Exploring the Lived Experience of Suffering and Moral Reflection among Post-Secular Urban Youth: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Suffering and moral reflection have long been central concerns within the field of Religious Philosophy and Ethics, particularly as modern societies grapple with questions of meaning in a post-secular world. Within this broader discourse, little is known about how young adults in urban contexts interpret suffering as a moral and spiritual experience rather than merely a psychological or sociological condition. This study addresses that gap by asking: How do individuals in post-secular environments experience and reinterpret suffering as a process of moral and spiritual transformation? Using a Hermeneutic Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (HIPA), the research explores the lived experiences of twelve urban participants who engage with suffering as a reflective dialogue between faith, morality, and transcendence. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically to uncover essential structures of meaning. The findings indicate three central insights. First, suffering functions as a moral space where ethical consciousness and spiritual renewal gradually emerge. Second, participants describe suffering not as a threat to faith but as an interpretative journey that strengthens their moral identity. Third, suffering becomes a reflective encounter that broadens existential understanding and fosters deeper relational empathy and hope. These results extend the phenomenological understanding of spirituality by demonstrating how personal pain can become a transformative ethical encounter. The study contributes to current debates in Religious Philosophy and Ethics and opens pathways for future interdisciplinary research on moral consciousness and spiritual resilience in post-secular contexts.