A hidden God, an open secret

Abstract

There are two clearly observable facts in modern culture. The first one is that it has discernibly changed the way m which individuals see themselves, society and the role of religion and its expression Secondly, in our culture, there are those who believe(privately - in God, some higher being or natural force); those who belong (publicly -to a particular religious movement or community); those who seek (to privately believe or to publicly belong); and those who neither believe nor belong nor seek either of the two. Of course, individuals can combine two or all of the first three cases: there are those who believe but don't belong (e.g. who adopt a form of 'private religion'); those who in some way belong but don't necessary believe ( e.g. those who nominally declare of forming part of a particular faith or denomination but are, as it were, 'dormant'); those who believe and are still seeking the 'best' way of sharing their faith within a community; those who belong and seek to discover their faith through a religious community; those who believe and belong but no longer seek; and those who believe, belong and seek to deepen their faith and/or their bond with their religious community. [Excerpt]