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International Handbook of Education for Spirituality, Care and Wellbeing pp 51–67Cite as

Examining Religious and Spiritual Development During Childhood and Adolescence

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Part of the book series: International Handbooks of Religion and Education ((IHRE,volume 3))

Abstract

What does “spirituality” look like in a child? Does religion make a genuine difference in the lives of children and youth? How do we measure spiritual and religious development in children and adolescents? How can we characterize religious and spiritual development in its processes, sequences, and stages? These are a few daunting challenges facing our field, and I will address them here (to varying degrees of thoroughness). I first examine the historical neglect and recent attention regarding spirituality and religion and childhood and adolescence. Second, I explore definitional challenges inherent in this field. I then offer a selective review of very recent research literature that illuminates key issues in three emphases in the field: children’s religious concepts, social dynamics that influence religiosity and spirituality, and religion’s role in adolescent wellbeing and thriving. In addition, I problematize some assumptions about religious and spiritual development by challenging their implicit foundations derived from developmental theory.

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Biographical details

  • Professor Chris J Boyatzis is Professor of Psychology at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, USA

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Bucknell University, 17837, Lewisburg, PA, USA

    Chris J. Boyatzis

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  1. Chris J. Boyatzis
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Correspondence to Chris J. Boyatzis .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. National School of Religious Education, Australian Catholic University, 1200 Mair St, Ballarat Campus, 3350, Ballarat, VIC, Australia

    Marian de Souza

  2. Warwick Inst. Education, University of Warwick, CV4 7AL, Coventry, UK

    Leslie J. Francis

  3. School of Education Studies, Dublin City University, Dublin, Glasnevin, Ireland

    James O’Higgins-Norman

  4. School of Child & Youth Care, University of Victoria, V8W 2Y2, Victoria, BC, Canada

    Daniel Scott

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Boyatzis, C.J. (2009). Examining Religious and Spiritual Development During Childhood and Adolescence. In: de Souza, M., Francis, L.J., O’Higgins-Norman, J., Scott, D. (eds) International Handbook of Education for Spirituality, Care and Wellbeing. International Handbooks of Religion and Education, vol 3. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9018-9_4

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