Spirituality, Religion, and the Rhythm of Our Lives

Spirituality and religion, while often intertwined, offer distinct pathways for seeking meaning, connection, and solace in the rhythm of life. Spirituality tends to be a more personal and individualized experience, while religion is typically structured around established doctrines, communal practices, and shared beliefs. Together, spirituality and religion provide a framework for understanding the divine through patterns of prayer, rituals, and community support that help us navigate both the ordinary and extraordinary moments. Whether through the solace of personal meditation or the solidarity of communal worship, these practices can ground us and bring us closer to understanding our place in the world and our relationship with the divine.

In this episode, we talk about the difference between spirituality and religion, how faith can change you, and the role spirituality can play in the darkest times with Rev. Lizzie McManus Dail. Lizzie has lived all over the world with her boots now rooted in Austin, Texas where she is living her dream as the founder of Jubilee Episcopal Church. Lizzy is passionate about the evangelism of a God who makes each of us for joy, which is why you might see her doing silly dances and talking about church history on Instagram and TikTok with her 60K followers. 

As a graduate of Mt. Holyoke College, Lizzie brought a passion for intersectional feminism and queer theology to her studies at Duke Divinity School and Seminary of the Southwest. It was her time in both Massachusetts and North Carolina that brought her into the Episcopal church, where she was ordained in 2020. While grateful for her academic formation, she still swears most things she learned about being a priest she learned from 5 plus years of working in the service industry and access to the arts in her public high school.  

Tune in!

What You Will Learn:

• [00:01] Intro and a bit about our guest today, Reverend Lizzie
• [05:49] What spirituality is and how it differs from religion 
• [07:28] How spirituality helps when navigating grief and difficult times 
• [15:10] The complaint prayer to finding peace
• [17:57] Why God didn’t intervene in that tragic experience 
• [21:43] How spiritual conversations help us reconnect with ourselves and find peace  
• [29:03] Lizzie’s turning point to becoming an ordained priest
• [37:36] About Jubilee church and the work Lizzie does as a priest
• [42:06] How to be more spiritual in your life through Ignatian examine  
• [47:22] Wrap up and end of the show

Standout Quotes:

• “When we feel like we have no center and no pattern, prayer is always there to give us a pattern and a rhythm that can help us find a new way of being and our way back to God.” [09:07]
• “When we’ve terrible losses in our lives, we crave support and solidarity in our grief from our human community without forced theological and spiritual explanations.” [23:28]
• “Our inner connection with God helps us know more and more about who we’re and whose we’re, and that’s what prayer offers us.” [25:39]
• “Spirituality in any capacity is not meant to be practiced in isolation; having people with whom you can share your spiritual life with is a sacred thing.” [42:13]

Let’s Connect

Chandler Stroud
Website: https://healingheroespodcast.com/

Mixing, editing and show notes provided by Next Day Podcast.