What is Spirituality?What is Spirituality?

Mr. Pablo Cuadra Religion Class

What is Spirituality?What is Spirituality?

The practice of a The practice of a prayerful prayerful Christian Christian life.life.

Through Through ritualsrituals and and practicespractices..

What are the traditions that give What are the traditions that give Christianity the concept of Spirit?Christianity the concept of Spirit?

A. The word Spirit comes A. The word Spirit comes from the from the Jewish and Jewish and Greek traditions Greek traditions through through the following words: the following words:

B. The Hebrews used the B. The Hebrews used the wordword Ruah Ruah to describe the to describe the Spirit of GodSpirit of God..

C. The Greeks used the C. The Greeks used the word word Pneuma Pneuma to do the to do the same.same.

What is the meaning of the words What is the meaning of the words Ruah and Pneuma?Ruah and Pneuma?

The basic meaning of The basic meaning of these words isthese words is

A. A. AirAir B. B. WindWind C. C. SpiritSpirit

In other words Ruah In other words Ruah and Pneuma and Pneuma are the are the principles of life.principles of life.

Examples from the BibleExamples from the Bible

In the beginning, when God created the In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was a heavens and the earth. The earth was a formless waste land, and darkness formless waste land, and darkness covered the abyss, while a covered the abyss, while a mighty wind mighty wind (ruah) swept over the (ruah) swept over the waterswaters. .

Genesis 1: 1-2Genesis 1: 1-2 The Spirit of God is at work in creation The Spirit of God is at work in creation

Examples from the BibleExamples from the Bible

The Lord God formed man out of the clay The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils of the ground and blew into his nostrils the the breath breath of of lifelife, and so man became a , and so man became a living being.living being.

Genesis 2: 7Genesis 2: 7 All Life comes from GodAll Life comes from God

What are rituals?What are rituals?

Rituals are : Rituals are : A. A. Religious Religious

ceremoniesceremonies example: example: baptismbaptism

B. B. Religious symbolsReligious symbols example: Ashesexample: Ashes

C. C. Religions actionsReligions actions example: Giving the example: Giving the sign of peace during sign of peace during mass.mass.

What are some common religious What are some common religious practices among Catholics?practices among Catholics?

Catholics have Catholics have manymany religious practices. religious practices. Some examples or religious practices are: Some examples or religious practices are: 1. Prayer1. Prayer 2. Going to Mass (Eucharist)2. Going to Mass (Eucharist) 3. Receiving the Sacraments3. Receiving the Sacraments 4. Almsgiving 4. Almsgiving

Why do we foster Spirituality?Why do we foster Spirituality?

Because Because we are we are spiritualspiritual (living) (living) beings.beings.

A. We have bodyA. We have body -Physical-Physical B. We have a mindB. We have a mind -Psyche-Psyche C. We have a soul C. We have a soul

-God’s Spirit-God’s Spirit

SpiritualitySpirituality

Every thing is related Every thing is related to the Spirit.to the Spirit.

SoulSoulSoulSoul

ThoughtsThoughts

FeelingsFeelings

PhysicalPhysical

Scriptures PassagesScriptures Passages

I am the resurrection and the life, I am the resurrection and the life, whoever believes in me, even if he dies, whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me believes in me will never diewill never die..

John 11: 25-26John 11: 25-26

What is an important aspect of What is an important aspect of Spirituality?Spirituality?

Belief is an important Belief is an important aspect of spiritualityaspect of spirituality

You cannot practice You cannot practice what you don’t what you don’t believe.believe.

Example: a football player Example: a football player likes to watch football likes to watch football games or play football games or play football games because he or she games because he or she enjoys it.enjoys it.

Why is the Spiritual dimension Why is the Spiritual dimension important?important?

Because it Because it givesgives us: us: A. MeaningA. Meaning B. TranscendenceB. Transcendence C. PurposeC. Purpose D. Eternal lifeD. Eternal life

MeaningMeaning

A. We want to A. We want to understand lifeunderstand life

1. Our lives’ purpose1. Our lives’ purpose 2. Why we are here?2. Why we are here? 3. What we are 3. What we are

becoming?becoming? 4. Our experiences4. Our experiences

Transcendence Transcendence

Some definitions:Some definitions: A. Exceeding usual limitsA. Exceeding usual limits B. SurpassingB. Surpassing C. Extending beyond the limits of ordinary C. Extending beyond the limits of ordinary

experienceexperience

PurposePurpose

We want our lives to We want our lives to make sense to us, make sense to us, and to others.and to others.

We want to have a We want to have a sense of directionsense of direction

We want to do good We want to do good with our lives.with our lives.

We want to be happyWe want to be happy

Eternal LifeEternal Life

We want to live We want to live foreverforever..

We do not want to We do not want to die.die.

ChristianityChristianity believes believes that the son of God that the son of God came so that we can came so that we can have life eternal.have life eternal.

John 3:16John 3:16

For God so loved the For God so loved the world that he sent his world that he sent his only Son, so that only Son, so that everyone who everyone who believes in him might believes in him might not perish but might not perish but might have eternal life.have eternal life.