Download or read book The Science of Children s Religious and Spiritual Development written by Annette Mahoney and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-08-26 with total page 94 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Handbook of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence written by Eugene C. Roehlkepartain and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2006 with total page 564 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Religious and Spiritual Development written by Elizabeth M. Dowling and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2006 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focuses on the developmental process of religion and spirituality across the human life span.This encyclopedia joins a recent trend in research and scholarship aimed at better understanding the similarities and differences between world religions and spiritualities, between expressions of the divine and between experiences of the transcendent.
Download or read book Born Believers written by Justin L. Barrett and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-03-20 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Soul of Education written by Rachael Kessler and published by ASCD. This book was released on 2000 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Spiritual Child written by Dr. Lisa Miller and published by St. Martin's Press. This book was released on 2015-05-05 with total page 385 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Handbook of Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence written by Pamela Ebstyne King and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2006 with total page 561 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Children s Spirituality written by Donald Ratcliff and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Joining Children on the Spiritual Journey written by Catherine Stonehouse and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 1998-03 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Analyzes the spiritual formation of young children and calls for renewed attention to scripture and the involvement of families in the process.
Download or read book Children s Spirituality Second Edition written by Kevin E. Lawson and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2019-06-13 with total page 321 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Children s Spirituality written by Rebecca Nye and published by Canterbury Press. This book was released on 2014-08-04 with total page 131 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introduction to the increasingly popular topic of children's spirituality, showing how choices made in churches and homes can stimulate or stifle a child's spiritual development. Suitable for anyone who works with children.
Download or read book The Spiritual Life of Children written by Robert Coles and published by HMH. This book was released on 1991-10-10 with total page 399 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A look at faith through the voices of children from varied religious backgrounds, by the Pulitzer-winning author of The Moral Intelligence of Children. A New York Times Notable Book What do children think about when they consider God, Heaven and Hell, the value of life in the here and now, and the inevitability of death? Child psychiatrist, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, and Harvard professor Robert Coles spent thirty years interviewing hundreds of children—from South America and Europe to Africa and the Middle East—who are developing concepts of faith even as they struggle to understand its contradictions. Be they Catholic or Protestant, Jewish children from Boston, Pakistani children in London, agnostics, Native Americans, or young Christians in the American South, they offer honest, enlightening and sometimes startling ideas of a spiritual existence. A Hopi girl who knows for a fact that we are resurrected as birds; an African American child who believes God exists as a hurricane to “blow away” drug dealers; a young Christian who needs his faith to cope with the death of his sister, lest she be just “a big heartache to us till the day we die”; and a Tennessee child who rationalizes his belief by admitting that “if there's no God, that's all there is, ashes.” The Spiritual Life of Children is “a remarkable book. The generosity of vision that characterizes Dr. Coles's enterprise enables him to create a climate where words of great beauty and truthfulness can be spoken.” —The New York Times
Download or read book Listening to Children on the Spiritual Journey written by Catherine Stonehouse and published by Baker Academic. This book was released on 2010-06-01 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do children experience and understand God? How can adults help children grow their life of faith? Throughout more than a decade of field research, children's spirituality experts Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May listened to children talk about their relationships with God, observed children and their parents in learning and worship settings, and interviewed adults about their childhood faith experiences. This accessibly written book weaves together their findings to offer a glimpse of the spiritual responsiveness and potential of children. Through case studies, it provides insight into children's perceptions of God and how they process their faith. In addition, the book suggests how parents, teachers, and ministry leaders can more effectively relate to and work with children and pre-adolescents to nurture their faith, offering a helpful picture of adults and children on the spiritual journey together.
Download or read book Real Kids Real Faith written by Karen Marie Yust and published by Jossey-Bass. This book was released on 2004-04-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book The Spirit of the Child written by David Hay and published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. This book was released on 2006-01-01 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David Hay argues for the inclusion of spiritual awareness as a cross-curricular element in the school syllabus to promote the development of morality and social cohesion. This stimulating book will encourage educators, parents and others involved in teaching children to consider new approaches to foster children's natural spiritual development.
Download or read book Psychology Religion and Spirituality written by James M. Nelson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-02-17 with total page 737 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over a century ago, psychologists who were fascinated with religion began to study and write about it. Theologians and religious practitioners have responded to this literature, producing a fascinating dialogue that deals with our fundamental und- standings about the human person and our place in the world. This book provides an introduction to the important conversations that have developed out of these interchanges. The dialogue between psychology and religion is difficult to study for a number of reasons. First, it requires knowledge of both psychology and religion. People with a background in psychology often lack a solid understanding of the religious traditions they wish to study, and theologians may not be up to date on the latest developments in psychology. Second, it requires conceptual tools to organize the material and understand the basic problems involved in any attempt to connect the science of psychology with religion. These concepts can be found in many places, for instance in the writings of philosophers of science, but they are complex and often hard to follow for those without a proper theological and philosophical ba- ground. Finally, authors who write on the topic come to the study of psychology and religion from a variety of academic and personal backgrounds. This makes for wonderful diversity in conversations, but it makes understanding and mastery of the material quite difficult.
Download or read book How God Works written by David DeSteno and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-09-06 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on a wealth of new evidence, pioneering research psychologist David DeSteno shows why religious practices and rituals are so beneficial to those who follow them—and to anyone, regardless of their faith (or lack thereof). Scientists are beginning to discover what believers have known for a long time: the rewards that a religious life can provide. For millennia, people have turned to priests, rabbis, imams, shamans, and others to help them deal with issues of grief and loss, birth and death, morality and meaning. In this absorbing work, DeSteno reveals how numerous religious practices from around the world improve emotional and physical well-being. With empathy and rigor, DeSteno chronicles religious rites and traditions from cradle to grave. He explains how the Japanese rituals surrounding childbirth help strengthen parental bonds with children. He describes how the Apache Sunrise Ceremony makes teenage girls better able to face the rigors of womanhood. He shows how Buddhist meditation reduces hostility and increases compassion. He demonstrates how the Jewish practice of sitting shiva comforts the bereaved. And much more. DeSteno details how belief itself enhances physical and mental health. But you don’t need to be religious to benefit from the trove of wisdom that religion has to offer. Many items in religion’s “toolbox” can help the body and mind whether or not one believes. How God Works offers advice on how to incorporate many of these practices to help all of us live more meaningful, successful, and satisfying lives.
