Spirituality in the 21st century.

• Author: Sawyer, John
• Position: Religion

THE 21ST CENTURY spiritual highway has a growing number of travelers, but, with less direction and fewer road signs, those on the journey are charting their own route in a vehicle that is easy to drive and fits their lifestyle. Today's spiritual journey is directed by social experiences, rather than well-worn pathways passed down through the generations. Modern religious practices have detoured from the traditional family regime to a more personalized, do-it-yourself endeavor.

Historically, spiritual nurturing took place in church with family. Members of previous generations inherited spiritual practices based on family traditions. Going to church as a family was a ritual, and such practices had clear rules and understood circumstances. Now, though, church attendance is at an all-time low. In fact, Barna Research reported in 2000 that 31% of Americans are "un-churched," and nearly one in three have no specific religious affiliation.

While they may not be in the pew and attending church together, more and more American families continue to recognize and emphasize the importance of developing spirituality on their own. With society embracing convenience and diversification, families are personalizing their own style of spiritual practice at home. The do-it-yourself approach allows hectic families with demanding schedules to pick a time and style that fit their lives. Just as so much of our lives have changed with the technology revolution, religion and spiritual practice are becoming more fast-paced and personalized.

As individuals crave spiritual guidance in tools they can use on their own, they are often turning to independent study and reading of the Bible. People are buying bibles that enable them to teach and practice spirituality independently on their own when it is convenient, relevant, and applicable to their daily lives. In particular, there are an increasing number of bible study groups and the sale of study bibles is one of the fastest growing categories.

Overall, the demand for bibles and spiritual tools is booming. The average Christian household owns nine bibles and is interested in buying more, according to consumer research done by Zondervan, the world's largest bible publisher. The bible market has risen approximately seven percent in the last year, and sales of religious books are predicted to reach $2,300,000,000 by 2002. Bible text is now available through handheld computers, and religious-based websites are some of the...