Some issues in understanding spirituality as relational

Bibliographic Data

ID22334840
AuthorsPrabhu Venkataraman (0000-0003-1080-0792, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, corresponding author), Bharat Konwar (Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati)
Year2019
Volume9
Issue1
Pages20-31
Publication date2019-01-02
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal for the Study of Spirituality (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2044-0243 • E-ISSN: 2044-0251
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/20440243.2019.1581324
OpenAlexW2929180861
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited17

In the present literature, understanding and interpretation of spirituality has moved from the transcendent to the relational aspect of the human being. This movement has been necessitated by shortcomings in understanding spirituality as transcendent. The idea of transcendent is unverifiable and subjective. Moreover, it is possible in the context of specific cultural and religious traditions, but not in a multicultural context. Spirituality in its relational sense is interpreted as a process of developing an intrinsic human capacity that motivates people to search for meaning, purpose, and contribution to life in a social context. The relational aspect of spirituality can be understood as ‘thoughtful love of life’ leading to what may be termed ‘naturalized spirituality’. However, understanding the relational aspect of spirituality has its own problems. This paper indicates some limitations to understanding spirituality as relational and argues that, rather than aiding an understanding of the concept, it creates more confusion. This is because the notion of ‘relational’ (i) does not exclude the transcendent, and (ii) does not distinguish between what is spiritual and what is not

Epistemology · Sociology · Spirituality · Counseling, Therapy, and Family Dynamics · Ethics in medical practice · Philosophy · Psychology · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology

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