This column explores how spirituality might evolve over the next few generations as science, religion, and global culture continue to interact. Rather than framing the future as religion versus science, it asks whether spiritual traditions can mature by separating empirical claims from deeper stories of meaning, identity, morality, suffering, and hope. The linked article and supporting tidbits expand the idea through TST’s Material-Spiritual Framework, offering a path toward future common ground without dismissing either scientific truth or personal belief.
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THIS MONTH: Spirituality.
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Column Archives
THIS MONTH: Spirituality.
TST Column
June 2026
TST Column
Jun 2026
Spirituality does not have to disappear as science advances. It can mature by distinguishing shared empirical reality from personal meaning, faith, mystery, and the unknown.
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Understanding Belief
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Column 3 of 3 in the Understanding Belief series.
How ideas become truth.
Column Research
Stories: Science Philosophy Critical Thinking History Big Bang Metaphysics Evolution Biases Futurism Ancient History Ethics Reasoning
1 Essay + 6 Tidbits
1 Focus
Plus a bonus deep-dive article.
This Month:
— Spirituality —
The future of spirituality may depend on better categories: shared reality for empirical claims, and personal meaning for faith, mystery, and the unknowable.
Greetings!
–Michael Alan Prestwood
6 Research Tidbits
Wisdom Builder Crossroads
The research, stories, and questions that inform this issue.
1 Story »
Secular Spirituality Settles
Reference Date: 2200 CE (+/- 50 years)
The Dawn of Secular Spirituality imagines a future where religion better distinguishes truth from belief. Science rules over the observable universe, religions rule over meaning and explore the currently unknown and unknowable.
2 Quote »
“Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”
- Carl Sagan
- 1979
Empirical spirituality grounds awe and meaning in observable human experience. Spiritual practices should be judged by measurable effects.
3 Science »
What is the difference between a spiritual and empirical belief?
Empirical beliefs track the material world. Spiritual beliefs explore meaning, purpose, essence, sacredness, and the unknown.
4Philosophy »
What is empirical spirituality?
Empirical spirituality means that your exploration of the unknown and unknowable stems from testable observations.
5Critical Thinking »
How does spirituality relate to public belief?
Spirituality is personal until it asks others to accept a claim as true. Once a spiritual claim enters public belief, it must be sorted by evidence, reason, speculation, symbolism, or personal meaning.
6History!
Is empirical spirituality supported in history and science?
True spirituality starts when you stop treating nature as ordinary. The stars, rivers, bodies, minds, and living systems around us are not background scenery. They are the ground of awe.
Take the deep dive.
Linked Article
New This Week
Philosophy
Draft Paper
The Material-Spiritual Framework: A Philosophy of Spirituality
Spirituality
Embrace spirituality using a framework that sorts ideas carefully. Empirical claims belong to the shared material world and should answer to evidence. Spiritual stories can explore meaning, identity, hope, morality, and the unknowable. Clarity allows tolerance without surrendering truth.