Spirituality, religion, and the interrelationship: A nationally representative study

How do people define spirituality and religion and what, if any, relationship dothey see between the 2 constructs? In this study, we answer these questionsusing a qualitative methodology with a nationally representative sample ofgraduate-level social work students affiliated with the National Association ofSocial Workers (N=303). A relatively diverse array of definitions for both spiritualityand religion emerged. Most respondents believed some form of relationshipexisted between spirituality and religion. A significant minority, however, reported that no or a minimal relationship existed between the 2 concepts. Weconclude by discussing the implications of these findings.