Spiritual But Not Anxious

by Darrell Smith

There is a reason that the phrase "spiritual but not religious" exists. Now more than ever, people are finding it difficult to reconcile their experiences or worldviews with the anxiety that organized religion too often creates.

When we embrace the message but mistrust the institution, anxiety is at work. When we cling to a particular faith but struggle to reconcile ourselves to its beliefs and practices, anxiety is present. When we are drawn to mysticism, meaning, and wonder but burdened by religious baggage, we are longing to be Spiritual But Not Anxious.

Religion should be the counter to anxiety—not its cause. Spiritual But Not Anxious traces the root cause of our most basic religious anxieties and invites us to imagine a better way.

Audiobook

Published December 19, 2024

About the author

DARRELL SMITH is a non-dual writer, facilitator, and theologian. Serving both in the church and as the founding director of Chapter 3—a non-profit committed to serving people and the common good, Darrell has been exploring and, at times, protesting religion for over 30 years.

Darrell’s exploration and protest has led him to homeless shelters, recovery groups, and refugee ghettos as well as universities, churches, and prisons. He has supported relief efforts in Central and South America and worked with such organizations as Renovaré, Apprentice, and Kairos Prison Ministry.

Darrell attended the Perkins School of Theology, Wayland Baptist University, the Robert Webber Institute for Worship Studies, and Texas A&M University, holding degrees in English, Speech Communication, Christian Ministry, and Worship Studies. His published works include 'Faith Lies: Seven Incomplete Ideas That Hijack Faith and How to See Beyond Them' and 'Spiritual But Not Anxious.'

Since 1999, Darrell has served at Alamo Heights United Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas. Darrell is married to Stacy, and they have three children.

Reviews

[Cristian Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

An essential read for anyone hurt by organized religion, is undergoing deconstruction/reconstruction, or simply looking for a new way. Darrell is one of those writers and teachers who just gets it. I may be biased, but I thought this was thoroughly fascinating.

[Zach Baumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy was this book timely for me. Or, I mean, I wish I read it 5 (10?) years ago. Amazingly simple yet profound and disarming approach to modern evangelicalism distilling the core issues that drive so much anxiety in our culture. Must read for anyone in the church and or ex-church folks. Bravo Darrell!

[Nate Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I grew up in my dad’s and my church’s presence, much of Spiritual But Not Anxious was not new to me. What was refreshing, though, was the clarity of the ways in which religion gets in the way of, well, religion. The author (heard he’s a real character) makes it very easy to understand each of these spiritual roadblocks, and even if he sometimes repeats himself, it’s usually in the interest of those who need to read things a second time to really take them in. Spiritual But Not Anxious was both an entertaining read—I felt more empowered to read after (embarrassingly) putting it down halfway through in like March—and a read that’s really easy to learn from, made engaging by its constant references and imagery and impactful by its quotations and insight.

[Kimijo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spiritual But Not Anxious explores the tension between personal spirituality and the anxieties often caused by organized religion. It addresses struggles with faith, mysticism, and meaning while offering a path toward a more peaceful, authentic spiritual life free from fear and religious baggage

[Trisha Hatfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really heavy read. Confusing at times.

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

✍🏽💯✍🏽💯✍🏽💯