Mere Spirituality

Is the Collapse of Western Civilization Inevitable?

 

For centuries, Western civilization was securely balanced on the pillars of science, philosophy, and spirituality. But as science increasingly took center stage, the spiritual dimension was cast aside—leaving society destabilized, disoriented, and desperate for meaning.

 

Mere Spirituality confronts this crisis head-on, exposing the frailty of a worldview built solely on the material reality. Drawing on anthropology, history, and biblical wisdom, Joshua Spatha reveals how Western culture traded the spiritual for the superficial and profound meaning for material pleasure—and why that devil’s bargain is now proving catastrophic.

 

But this is not just a critique—it is an invitation.

 

Mere Spirituality calls us to rediscover the wisdom of ancient spiritual disciplines, to re-examine the foundations that once sustained civilization, and to reclaim the essential connection between faith and reason. In doing so, Joshua Spatha shows how spirituality is not the opposite of rationality, but a critical and complimentary component of it.

 

Whether you are a skeptic, seeker, or believer, this book will challenge your assumptions, awaken your curiosity, and offer a path forward—not just for the individual, but for society—offering modern insights to ancient answers for the current crisis.

Joshua Spatha majored in anthropology with a minor in Old Testament studies before he began serving in full-time missions in 2006, traveling primarily in the Middle East and Asia. An ordained minister, and a student of history and missiology, Joshua has led collegiate-level discipleship and missions training programs with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), has served on the leadership of several ministries, and is currently preparing to move long-term to Central Asia. He is married to a Singaporean and is the proud father of three multicultural boys. With a passion for discipleship, training, and equipping, he speaks, teaches, and writes frequently.