Religion, Spirituality, & Ritual
“Religions are treasure chests of stories, songs, rituals, and ways of life that have been handed down for millenia – not covered in dust but evolving all the way – so that each new generation has something to choose from when it is time to ask the big questions about life.”
— Barbara Brown Taylor, Holy Envy
The categories “Spiritual” and “Religious” are common enough contemporary markers of individual identity, but set about defining what these words actually mean and we soon find ourselves perplexed.
Are these terms about distinguishing between individuality and community?
Tradition and Innovation?
Dogma and Practice?
Is it even worth separating them at all?
And if so, who is served by the distinction?
Thankfully, answering the questions of definition won’t be our main goal in this series, and instead we’ll situate ourselves inside spiritual practices and religious traditions, seeking out what being religious and/or spiritual means to us, as individuals and as part of the larger landscape of Christian communities in America. We’ll interrogate traditions, re-imagine our rituals, learn from other religious paths, and welcome a blurriness between the sacred & secular that might just help us live more clearly in our pursuit of meaning and connection with God and each other.
Series Resources
Emmaus Way is committed to engaging the Gospel in creative, embodied, and communal ways—from reading and art to dialogue and service. Find below some of the resources that are shaping our current series.
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Scripture & DIALOGUE Questions
All are invited to hear and discern the Word of God together in dialogue at Emmaus Way each week. While the communal and embodied experience of dialogical preaching can't quite be recreated outside of the Sunday gathering, follow along here with the scripture passages and dialogue questions that are guiding our weekly conversations.
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EWAY Youth & Kids
During this series, Emmaus Way Youth (sixth through twelfth graders) are exploring different religions and what religion means. Emmaus Way Kids (kindergarten through fifth graders) are exploring what church is and what it is we do here. And Emmaus Way preschoolers are having age-appropriate conversations on the church and church calendar. If you have questions about the youth, kids, or preschool programs or how to get your child involved, please don't hesitate to reach out to us here.
Join Us
We hope these resources offer just a few more avenues to engage with the Word of God and the work of the Spirit in our life together. Please join us on Sundays to dialogue around these sacred topics together. Find out more about where and how we gather here.
If you have questions for us or if there are any accommodations you might need in order to fully participate in our community, please contact us here.
