ABSTRACT
Spirituality is more individual; it has no canon of correct beliefs and no set, inspired scripture. A person's spirituality is widely regarded as being their core values and attitudes to life. But, as the word suggests, people will usually only regard themselves as having a spirituality if in some way their lives relate to a spiritual, non-material reality. Contemporary spirituality largely consists of a number of vague and rather embryonic forms of religion. The chapter aims to identify two areas of tension between contemporary spirituality and Christian doctrine – the Bible and Jesus Christ – that different approaches by the Church might help to ease. The Bible presents visions of being human which, while they are very diverse, ranging from the pessimism of parts of Ecclesiastes to the rather comfortable optimism of some of the Psalms, together present what human existence is like in face of the reality of a morally demanding and yet merciful creator.
