If We Knew What Spirituality Was, We Would Teach for It

Abstract

Two extraordinary recent experiences that the author would call highly “spiritual” are explored against the background of ideas provided by writers such as Friedrich Schleiermacher, Rudolf Otto, Paul Tillich, and Abraham Maslow to unpack what spirituality is, with particular attention to the emotions and the insights involved in spirituality. The description helps to clarify the distinctions and also the relationships between spirituality and both religion and morality—constructs that are frequently confused with spirituality. The description also suggests two moves teachers can make toward offering a spiritual education.