The Expansiveness of Genuine Faith

By Adis Duderija, New Age Islam 5 September 2024 When We Approach Religion with This Expansive, Inclusive Mind-Set, We Open Ourselves Up to A World of Spiritual Nourishment That Goes Far Beyond the Confines of Dogma and Doctrine. We Can Draw Inspiration from Multiple Traditions, Synthesising Their Teachings in A Way That Speaks to Our Own Hearts and Minds. We Can Explore the Mystical, Experiential Dimensions of Faith, Cultivating A Direct, Personal Connection to The Divine That Transcends the Limitations of Any Single Belief System. ------ For some religious people, especially those prone to fundamentalist thought, religion and religious scriptures are approached as an all-or-nothing, zero-sum game. The thinking goes that one must either accept the entirety of a religious tradition’s teachings and dogma or reject it entirely. There is little to no middle ground, no room for nuance or individual interpretation. This mentality is highly unfortunate, as it severely limits one’s spiritual growth and connection to the divine. Genuine faith is actually much more expansive, mystical, and readily available to each and every person than this rigid, binary mind-set would suggest. However, this rigid, authoritarian approach to religion is fundamentally at odds with the true spirit and essence of genuine faith. At its core, spirituality is a deeply personal, subjective, and often mystical experience that cannot be constrained by rigid rules or external dictates. The divine, the sacred, the transcendent - these realities exist beyond the limitations of any single religious tradition or canonical text. They are universal, accessible to all who seek them with an open heart and mind. When we approach religion and religious scriptures with an open, exploratory mindset, we discover a world of richness, nuance, and profound insight that is often obscured by the dogmatic, all-or-nothing mentality. Instead of seeing the scriptures as a set of inerrant, unquestionable truths, we can engage with them as living, breathing documents that speak to the human experience in all its complexity. We can wrestle with their contradictions, grapple with their ambiguities, and extract the timeless wisdom and spiritual truths that resonate most deeply with our own journeys. This is not to say that there is no value in the traditional, orthodox interpretations of religious texts. Certainly, the accumulated wisdom and insights of centuries of scholarship and spiritual practice can at time have something to offer. But the true beauty and transformative power of religion lies in its ability to speak to each individual in a deeply personal way, to guide them on their unique path of growth and discovery. When we approach religion with this expansive, inclusive mind-set, we open ourselves up to a world of spiritual nourishment that goes far beyond the confines of dogma and doctrine. We can draw inspiration from multiple traditions, synthesising their teachings in a way that speaks to our own hearts and minds. We can explore the mystical, experiential dimensions of faith, cultivating a direct, personal connection to the divine that transcends the limitations of any single belief system. This is the essence of genuine faith - a faith that is flexible, adaptive, and responsive to the ever-changing needs and circumstances of the human experience. It is a faith that celebrates diversity, embraces ambiguity, and recognizes the inherent dignity and spiritual potential in each and every person, regardless of their religious affiliation or lack thereof. Of course, this expansive, inclusive approach to religion is not without its challenges. There will always be those who cling to the comfort and certainty of dogmatic, all-or-nothing thinking. They may view any deviation from the “one true path” as a dangerous threat to the integrity of their faith. And they may use the full force of their institutional power and social influence to marginalize or silence those who dare to think and believe differently. But those who have tasted the fruits of genuine, expansive faith know that this reactionary defensiveness is ultimately a losing battle. The divine, the sacred, the transcendent - these realities are simply too vast, too complex, and too multifaceted to be contained within the rigid boundaries of any single religious tradition. They call out to us from every corner of the human experience, beckoning us to explore, to question, to discover the deeper truths that lie beneath the surface of dogma and doctrine. And so, we must continue to push back against the forces of religious absolutism and exclusivity. We must reclaim the rich, mystical heritage of our spiritual traditions, and breathe new life into them through our own personal explorations and interpretations. We must cultivate a faith that is expansive, inclusive, and responsive to the ever-evolving needs of our world and our species. For in doing so, we not only expand the horizons of our own spiritual growth, but we also contribute to the greater flowering of human consciousness and the blossoming of a more just, compassionate, and harmonious world. The path of genuine faith may be challenging, but it is also infinitely rewarding, opening us up to a realm of spiritual nourishment and transformation that transcends the limitations of any single creed or belief system. So let us embrace this expansive, mystical vision of religion and spirituality. Let us engage with our sacred texts and traditions with an open mind and a curious spirit, seeking to extract the timeless wisdom and insight that can guide us on our individual and collective journeys. And let us be unafraid to forge our own unique paths, even if they diverge from the well-trodden roads of orthodoxy and dogma. For in doing so, we honour the true essence of genuine faith - a faith that is not a static, immutable set of beliefs, but a living, breathing wellspring of spiritual nourishment that is available to all who seek it with an open heart and mind. ---- Checkout Dr. Adis Duderija’s personal website at: https://dradisduderija.com/ ---- A decades old patron of New Age Islam, Dr Adis Duderija is a Senior Lecturer in the Study of Islam and Society, School of Humanities, Languages and Social Science; Senior Fellow Centre for Interfaith and Intercultural Dialogue, Griffith University | Nathan | Queensland | Australia. His forthcoming books are ( co-edited)- Shame, Modesty, and Honora in Islam and Interfaith Engagement Beyond the Divide (Springer) URL: https://www.newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/expansiveness-genuine-faith/d/133126 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism