Is Spiritualism a religion? Expand Yes. Spiritualism is a religion in its own right. A commonly accepted definition of a religion refers to the worship of a deity. For Spiritualists this involves the worship God.
Do Spiritualists believe in God? Expand Yes. Our first principle, “The Fatherhood of God” refers to our acknowledgement that God is a universal presence and central to all things. Spiritualists may personally use different names for this, such as the God Force, the Divine Spirit or the Great Spirit. However, all have their understanding that God is the source of all life and all things.
Is a Spiritualist service any different to the services of other religions? Expand Each religion expresses its faith in a unique way, but most religions will have some things in common. If you attend a Spiritualist service there will be things that you may be familiar with. For example, prayer, hymns or appropriate songs, and quiet reflection. You may also hear a reading with thought provoking content, often taken from a diverse range of sources. One feature that is different is the inspirational address, which is usually unprepared and inspired by the Spirit at that moment. Its purpose is to encourage thinking about our lives through the lens of Spiritualist philosophy (based on our Seven Principles). Also common in a Spiritualist service is time given to Healing. This may simply be quiet time for the congregation to send out healing thoughts (absent healing), or a demonstration of healing by a healing medium. Healing has always been a vital part of the Spiritualist religion. Many services also include a demonstration of evidential mediumship. This involves the medium relaying messages from the Spirit World to members of the congregation. This is not a form of entertainment, but a way of demonstrating the Spiritualist principle of the continuous existence of the human soul. It supports our philosophy, and encourages contemplation about the bigger Spiritual picture that God has provided for us. There is also a growing interest in Spiritualism of services becoming more interactive, with the congregation taking an active part in worship. This reflects the religion's desire to inspire thought, growth, and positive action.
How do I become a Spiritualist? Expand Your first step might be to investigate the religion further to increase your insight and understanding. You can attend a service or group at a Spiritualist church near you. You'll be able to ask questions, and experience it for yourself. You could also take our “Introduction to Spiritualism” course, to find out about our practice and history. Once you have decided that you wish to be a Spiritualist, you will be taking on or changing to a new religion. If you decide to become a member of your local church, or an individual member of the SNU, you are declaring that your religion is now Spiritualism. Many Spiritualists choose to have a Naming Ceremony. This publicly affirms their acceptance of Spiritualism as their religion, and they are given a spiritual name inspired by the Spirit World. Whatever your route into Spiritualism we hope that, like so many people before you, your journey of discovery is a rewarding one.