Why I Am Both Spiritual and Religious

What a wonderful book! In a world where so many want to separate religion from spirituality, Amy Julia Becker makes the case for why they can and must co-exist. Becker masterfully blends her beautiful storytelling with deep wisdom and offers readers a look at the wonders available to us when we learn to ‘be still and know’ God by embracing all that religion and spirituality have to offer.

I was certain that Amy Julia Becker would write a thoughtful, insightful meditation on the topic of religious spirituality, and she did not disappoint. As a fellow mother of three, I especially resonated with her anecdotes and reflections on the challenges of developing a relationship with the God of all ages when one is in the trenches of mothering young children. But parent or not, you will find your heart, soul, strength, and mind nourished by the wisdom of Becker’s words. I highly recommend this book!

Like most moms, Amy Julia’s days begin early and busy — bottles and breakfast, dishes and dirty laundry — and she doesn’t settle down all day. “I long for a sense of meaning to undergird the tedium of housekeeping and the demands of caring for small children,” she writes, “but I ignore or deny those longings because to pay attention seems impractical, indulgent, and nearly impossible.” Amy Julia addresses the problem of soul-draining stress with a surprising answer: Become both spiritual and religious. While being “spiritual but not religious” is a dominant trend among today’s seekers, she shows how true peace and solutions for life can be found in drawing on the strengths of both spiritual practices and religious doctrines and disciplines.

I want more rest and purpose in my life, and as a result, I’m drawn to religion on the one hand and spirituality on the other. But I’m starting to realize that religion and spirituality are not opposed to each other. Rather, they are two poles on a continuum, and both reflect the human need to know God’s presence and to experience the deep rest and purpose that comes from that knowledge.