A recent Pew Research Center survey reports that 28% of U.S. adults say they are religiously unaffiliated. By digging a little deeper, Shipley finds the religiously unaffiliated, sometimes called the “nones,” are a diverse group of people often with a broader perspective of spirituality.
As the MSU Foglio Endowed Chair of Spirituality, Shipley is exploring the changes in spirituality, belonging and religious identity through his research.
Conversation Highlights:
(0:59) – Shipley on his background and interest in religious studies.
(4:00) – Why did you come to MSU for your PhD? Is there a collaborative ethos and sense of community and belonging at MSU that allows you to do your best work?
(6:44) – Tell me about Father Jake. What does spirituality mean more broadly and how is that evolving? Who are the “nones?”
(15:19) – How do you teach students about spirituality?
(18:06) – What role can technology and artificial intelligence play in people’s religious and spiritual practices?
(21:01) – Where do you see religion and spirituality heading in the next decade?
(23:37) – What do you want us to remember from this conversation? “To be a spiritual person is to be a person among others.”
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