While the emphasis of the SSCS is clearly on Christian spirituality, it also seekes to foster creative dialogue with non-Christian traditions of spirituality. The Society’s membership includes scholars active in a wide range of academic communities as well as artists, pastors, practitioners, and those in the helping professions—all those interested in reflecting critically on the life of the Spirit.

Founded in 1991 at the American Academy of Religion (AAR) meeting in Kansas City, Missouri, the SSCS was established to facilitate the scholarly examination of spirituality and to maintain spirituality as a regular part of the AAR program. The SSCS received recognition from the AAR as a Related Scholarly Organization in May, 1992, and held its first annual meeting in San Francisco in November, 1992. The SSCS meets annually in conjunction with the AAR meeting. In addition to an annual meeting, the SSCS has launched Spiritus, a refereed, scholarly journal that aims to foster dialogue about critical issues in the field of spirituality.