Recognition of seven spiritual identities and its implications on children

Abstract

Seven spiritual identities are determined based on a study conducted on a group of 125 participants. The objective of the study was to examine (a) how spirituality is experienced individually and collectively; and (b) identify the commonalities and differences in spiritual experiences. The participants ranged in age from 17 to over 55, and were recruited from three sources. One group consisted of an on‐campus population of undergraduate students majoring in different disciplines. The second group consisted of faculty and students who attended annual seminars on ‘Spirituality and Children’. The third group consisted of participants at meetings and conferences who volunteered to participate in the study. Altogether they formed a self‐selected sample of 29 males and 96 females, representing different religious and non‐religious backgrounds. Based on the analysis seven spiritual identities are recognised and presented and broad classroom strategies for professionals working with children are discussed.

Keywords:

• spiritual identities
• religious diversity
• spiritual development
• education
• classroom strategies
• spiritual theory

Acknowledgements

Authors wish to extend their deep appreciation to Maya Kalyanpur for her dedicated help and support at every stage of the project. They also wish to thank Barbara Laster, Terry Berkeley, Nechi King, Selamawit Tadesse, Barbara Steele and Judith Johnson for their insights on the work. Finally, they want to extend their deep gratitude to Towson university students and to all the participants who contributed to the research study.