GRIT Talks: Metaphysical Spirituality: Why It Matters More than Ever

What do spiritual people believe and practice? What do astrology, Tarot, the occult, and mysticism have in common? In this lecture, Religious Studies professor Joseph Blankholm outlines the metaphysical tradition, which most spiritual people belong to, often without realizing. Now that nearly a third of Americans claim no religious affiliation, it’s more important than ever to understand spirituality and how it differs from other ways of being nonreligious. The Santa Barbara region is an especially good place to learn about spiritual seekers because it’s been an epicenter of metaphysical spirituality for more than a century. With the help of local examples, historical and contemporary, Blankholm provides an overview of a growing spiritual movement.

About the Speaker: Joseph Blankholm is Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. His research focuses on the variety among nonreligious people, including atheism and spirituality. Blankholm is the author of The Secular Paradox: On the Religiosity of the Not Religious (NYU Press 2022), as well as numerous chapters and articles. His latest project, on metaphysical spirituality, is funded by a $1.55m grant from the John Templeton Foundation.