Mercadante discusses the spiritual but not religious on Harvard Divinity School panel

Linda Mercadante, professor in MTSO’s Straker Chair of Historical Theology, participated in a panel on the topic “The Future of ‘Spiritual, But Not Religious’” at the Harvard Divinity School Center for the Study of World Religions. Also speaking at the April 13 event were Bob Fuller of Bradley University, Jeffrey J. Kripal of Rice University and Charles M. Stang of Harvard Divinity School.

“Salad-bar spiritualists, narcissistic commitment-phobes, anti-dogma experience seekers, victims of religious abuse, rich white women in expensive yoga outfits. These are some of the stereotypes that I’m sure we’ve all heard about those non-religious nones who self-identify as spiritual but not religious,” Mercadante said in her remarks. “Now, having been an SBNR myself, I have long felt these hyperbolic labels do an injustice to the thoughtful, determined spiritual questers that SBNRs often can be.”

Here is a video of the full event:

Mercadante is the author of the 2014 book Belief Without Borders: Inside the Minds of the Spiritual but not Religious.

Methodist Theological School in Ohio provides theological education and leadership in pursuit of a just, sustainable and generative world. In addition to the Master of Divinity degree, the school offers master’s degrees in counseling, theological studies and practical theology, along with a Doctor of Ministry degree.

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