Organized Religion

It is my understanding that organized religion is relative to whomever is relating to the idea. There are many people who do not identify with any religion, as there are people who devote their entire lives to the doctrines and morality of a religion, and of course everything in between. David Steindl-Rast proposed his idea of organized religion in a way that truly got me thinking about how I see it now, and how it has been a part of my life all along. He begins by explaining the roots, or the experience of mystical awareness, in order to illustrate how organized religions comes about. Steindl-Rast goes on to explain that it is in the moment we begin to make sense of our experiences that organized religion begins to sprout. “Moment by moment, as we experience this and that, our intellect keeps step; it interprets what we perceive. This is especially true when we have one of those deeply meaningful moments; our intellect swoops down upon that mystical experience and starts interpreting it” (Steindl-Rast 12).

So what is the purpose of organized religion then? It seems as though Steindl-Rast is attempting to get readers to understand that the answer to this question is very simple; it is a natural process. “Life creates structures. Think of the ingenious constructions life invents to protect its seeds…Come spring, the new life within cracks these containers and bursts forth” (Steindl-Rast 14). It is part of human nature to take part in this process (at least to some extent). It is basically instinctual to search for understanding, or meaning behind, every situation we live day to day. Rarely do we let ourselves settle in the mystical experience with out wondering why or how? We naturally begin to justify things and those we cannot explain we set forth on the journey to find out. This goes along with the need to feel a sense of belonging. “This experience happened to me for a reason because I belong”. Organized religion provides a communal understanding and a community of thinkers-alike. Humans seek this whether they admit to it or not.

Steindl-Rast creates a metaphor to bring his idea of organized religion to life. “The beginnings of the great religions were like the eruptions of a volcano. There was fire, there was heat, and there was light: the light of mystical insight…but, as that stream of lava flowed down the sides of the mountain, it began to cool off. The farther it got from its origins, the less it looked like fire; it turned to rock” (Steindl-Rast 14). This metaphor helped me to clearly see how my own spiritual development was too like the lava of a volcano. I was raised as a Presbyterian and attended church every Sunday my whole childhood. I thrived off of the sense of belonging and ability to provide some sort of understanding to life for a long while. However, the older I got the more I let myself stray from the mystical experience and began to fill with doubtful questions rather than looking within. I lost interest in the organized religion in which I was raised within and began to seek spiritual growth.

I am so very grateful for the lessons and experiences that I received from growing up within a church community. It helped me to seek community rather than sink into myself in times of need. They helped me learn patience and compassion. Not to mention my eyes have been opened to the world, especially through mission work. Most importantly however, my church helped me get to the point I am at today. They guided me along a journey that may not have led to the same places as them, but more significantly they took me on the journey within. “The heart of religion finds itself in the religions of the heart. The two are one” (Steindl-Rast 13).

Reference

Steindl-Rast, D. (1989). The Mystical Core of Organized Religion. ReVision. 12 (1). 11-14.