Religious symbol systems have the capacity to bring into place superordinate constructions of reality. One interesting construction of reality has been developed by the Unity School of Christianity, organized in the second half of the nineteenth century and perhaps the most successful of organized groups within the American New…

This is the first in a series of reports on a national study of college students spiritual development currently being conducted at the Higher Education Research Institute. The results are derived from a sample of 3,680 undergraduates attending 46 diverse colleges and universities across the United States. Each student completed a specially…

Details results of a study of Catholic school principals who were questioned regarding the role of the principal as spiritual leader. The study followed principals at four schools in the Diocese of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, for one week. Among the six conclusions reached was the suggestion that principals must have a clear faith vision for the…

Describes spirituality as occurring when one invests energy in goals beyond the self. Summarizes research on cooperation and challenge and self satisfaction during high school and college. Identifies components of Montessori education contributing to spiritual development, and asserts that educators need to help children develop goals beyond…

Began with three expectations: (1) students' religious convictions will decline over time; (2) their profile will follow that of earlier studies; and (3) greater involvement in diversity-related experiences will be associated with weaker religious beliefs. Found some unexpected results, particularly that diversity-related experiences were not…

This study used a flexible, data-driven research method to derive an inductive theory concerning the content and function of religious beliefs. Data from interviews with 28 undergraduates were content analyzed, yielding 7 distinct belief domains: higher power, creation, soul, life after death, spiritual connection with others, fate, and…

This combination of intellectual, spiritual, cultural, and social biography reveals connections between the religious life, theory of religion, and intellect of J. Dewey, a major figure in educational history. In his rejection of traditional religion, Dewey turned to public human good and human service. (SLD)

Illustrates how the spread of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd in work with the Totonaca people of the Mexican states of Veracruz and Puebla indicates the universality of Montessori pedagogical principles and the power of the parable method of teaching within a culture with a strong oral tradition. (Author/KB)

Presents evidence to support the validity of Genia's (1997) spiritual maturity typology. Participants (N=256) were categorized as spiritually growth-oriented, transitional, dogmatic, or undeveloped. Results indicate that those in the undeveloped and dogmatic groups were more emotionally distressed than those in the growth-oriented group. Also…

Maintains that spirituality and spiritual development have been conspicuously absent from student development theories and ignored by many student affairs professionals. Argues for consideration of spiritual development by student development theorists, provides a definition and framework through which to consider spirituality and spiritual…

Three models were used to interpret sacred texts from major religions in terms of spiritual values in organizations: Marcic's Five Dimensions of Work, Hatcher's Spiritual Growth Framework, and Fowler's stages of spiritual development. All three helped students understand the connections between the world of work and the spirit. (SK)

Describes psychological perspectives on spiritual development within cultural contexts. Recommends that adult educators acknowledge the search for meaning, recognize adult learning is intended to nurture the soul, and become aware of how humans construct knowledge through images and symbols. (SK)

Examines how college students typically make a spiritual quest in their learning and development in college and how their spirituality influences expectations and preparation for work and community life beyond college. (Contains 11 references.) (GCP)

This article aims to explore the connections between a religious education curriculum's methodology in the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia and some contemporary theories about children's spirituality. "The Good Shepherd Experience" curriculum is intended for use with 5- and 6-year-old children in the first years of formal schooling.…

Spirituality is emerging as a significant area of inquiry for physical and mental health professionals (for a review see George, Larson, Koenig, & McCullough, 2000). Defined as the degree to which individuals endorse a relationship with God or a transcendent force that brings meaning and purpose to their existence, spirituality affects the ways in…