We’re often asked about the differences and similarities between faith and spirituality. There seems to be a fine line between the two that is worth examing further, so is faith and spirituality the same? Read on below to discover how we see these two concepts and our views on the reasons for and against.
What’s the Difference Between Faith and Spirituality?
1. Faith is an Act of Confidence.
Faith involves the ability to place full trust and confidence in either someone or something. While it doesn’t necessarily allude to a specific god, many people interpret it that way.
The primary importance and definition of faith are that a person must have a strong sense of belief in whatever the object of their faith is. They become faithful upon practicing this belief.
You wouldn’t describe spirituality in this manner. In this case, it would almost change the phrase entirely into more of an obsession than an act of confidence. So here’s the score so far:
Faith Vs. Spirituality
Different – 1
The Same – 0
2. Spirituality as the Purpose Provider
Spirituality causes people to take a hard look at their lives. It provides them with challenging questions about their purpose. It asks them a number of existential “whys” and seeks to answer all of these questions through reflection or meditation.
Spirituality attempts to provide mankind the reason for their existence. Why? Because it isn’t enough to know that a person is living. Instead, the purpose and meaning of their life need an answer as well.
Faith can also be used to take a hard look at life, but it wouldn’t have the same meaning. Spirituality seems almost like a choice in this case, while faith is more of a duty, or something already believed. This seemingly slight difference is actually quite significant– in that spirituality is something you choose, whereas faith is something you are, or an aftereffect of spirituality, perhaps.
Faith Vs. Spirituality
Different – 2
The Same – 0
3. Faith Says There’s ‘Something Bigger’
Faith tells people to believe in something that is beyond their senses. It causes them to place their trust in something that sparks their intuition. This intuition tells them that there is something bigger than themselves.
People hold on to faith in times of trouble. They say it gives them strength during challenging times. Faith also provides them with guidance whenever they feel lost or are at a crossroads.
Spirituality isn’t necessarily saying there’s something bigger, it’s all subjective to the person. It’s also not saying there isn’t something bigger, again the understanding is subjective. Because it can go both ways, we’re going with different on this one…
Faith Vs. Spirituality
Different – 3
The Same – 0
4. Spirituality Gives Honor to ‘Something Bigger’
Spirituality helps people understand their place in the world. Individuals are able to honor what they call the ‘Something Bigger,’ once they know their purpose. Even still, they never stop looking for their answers. Spirituality is all about mankind’s quest for purpose and deep knowledge.
Faith can also describe these things, but maybe on an inherent level, whereas spirituality is the act of honoring something bigger. Because ‘faith’ can encompass honoring of a higher element, it looks like ‘the same’ is finally on the board.
Faith Vs. Spirituality
Different – 3
The Same – 1
5. Connected but Different
#MORNINGJAH “Spirituality does not come from religion. It comes from the soul.” – HAILE SELASSIE I pic.twitter.com/bUywJXafUH
— Stephen Marley (@stephenmarley) October 23, 2017
Faith and spirituality are connected. However, they aren’t synonymous with one another. Each simply complements the other. They both add an extra layer of understanding for people.
It goes without saying that faith and spirituality cannot exist without each other. After all, spirituality is the search for meaning and purpose. Faith is simply the result of that lifelong search.
Faith Vs. Spirituality
Different – 4
The Same – 1
Know more about faith and spirituality by watching the video below. This TED talk discusses the scientific defense of faith and spirituality:
Faith and spirituality are distinctive. Regardless, they both serve a similar purpose in life. It’s interesting to see spirituality as the means of acquiring faith as we saw in the last example. Either way, both terms have their place in raising self-awareness within an environment of belief. So while the words may differ, it’s part of the same bucket… And to that, we toast them both.
Are there different understandings of faith and spirituality that we missed? Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below!
Up Next: What is Spirituality and What Can it Do for You?