Few concerned with educational theory and policy could have failed to notice the recent upsurge of interest in the notion of spiritual development as a possible aim or goal of public or common schooling. A more presently pressing question, however, is that of the pedagogical means by which theorists of spiritual education might cultivate any…

Assessing the impact of Wabash Center programs on theological education, this article focuses on the vocation of the theological educator, particularly on the impact of theological teaching on faith and on the institutions, values, and practices that shape living. Five contributions of the Wabash Center are highlighted: (1) guiding seminary…

This paper seeks to focus attention on the place and possible role of the arts in children's spiritual development and suggest some applications of selected theories in practice. It approaches the discussion by noting the importance of the aesthetic component of life and its presence within the religious framework, then its role in the inner, or…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the ways in which Orisa priests and their clients conceptualize issues and concerns described by Western based approaches as mental health problems. The two research questions guiding this inquiry included: (a) how do Orisa priests and their clients conceptualize issues and concerns associated…

Program evaluation is an essential part of the ongoing success of any organization. Program evaluations can be done for entire organizations or for any entity within that organization. Christian university athletic programs need to be evaluated frequently to assess whether the organization is fulfilling its goals and objectives. This study…

This study focuses on health-promoting behaviours in students from two conservatoires, the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM, Manchester, UK; n =199) and the Royal College of Music (RCM, London, UK; n = 74). The research questions concern (a) the levels and types of health-promoting behaviours among performance students and (b) the association…

Online learning offers institutions a competitive advantage provided that faculty members are receptive and supportive of the mission and direction. Traditional faculty members' apprehension and stress comes from the transition to online teaching responsibilities and the oversight of instructional designers and administrators in supporting online…

This report presents results from a multisite, quantitative evaluation of the international Success for Kids (SFK) after-school program. The program seeks to build resilience in children by teaching them to access inner resources and build positive connections with others. The SFK program is unlike most after-school programs both in its focus on…

The "Harry Potter" series has proven to be immensely popular to readers of all ages worldwide. In particular, the series has strong appeal to boys. This paper examines selected characters and events from the books in light of the "male spiritual journey," a concept currently being explored by Richard Rohr and others. A general definition of…

Social workers in diverse community practice settings recruit and work with volunteers from religious congregations. This article reports findings from two surveys: 7,405 congregants in 35 Protestant congregations, including 2,570 who were actively volunteering, and a follow-up survey of 946 volunteers. It compares characteristics of congregation…

A study of sixty-six highly effective teachers of introductory theology and religion courses in various types of institutions reveals very complex challenges for instructors. The majority of students have as a goal their own religious and spiritual development. Faculty members' most frequent goal is critical thinking. Students much less frequently…

If strengthening children's moral and spiritual selves is the most important challenge facing youth-serving organizations in the United States today, three things are required to respond: a clear road map of where to go and how to get there, a critical mass of champions prepared to lead the way, and candid readiness assessments and strategies for…

This qualitative study of 14 Southern Baptist mother-daughter dyads uses grounded theory to explore the attitudes these mothers and daughters hold toward sexuality, religiosity, and spirituality, in addition to how they communicate with each other about these topics. Themes that emerge from the data include abstinence before marriage, lack of…

What do people mean when they describe backcountry adventure experiences as being "spiritual"? Spiritual aspects of adventure experiences in the wilderness have been recounted anecdotally and recognized in research. This body of research, however, has left the definition of the term spiritual to the individual participants, and has not…

This article reports and interprets the findings of a study of headteachers' views and perceptions of continuing professional development (CPD) provision and their ongoing CPD needs and priorities, carried out in 2007 in Scotland, involving headteachers from the primary and secondary sectors. Topic areas in which headteachers generally were most…