The Science of Children's Religious and Spiritual Development PDF Download

Author: Annette Mahoney
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108858023
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 94

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Book Description
This Element provides a comprehensive yet concise account of scientific research on children's religious and spiritual (RS) development. After providing a historical sketch of definitional issues in the science of RS, the first section reviews basic descriptive information on children's RS development as well as wholistic theoretical models and measures of children's RS development. The second section covers evidence about links of child and parental RS to children's psychosocial adjustment, and highlights the need for more research that discriminates specific positive and negative manifestations of RS for children's development. The third section summarizes evidence about the robust influence of parents on their children's RS development and parents' perceptions of their role in this process. The fourth section focuses on cognitive-developmental research on children's cognitions about God/deities and prayer. The Element concludes with a synopsis of key themes and challenges that researchers face to advance the science of children's RS development.

Author: Eugene C. Roehlkepartain
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 9780761930785
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 564

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Book Description
This Handbook draws together leading social scientists in the world from multiple disciplines to articulate what is known and needs to be known about spiritual development in childhood and adolescence.

Author: Justin L. Barrett
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1439196575
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 305

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Book Description
Infants have a lot to make sense of in the world: Why does the sun shine and night fall; why do some objects move in response to words, while others won’t budge; who is it that looks over them and cares for them? How the developing brain grapples with these and other questions leads children, across cultures, to naturally develop a belief in a divine power of remarkably consistent traits––a god that is a powerful creator, knowing, immortal, and good—explains noted developmental psychologist and anthropologist Justin L. Barrett in this enlightening and provocative book. In short, we are all born believers. Belief begins in the brain. Under the sway of powerful internal and external influences, children understand their environments by imagining at least one creative and intelligent agent, a grand creator and controller that brings order and purpose to the world. Further, these beliefs in unseen super beings help organize children’s intuitions about morality and surprising life events, making life meaningful. Summarizing scientific experiments conducted with children across the globe, Professor Barrett illustrates the ways human beings have come to develop complex belief systems about God’s omniscience, the afterlife, and the immortality of deities. He shows how the science of childhood religiosity reveals, across humanity, a “natural religion,” the organization of those beliefs that humans gravitate to organically, and how it underlies all of the world’s major religions, uniting them under one common source. For believers and nonbelievers alike, Barrett offers a compelling argument for the human instinct for religion, as he guides all parents in how to effectively encourage children in developing a healthy constellation of beliefs about the world around them.

Author: Rachael Kessler
Publisher: ASCD
ISBN: 0871203731
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 204

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Book Description
Explores the spiritual dimension of education, and discusses ways to nourish the spiritual development of adolescents in public schools without violating anyone's legal rights.

Author: Dr. Lisa Miller
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250032911
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 385

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Book Description
In The Spiritual Child, psychologist Lisa Miller presents the next big idea in psychology: the science and the power of spirituality. She explains the clear, scientific link between spirituality and health and shows that children who have a positive, active relationship to spirituality: * are 40% less likely to use and abuse substances * are 60% less likely to be depressed as teenagers * are 80% less likely to have dangerous or unprotected sex * have significantly more positive markers for thriving including an increased sense of meaning and purpose, and high levels of academic success. Combining cutting-edge research with broad anecdotal evidence from her work as a clinical psychologist to illustrate just how invaluable spirituality is to a child's mental and physical health, Miller translates these findings into practical advice for parents, giving them concrete ways to develop and encourage their children's—as well as their own—well-being. In this provocative, conversation-starting book, Dr. Miller presents us with a pioneering new way to think about parenting our modern youth.

Author: Donald Ratcliff
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781592447114
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 424

