Panel Discusses "Spirituality"

The February 20 meeting of VICA treated attendees to a panel discussion on "Spirituality."  The panel consisted of Rev. Susanne Nazian of the Untiarian Universalist Congregation of Venice, Ed Martin of the Sarasota Religious Society of Friends, Russ Ferdinand of the Kamcha Buddhist Meditation Center and Rev. Sarah Brown of Our Savior Lutheran Church.

There are many concepts of what "Spirituality" means. It may express the existence of a higher power, a sense of awe at the beauty of nature, the acts of helping others, the strength to live up to one's "better self," a feeling for the "spirit" of life, a belief of "oneness" with others and with the universe, or simple kindness.  With so many definitions of the word as well as several others they provided, the panel was asked to deal with it as an open question.

The panel individually presented their faith's understanding and emphasis of spirituality's role in religious life and their presentations illustrated the broadness of the term --from a highly personal acceptance to a generally applied sense of compassion. While the points of view presented were markedly divergent, they were all linked by an abstract desire for understanding...and that need may well be a large part of what focuses our interfaith organization.