Is supernaturalism essential to religious belief?
This essay will explore the supernatural premise of ‘mediumship’ or communicating with spirits, which is the foundation of the Spiritualist movement, whose focus is ‘eternal life’.
In contemplating the question ‘Is supernaturalism essential to religious belief?’ I am led to argue that, yes, supernaturalism is essential to religious belief. This essay will explore the supernatural premise of ‘mediumship’ or communicating with spirits, which is the foundation of the Spiritualist movement, whose focus is ‘eternal life’. The Spiritualist religion formed in the mid-19th Century in the United States and its churches is now discoverable worldwide, with localised congregations following a global doctrine, mixed with diverse theologies and experiences, depending on location and the group’s personal experiences. The Spiritualist movement represents a vast gathering of religious beliefs, yet Spiritualists terminology and reflections referencing Angels and Heaven are predominantly Christian. Despite their spiritual practices being referred to as ‘detestable’ in the Bible (Deuteronomy 18:9–11), Spiritualists carry forward the concept of ‘God’, Jesus and Angels in their doctrine. In his book, The History of Spiritualism, Arthur Conan Doyle described Spiritualism as ’a system of thought and knowledge which can be reconciled with any religion. The basic facts are the continuity of personality and the power of communication after death.’ (Doyle 2011, 246). Through historical investigation of the Spiritualists, we learn that Christian followers have added to their faith with tangible discussions of the spirit realm, which Spiritualism offers. Many Christians have turned to Spiritualism after a supernatural experience, and ‘in spite of themselves, their hearts having been suddenly changed by some spirit, either in an apparition or in a dream.’ (Doyle 2011, 254).
When we consider what is ‘essential’ to religious belief, many elements come to mind, but at the forefront is the mystical, the omnipresent, the unseen power and potential of the universe. It is an innate human trait to believe in something greater than ourselves, whether supernatural and beyond our physical comprehension, or something of immense philosophical or scientific magnitude, that overwhelmingly convinces us that there is a force or knowledge greater, that transcends our mundane perceptions of reality. Religion in its earliest, preanimistic stage consists of belief in a vaguely defined, unseen ‘power’ (Wells 1921, 53). In knowing this, we know that Religion and Religious belief have been considerations occupying humanity through the ages. As new ideas about spirituality, religion, science, and philosophy flourish, we will continue to embrace the need to ‘believe’ in something that feels ‘essentially’ right within us — and for many, a connection to the supernatural. Spiritualism promises a ‘direct line’ between the mortal and the divine, which satisfies the supernatural and spiritual desires inherent in religious practice.
Given the sole focus of communicating with the spirits of humans that have passed away and other higher beings such as Angels and Ascended Masters, Spiritualist practice is the epitome of a supernatural belief system. Meaning, in the natural world, it is not ordinary to connect, at will, with spirits that are mostly unseen and only audible to a select few, which have the gift of ‘mediumship’ abilities. What the Medium performs is supernatural and unequivocally believed by those attending the séance or circle. The messages received from ‘the other side’ may be answers to specific questions, messages for grieving loved ones left behind or, in some cases, the dictation of entire theological manuscripts. Naturally, on this premise alone, Spiritualists have attracted an enormous audience over the years, with some individuals realising they have Mediumship abilities or are simply curious or grieving spectators. It is also interesting to note that spirit possession ranks, along with myth-making and mysticism, as one of the truly global religious phenomena (Brill 2015). In looking at modern practice and the broad appeal of Spiritualism, Ann Kalvig highlights that ‘Spiritualism is a highly popular and interesting phenomenon in the borderland between the religious and the secular’ (Kalvig 2016). The fascination and deep desire to communicate with ones who have died is age-old and will continue to be a spectacle. Those touched by a channelled message from ‘the other side’ will not doubt the supernatural power of the divine. In addition to the popularity of Spiritualist circles and the growing number of churches making Mediumship available to all, worldwide growth confirms people seem to be naturally receptive to religious concepts and are more likely to become widespread and part of shared cultural concepts (Barrett 2000, 30).
Spiritualist teachings encourage multi-faith and multicultural groups to come together and celebrate our one commonality: death, or more precisely, the afterlife. Death comes to us all, and Mediumship or channelled messages bring great comfort to the grieving, the sick and spiritually searching. They share an ethos that is extra-denominational, a multicultural and progressive spirit that is inclusive of all humanity (Brill 2015). The faithful must believe without a doubt that there is life after death and that communication with the spirits of the dead is possible and natural — not merely supernatural. Spiritualism is tolerant of many things and asks that the religious followers abide by seven principles: 1: God residing in everything and everybody, 2: Human loyalty and love, 3: Acceptance of the spirit world and of angels, 4: The eternal life of the soul, 5: Personal responsibility, 6: Your choices influence your life and your development, and 7: Eternal development for all souls. (Kalvig 2016). In essence, these principles reflect the 10 Commandments from the Christian Bible, encouraging us to be kind and good to each other. The principles also ask that followers accept the spirit world being offered to them, a potential raft of supernatural experiences or communications presented randomly at each meeting. To have faith in supernatural interactions is key to following the religious path with a sense of belief. Without belief in the supernatural, a follower would quickly fail to adhere to the Spiritualist principles.
Many Spiritualists in our modern era teach that their practice and the act of connecting and communicating with the spirit realm is scientific and not supernatural. This suggests that a devout Spiritualist is so determined that their connections with ‘the other side’ are real, that they are beyond supernatural and beyond questionable doubt. The Spiritualist has experienced things that lead her beyond belief and assume her religious experience is scientific or natural. To the outsider, it is not a risk to say that communicating with the spirit realm is supernatural, and as a civilisation, we are not prepared to record such events as natural and scientific occurrences. Despite generations of documented attempts, Spiritualists have been unsuccessful in proving their religious beliefs in a scientific context to the secular world. Unfortunately, even equipped with an exhaustive list of accounts and examples, the sceptical world looks on without acknowledging the Spiritualists’ lived reality as fact. In light of this, Spiritualism remains firmly in the supernatural category and its congregation, devout believers in supernatural occurrences. Without belief in the supernatural experiences the Spiritualists call upon, they would be left without meaningful religious practice, and therefore supernaturalism is essential to their religious belief.
REFERENCES
Kalvig, Anne. The Rise of Contemporary Spiritualism : Concepts and Controversies in Talking to the Dead, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uql/detail.action?docID=4710502.
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Handbook of Spiritualism and Channeling, BRILL, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/uql/detail.action?docID=2006460.
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Doyle, Arthur Conan. “THE RELIGIOUS ASPECT OF SPIRITUALISM.” Chapter. In The History of Spiritualism, 2:246–77. Cambridge Library Collection - Spiritualism and Esoteric Knowledge. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139059794.010.
Wells, Wesley Raymond. “Is Supernaturalistic Belief Essential in a Definition of Religion?” <i>The Journal of Philosophy</i> 18, no. 10 (1921): 269-75. Accessed August 16, 2021. doi:10.2307/2939402.
Justin L. Barrett, Exploring the natural foundations of religion, Trends in Cognitive Sciences, Volume 4, Issue 1, 2000, Pages 29-34, ISSN 1364-6613, https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6613(99)01419-9.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364661399014199)
Deuteronomy 18:9-11, Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.