Critiques of Non-Religious Spirituality in Contemporary Western Society

Perhaps one of the striking current phenomena in the UK is the overwhelming numbers of the population who have categorised themselves as having “No Religion”. In this sense, some of them claim that they do not belong to any particular religion. Some others have shifted themselves from the traditional practices to personalised and non-religious spiritual practice. It is also a popular belief that humans can establish connection to the divine without attaching to any traditional faith’s dogmas. These are among some views found among the western contemporary peoples about the notions of non-religious spirituality. This conceptual study employs a qualitative research method, primarily applying analysis of selected works and documents of western spirituality and its critics from both Christians and Islamic frameworks. To have a better comprehension of this notion, this study will highlight several dominant definitions and concepts on the religion and spiritual understanding in the west. This study will also share the root cause and historical context of the emergence of this notion as well as its features. Lastly, this study will evaluate critics on the notion and actions of non-religious spirituality from both Christian and Islamic perspectives.