Spiritual and religious journeys over the lifespan: challenging stereotypes

ABSTRACT

Spiritual and religious development in aging was studied through interviews with 152 adults age 50 and older (n = 152) who described themselves as spiritual and/or religious. Quantitative responses to questions related to perceptions of spirituality and religion showed that a variety of spiritual paths continue to develop with age. On average, participants reported higher levels of spirituality and religiosity with age, including greater certainty in their own beliefs. Paradoxically, participants also reported greater acceptance of others’ beliefs and more comfort with doubt, mystery, and uncertainty. Implications for spiritual competence for professionals working with older adults are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Spirituality
• religiosity
• spiritual development
• spiritual competence

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.