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Book Description
Description: This pacesetting text considers a wide variety of topics related to the spiritual development of children. The chapters grew out of presentations at the first major conference to consider these important topics from a distinctly Christian perspective. The first section considers the important task of defining spirituality and summarizes some views of the spirituality of children, as reflected in history, theology and the Bible. Social influences on children's spirituality are considered, as well as how brain activity relates to spiritual experiences. The second major section highlights children's spirituality in the home. Here the development of the concept of God is considered, as well as how parents and children work together to construct understandings of spirituality. A third section reflects upon the spirituality of children in the church, including alternative perspectives of how spiritual growth and experience are best encouraged in that setting. The distinctive aspects of African American children and Latino children's spirituality are given careful attention. Schools and other settings are examined in the fourth section of the book, with an emphasis upon moral learning, encouraging faith development with preschoolers, how spirituality helps children cope with serious medical conditions and the stresses related to being children of missionaries, and best practices in reaching inner city children. The book concludes with a chapter that examines how Christians' views of children's spirituality are changing, and anticipates a follow up conference in the near future. Endorsements: ""Here are essays on young people that tell of their various ways of seeking God's presence in their ongoing lives--an aspect of faith observed and discussed with intelligence and sensitivity. Here is a book many of us will greatly value--its wisdom an important presence in our effort to understand children."" --Dr. Robert Coles, Professor of Psychiatry and Medical Humanities at Harvard Medical School, and author of The Spiritual Life of Children ""This extraordinary book is a must read for all who teach and practice religious education. It gathers, with breadth and depth, the best current research from an exploding renewal in the study of the spirituality and religious development of children. Teachers, students, and scholars dedicated to understanding and nurturing our children's growth in faith will find this rich volume indispensable."" --James W. Fowler, author of Stages of Faith and C.H. Candler Professor of Theology and Human Development Director, The Center for Ethics, Emory University ""Written in the best of the Evangelical tradition, Children's Spirituality is a must read for all those interested in children, the spiritual life, and Christian formation. Descriptive phrases include: well conceived and edited, clearly written and well documented, thorough and all-encompassing, academically sound and popular, combining research and practical application."" --The Rev. Dr. John Westerhoff, formerly Professor of Theology and Christian Nurture at Duke University, he is Theologian-in-Residence at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia About the Contributor(s): Donald Ratcliff is Professor of Psychology at Vanguard University. He received his Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Georgia. He has studied children's spiritual development for more than 25 years and has edited several books related to this topic, including the 'Handbook of Children's Religious Education' and the 'Handbook of Preschool Religious Education.' He is also the editor or coauthor of six other books and more than two dozen journal articles and book chapters.

Author: Pamela Ebstyne King
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 0761930787
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 561

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Book Description
This Handbook draws together leading social scientists in the world from multiple disciplines to articulate what is known and needs to be known about spiritual development in childhood and adolescence.

Author: Catherine Stonehouse
Publisher: Baker Academic
ISBN: 0801058074
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 240

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Book Description
Analyzes the spiritual formation of young children and calls for renewed attention to scripture and the involvement of families in the process.

Author: Kevin E. Lawson
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
ISBN: 1532672519
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
The Society of Children's Spirituality: Christian Perspectives launched in 2003 with its first conference held at Concordia University Chicago, in River Forest, Illinois. An earlier edition of this book, composed of chapters based on presentations from that conference, was published in 2004. In 2018 a decision was made to revise this book from the inaugural conference, updating some chapters and providing a new perspective on the ongoing work of the organization, now called the Children's Spirituality Summit. For example, given the advances in what we are learning from brain research, a chapter on this topic has been extensively updated. What this revised volume provides is a collection of chapters offering theological perspectives, social science research, and insights on ministry practice about the spiritual lives of children: how they relate to God, how this relationship grows, and what helps in promoting the spiritual formation and vitality of children in the home, church, and school This book offers twenty-three chapters by professors, graduate students, social science researchers, and ministry leaders from different denominational traditions addressing a wide range of issues in theory, research, and ministry practice with children. This second edition offers much to learn from, stimulate your thinking, and improve your practice.

Author: Karen Marie Yust
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
ISBN: 9780787964078
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
In a culture that has lost touch with love, compassion, and meaning, how can parents be intentional about building a spiritual foundation for their children’s development? In looking to their own upbringing for guidance, parents often feel even more at a loss—they don’t want to make the same mistakes their parents did, so they either become too strict, or they take a completely hands-off approach. A pastor, a teacher, and a mother, Karen Marie Yust offers a refreshing array of resources and provisions to guide and sustain parents and children on thier mutual journey. Drawn from a three-year study of children’s spirituality, as well as the best in theological tradition and literature, Real Kids, Real Faith provides insight and a variety of helpful tips for nurturing children’s spiritual and religious formation. Yust challenges the prevailing notion that children are unable to grasp religious concepts and encourages parents to recognize children as capable of authentic faith.