Spirituality can be seen as a symbol of possible openness, and a detrimental aspect of it is the interconnection between philosophy and theology. It can be seen for instance in the Bible, where many books implemented rules. For instance de Levitique was a detrimental book in the Jewish tradition. It was a great source of inspiration for the Midrash for instance. However a more personal and individualistic viewpoint is necessary to build a relevant approach to this extend. In fact it is possible to say that religions have a important spiritual component.
In all antique traditions there were esoteric traditions that were the ancestors of this more individualistic approach. Dialog with the transcendent is necessary to build a new approach this way. For instance soufism, founded by Rumi, is a necessary component of this kind of approaches. The Muslim tradition of the middle ages is creating a dialog between Greek philosophers and Islamic tradition. To this extend the thinker Mulla Sudra created a real parallel between the philosopher in the platonic theories and the Imam in the city.
This dialog between philosophy and religion often promoted approaches favoring an individualistic dialog. Of course the visions may be different. Sanct Paul for instance is advocating the community of believers as a body, which is contradicting to some extend the possibility of an individualistic approach. However, pretty fast, traditions in Christianity are advocating a direct dialog with God. For instance the monks in the Middle Ages (for instance the Franciscans) were very dependent on this approach. Protestantism gave in my opinion a real space to live spirituality, even if Catholicism, especially since the Vatican II council, evolved a lot to this direction.
The demeanor of a direct dialog between the believer and the transcendant is at the heart of many philosophical and theological traditions. To this extend it is possible to say that religion is necessary to build this approach. That is the reason why the dialog between philosophy and religion is very resourceful to understand this approach of religions. To the same extend, in Christianity, the confrontation between the neo Platonists like Plotin and the Fathers of the Church inspired a lot the works of Sanct Augustine. That is the reason why philosophy had a real positive impact on this demeanor of individualistic dialog with the transcendant.
That is the reason why, in our period of rising communautarism, where intolerance is growing, considering more these links between philosophy and theology, in a spirit of openness, can be a way to fight this worrying tendency. This demeanor has been in my opinion successfully advocated by Paul Ricoeur, who built his philosophy on a dialog between human sciences, to a certain extend with theology. The hermeneutical approach he is advocating is in my opinion more necessary than ever, provided the evolution of society. Using those peculiar approaches like hermeneutics to fight this rise of intolerance and communautarism can contribute to make things advance a good way.
The observer 