined to identify as Religious Naturalists (mostly Christian Naturalists, Jewish Naturalists, some Pagans, and some Pantheists). \u201cSpiritual Naturalism\u201d on the other hand, can be seen as best for those inclined to identify as Spiritual Naturalists (mostly Secular Buddhists, Stoics, Epicureans, some Pagans, and some Pantheists). Limiting ourselves to a single terminology ostracizes everyone that uses a different terminology. Hence, we should use a culturally diverse set of terms when referring to the RN orientation.<\/p>\n
**
\u201cEvangelism\u201d vs. \u201cAdvocacy\u201d
\nIf some Religious Naturalists evangelize, should those of us who identify as Spiritual Naturalists do the same? Our website emphasizes that our articles and organization are not a part of the culture wars, and that we avoid any evangelical approach. Additionally, evangelism is usually associated with the spreading of the Christian gospel, which likely doesn\u2019t appeal to most people who identify as \u201cspiritual.\u201d Yet, Goodenough, Cavanaugh, and Macalister add that in religious circles, \u201cevangelism\u201d often substitutes for \u201cpublicity\u201d and can broadly be defined as the\u00a0\u201czealous advocacy of a cause.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n
**
*Our mission statement at SNS is to:<\/p>\n
"
spread awareness of Spiritual Naturalism as a philosophy, encourage the further development of Spiritual Naturalist thought and practice, and educate others on the traditional wisdom and contemplative practices that inspire Spiritual Naturalism. In addition, the Society exists to help bring Spiritual Naturalists together for mutual learning, growth, encouragement, and fellowship.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n*
**
Certainly, publicity and advocacy are needed to successfully carry out this mission. Within this framework, SN advocacy can pass on ecomoral principles, aligning human interests with the well-being of our planet. The potential for this alignment is promising, steering us toward a more sustainable and ethically coherent future, as argued by the aforementioned authors.<\/p>\n
**
Certainly, we shouldn\u2019t proselytize. We shouldn\u2019t go door-to-door spreading the \u201cgood word of spiritual naturalism.\u201d This would give SN a bad look and would hurt our efforts to carry out the SNS mission. However, as more people leave their traditional religions, it\u2019s important they know that supernaturalism and nihilism aren\u2019t the only alternatives. Spiritual Naturalism deserves a seat at the table. It deserves to be a part of the public discussion on spirituality. Moreover, Spiritual Naturalism has the potential to transform us for the better, increasing our ability to create a better future for ourselves and the planet. In this context, SN advocacy becomes a moral imperative, one that demands our immediate attention.<\/p>\n
**
*In future articles, I will share strategies for\u00a0widely and effectively publicizing Spiritual Naturalism.<\/p>\n
__________<\/em><\/strong>*
*\nLearn about Membership in the Spiritual Naturalist Society<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n
The Spiritual Naturalist Society works to spread awareness of spiritual naturalism as a way of life, develop its thought and practice, and help bring together like-minded practitioners in fellowship.<\/em><\/p>\n
SNS strives to include diverse voices within the spectrum of naturalistic spirituality. Authors will vary in their opinions, terms, and outlook. The views of no single author therefore necessarily reflect those of all Spiritual Naturalists or of SNS.<\/em>*
*\n__________<\/em><\/p>\n
BIO:\u00a0<\/strong>Alex Cheruk the Executive Director of the Spiritual Naturalist Society. He is also a content creator, activist, and advocate for Spiritual Naturalism. Though he grew up Protestant, his religious beliefs began to unravel during his freshman year of college. He started searching for spiritual answers elsewhere, immersing himself in New Age spirituality, bhakti yoga, Vedanta, psychonautics, ceremonial magic, and neopaganism, before finally arriving at Spiritual Naturalism. Today, he advocates for Spiritual Naturalism on social media under the name \u2018The Spiritual Skeptic,\u2019 as part of his effort to promote public awareness of Spiritual Naturalism and bring Spiritual Naturalists together.<\/p>\n
References<\/strong><\/p>\n
Clark, T. W. (2007).\u00a0Encountering naturalism: A worldview and its uses<\/i>. Center for Naturalism.***
\nDawkins, R. (1999, October 4).\u00a0Snake oil and holy water<\/i>. Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science. https:\/\/richarddawkins.net\/1999\/10\/snake-oil-and-holy-water\/
\nDawkins, R. (2004).\u00a0A devil\u2019s chaplain: Reflections on hope, lies, science, and Love<\/i>. Houghton Mifflin Co.
\nDawkins, R. (2006).\u00a0The god delusion<\/i>. Bantam Press.
\nDowd, M. (2007).\u00a0Thank god for evolution: How the marriage of science and religion will transform your life and our world<\/i>. Penguin Group.
\nGoodenough, U. (2023).\u00a0Sacred depths of nature: How life has emerged and evolved<\/i>\u00a0(2nd ed.). OXFORD UNIV PRESS.
\nGoodenough, U., Cavanaugh, M., & Macalister, T. (2018). Bringing Religious Naturalists Together Online. In\u00a0The Routledge Handbook of Religious Naturalism<\/i>. essay, Routledge.
***\nMeissner, T. (2020, February 4).\u00a0Episode 310\u202f:: David Loy\u202f:: Ecodharma: Buddhist Teachings<\/a> for the Ecological Crisis<\/i>. [Audio podcast episode]\u00a0The Secular Buddhist Podcast<\/i>. Secular Buddhist Association https:\/\/secularbuddhism.org\/episode-310-david-loy-ecodharma-buddhist-teachings-for-the-ecological-crisis\/***
\nMission<\/i>. The Spiritual Naturalist Society. (2021, November 11). https:\/\/www.snsociety.org\/about-sns\/mission\/
\nRue, L. D. (2005).\u00a0Religion is not about god: How spiritual traditions nurture our biological nature and what to expect when they fail<\/i>. Rutgers University Press.
\nSteinhart, E. (2020).\u00a0Believing in Dawkins: The New Spiritual Atheism<\/i>. palgrave macmillan.
\nStone, J. A. (2017).\u00a0Sacred nature: The environmental potential of religious naturalism<\/i>. Routledge, Taylor Francis Group.
\nStrain, D. T. (2018). Naturalistic Spirituality as a Practice. In\u00a0The Routledge Handbook of Religious Naturalism<\/i>. essay, Routledge.
\nTaylor, B. (2010).\u00a0Dark green religion: Nature spirituality and the planetary future<\/i>. University of California Press.
***\nWriter\u2019s Guide<\/i>. The Spiritual Naturalist Society. (2019, April 29). https:\/\/www.snsociety.org\/writers-guide\/<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0by\u00a0SNS Guest (Today\u2019s article is by guest writer, Alexander Cheruk. For a brief bio, see below.) In\u00a0Religion is Not About God, American philosopher Loyal Rue presents a series of plausible doomsday scenarios that merit our attention. Citing ecological discontinuities, unpredictable chemical synergisms, runaway greenhouse disaster, infectious diseases, worldwide crop failures, and bioterrorism, Rue highlights a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1269,"featured_media":2727,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[125,85,951,116],"class_list":["post-2724","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-earth","tag-ecology","tag-future","tag-life"],"yoast_head":"\nHow Spiritual Naturalism Could Save Our Future<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u00a0by\u00a0SNS Guest (Today\u2019s article is by guest writer, Alexander Cheruk. For a brief bio, see below.) 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