Secular Spirituality in Musicing

Secular Spirituality in Musicing

Writers who are non-believers  sometimes refer to the term “spiritual” which refers to spiritual philosophy without adherence to any religion or to one’s relationship to Jesus Christ by virtue of the born-again condition of a true Christian.  Used this way these writers are not referring to the forgiving power of Christ or to being dead to sin and alive unto Christ.  Under this philosophical paradigm the term “spiritual” takes on a secular spirituality emphasis.   

Secular “spirituality” refers to personal growth and inner peace of the musician, rather than a relationship with the divine.  So, secular spirituality is the search for meaning outside of a religion or the saving merits made possible by the forgiveness of sins or the cleansing, purifying power of our Savior Jesus Christ.   Feeling “spiritual”, to the secular humanist, simply  means one's relationship with the self, others, nature, music charisma, and performance effectiveness etc. etc. etc.  To the secular humanist, and I fear some religious humanists,  feeling spiritual during a musical performance is a self-act and a experience in satisfying self-actualization.  Such an experience may be analogous to holiday but it is in no way related to what a Christian musician experiences when the blessed Holy Spirit comes upon a n earnest Christian musician with divine assistance that, as it were, “breaks and blesses the musical loaves and fish” and feeds a congregation’s hungry hearts as they seek to worship Him.