Understanding Spiritual Development According to Fowler's Stages
Explore the stages of spiritual development according to Fowler, from intuitive-predictive to individuative-reflective. Children's evolving perceptions of faith and beliefs are outlined, progressing from imagination to questioning and individual identity. Discover how individuals navigate their spiritual journeys through different stages of faith development, shaping their beliefs and values along the way.
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HSD L4 TOPIC 2 MALUTI TVET BETHLEHEM Mrs C Schnetler
Spiritual development FOWLER AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT TO FOWLER, FAITH MEANS MORE THAN RELIGION OR BELIEF IT IS A WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING UNIVERSAL, AND OUTSIDE OF THEMSELVES. EVERY HUMAN BEING WHO HAS ATTAINED FAITH IN ANY SPIRITUAL OR RELIGIOUS WAY OR OF ANY RELIGIOUS GROUP, OR BELONG TO ANY KIND OF SPIRITUAL GROUP, HAS GONE THROUGH SIX STAGES OF FAITH DEVELOPMENT.
Spiritual development STAGE 1: INTUITIVE-PREDICTIVE THIS USUALLY TAKES PLACE WHEN THE CHILD IS BETWEEN 3 AND 7 YEARS OLD. THIS IS WHEN CHILDREN S IMAGINATIONS ARE MOST ACTIVE, BEFORE LOGIC CAN PLACE ANY LIMITS ON THEM. DURING THIS STAGE, CHILDREN FIRST START TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT THEY SHOULD AND SHOULDN T DO IN THEIR CULTURE OR RELIGION THROUGH SYSTEMS OF PUNISHMENT AND REWARD.
Spiritual development STAGE 2: MYTHICAL-LITERAL BETWEEN THE AGES OF ABOUT 6 AND 12 YEARS, CHILDREN START TO LEARN THE STORIES (MYTHS), SYMBOLS AND RITUALS OF THEIR RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. AT THIS STAGE, CHILDREN CANNOT UNDERSTAND SYMBOLS AND MYTHS IN AN ABSTRACT WAY. THIS MEANS THAT THEY BELIEVE SYMBOLS AND MYTHS TO BE LITERAL. THEY ALSO HAVE A VERY STRONG SENSE OF THE JUSTICE OF THE UNIVERSE. CHILDREN AT THIS STAGE MAY PUT TOO MUCH PRESSURE ON THEMSELVES TO BE PERFECT IN THE EYES OF THEIR RELIGION, BECAUSE THEY FULLY BELIEVE THE MYTHS AND STORIES ABOUT ETERNAL LIFE.
Spiritual development STAGE 3: SYNTHETIC-CONVENTIONAL THIS STAGE USUALLY STARTS IN ADOLESCENCE, AND, FOR MOST PEOPLE, THIS IS THE STAGE THEY REMAIN IN FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THIS IS WHEN PEOPLE START TO LINE UP THEIR OWN BELIEFS AND VALUES WITH THOSE OF THEIR FAITH. THE AUTHORITY FOR THE BELIEFS AND VALUES OF AN INDIVIDUAL S FAITH COMES FROM THE MAJORITY OPINION: MOST PEOPLE THE INDIVIDUAL IS IN CONTACT WITH - BELIEVE THE SAME THINGS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL DOES, - SO THESE THINGS ARE SEEN AS TRUE. PEOPLE AT THIS STAGE SEE THEMSELVES AS BELONGING TO THEIR FAITH, AND AS PART OF A WHOLE.
Spiritual development STAGE 4: INDIVIDUATIVE-REFLECTIVE MOST PEOPLE ENTER THIS STAGE, IF AT ALL, IN THEIR 30S AND 40S. THIS IS WHEN THEY START TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEMSELVES AS INDIVIDUALS. THEY BEGIN TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN SENSE OF IDENTITY, AND START SEPARATING THEMSELVES FROM THEIR FAITH. THE ONLY THING THAT PEOPLE ARE SURE OF, IN THIS STAGE, IS THEIR OWN EXISTENCE. THEY START QUESTIONING ALL THE ASPECTS OF THEIR FAITH THAT PREVIOUSLY THEY TOOK AT FACE VALUE. THIS STAGE USUALLY BRINGS ON AGNOSTICISM NOT KNOWING WHAT TO BELIEVE IN, BEING UNSURE OF WHETHER OR NOT A DIVINE BEING EXISTS. THIS STAGE CAN MAKE PEOPLE FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AND AFRAID, BUT THEY CANNOT MOVE TO THE NEXT STAGE OR STAGE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THIS STAGE.
Spiritual development STAGE 5: CONJUNCTIVE AFTER THE PREVIOUS STAGE S LOGIC AND RATIONALISM, PEOPLE IN THIS STAGE BEGIN TO ACCEPT THAT THE UNIVERSE IS COMPLEX. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE MANY THINGS THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MYSTERY IS EVERYWHERE. THIS IS WHEN PEOPLE BEGIN TO SEE THEMSELVES AS PART OF THE BIGGER PICTURE, INSTEAD OF AS PART OF THEIR FAITH, OR AS AN INDIVIDUAL. THIS STATE IS DESCRIBED AS ECSTATIC: PEOPLE IN THIS PHASE, IN WHICH ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, LIVE WITH A SENSE OF WONDER.
Spiritual development STAGE 6: UNIVERSALISING THIS STAGE CAN BE DESCRIBED AS ENLIGHTENMENT , THE STAGE WHERE PEOPLE BEGIN TO SEE THE WORLD AS IT REALLY IS. PEOPLE WHO REACH THIS STAGE ARE ABLE TO SEE THE WORLD AS A UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY. THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH THE WELL-BEING OF EVERYONE IN THE WORLD, AND THEY OFTEN TAKE ON LEADERSHIP POSITIONS THAT ALLOW THEM TO SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHERS. THEY BELIEVE IN ULTIMATE RESPECT AND IN NONVIOLENT ACTIVISM IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE UNIVERSAL WELL-BEING.
Spiritual development NOT ALL STAGES OF FOWLER S SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT STAGES ARE ACHIEVED IN AN INDIVIDUAL S LIFE. ACCORDING TO FOWLER S STAGES OF FAITH THEORY, ONLY A VERY FEW PEOPLE PROGRESS TO THE FINAL STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT. POSSIBLE QUESTIONS: 1. DEFINE FAITH ACCORDING TO FOWLER. 2. NAME AND DISCUSS THE SIX STAGES OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO FOWLER. 3. DISCUSS THE EXPRESSION: MORALITY IS RELATIVE .
