Secular Spirituality

We review the research on spirituality among people holding secular (atheist, agnostic, and nonreligious) worldviews. Although this research is in its infancy and is wrestling with definitional and conceptual issues, the literature reveals that a majority of secular people experience feelings of awe and wonder, and a substantial minority report a sense of connection with something beyond this world. A variety of measures are employed in this research, which may limit findings and make comparisons across studies difficult. Some measures also have theistic undertones that may not be appropriate for secular respondents. Research investigating 12-Step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous offer a more robust vehicle for examining the role of spirituality among people with a secular worldview, but these studies include a rather theistic understanding of spirituality that is less than ideal for secular people. We conclude by recommending future directions that will help fill gaps in our understanding of spirituality in a secular worldview.