ABSTRACT
Expertise in spirituality is no longer considered to be limited to religious professionals. Transcendence is a term which is commonly found in religious writing but rarely in social work, and for some people is on its own synonymous with spirituality. Connectedness may be actual known people, to humanity more generally, to a God or other deity or to a shared stance or view on the world. In this early part of the twenty-first century, spirituality is one of those words which suddenly seems to be everywhere, not just associated with religious devotees of some persuasions. Books by spiritual writers such as Thomas Moore and Julia Cameron sell in quantities which make publishers very contented and many other authors envious. Michael Kearney was a doctor in an English hospice, who was told to ask about the religious background of new admissions, and to determine what it meant to the person.
