Religious Naturalism

A Religious Naturalism is a spiritual philosophy that finds religious meaning in nature while rejecting supernatural explanations, grounding reverence entirely in scientific understanding.

• AKA: Spiritual Naturalism, Sacred Naturalism, Natural Religion.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) emerge from Modern Secular Knowledge seeking depth and community traditionally provided by religion without supernatural claims.
  • It can (typically) reinterpret Religious Concepts naturally, treating evolutionary history as sacred narrative or ecosystem interconnection with spiritual reverence.
  • It can (often) develop Environmental Ethics viewing Earth stewardship as sacred duty to natural community rather than divine mandate.
  • It can (often) overlap with Pantheist Philosophy identifying universe itself as sacred without invoking supernatural deities beyond nature.
  • ...
  • It can range from being an Individual Religious Naturalism to being an Organized Religious Naturalism, depending on its community structure.
  • It can range from being a Philosophical Religious Naturalism to being a Practical Religious Naturalism, depending on its expression mode.
  • It can range from being a Minimal Religious Naturalism to being a Maximal Religious Naturalism, depending on its religious intensity.
  • It can range from being a Scientific Religious Naturalism to being a Poetic Religious Naturalism, depending on its language preference.
  • ...
• Example(s):
  • Ursula Goodenough's Sacred Depths, expressing scientific knowledge about cell division and evolution in reverent, lyrical form.
  • Unitarian Universalist Services, conducting nature-focused ceremonies with cosmic poetry and Earth hymns instead of deity prayers.
  • Personal Nature Spirituality, feeling profound holiness in mountain hiking or stargazing without supernatural belief.
  • ...
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Traditional Theism, positing supernatural gods intervening beyond natural world.
  • Secular Humanism Without Reverence, embracing naturalism without religious language or spiritual practice.
  • Nature Indifference, accepting naturalism without finding emotional or spiritual significance in natural phenomena.
• See: Secular Humanism, Meaning Crisis, Cosmic Awe Experience, Mythic Narrative Framework, Pantheism, Spiritual Naturalism, Environmental Ethics, Sacred Nature, Ursula Goodenough, Cosmic Perspective, Deep Ecology, Nature Spirituality, Scientific Spirituality, Religious Naturalist Association.

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