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1、With Their Own VoicesA Global Exploration of How Todays Young People Experience and Think About Spiritual DevelopmentReleased November 5, 2008A Global Initiative ofThis research and report are made possible with the generous support of theJohn Templeton Foundation, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaWith The
2、ir Own Voices: A Global Exploration of How TodaysYoung People Experience and Think About Spiritual DevelopmentCopyright 2008 by Search InstituteEugene C. Roehlkepartain, Peter L. Benson, Peter C. Scales, Lisa Kimball, and Pamela Ebstyne KingCenter for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescen
3、ceSearch Institute615 First Avenue Northeast, Suite 125Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA 55413www.spiritualdevelopmentcenter.orgContentsPreface: Advancing Research in Spiritual Development 4Introduction: Starting a Fresh Conversation with Young People 5A.How Young People Think About and Experience Spiritu
4、al Development 11B. Perspectives on the Relationship Between Spirituality and Religion 25C.Influences and Experiences That Shape Young Peoples Spiritual Development 29D. An Emerging Framework for Spiritual Development 39E.Implications for Addressing Spiritual Development as Part of Youth Development
5、49Postscript: Continuing the Exploration55Appendix A: Acknowledgments57Appendix B: Additional Resources59PREFACEAdvancing Research in Spiritual DevelopmentA primary goal of Search Institutes Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence is to contribute to and help stimulate research
6、 on the processes and dynamics of spiritual development. This is, of course, complex territory, made more so by working across cultures, languages, and traditions. However, we believe there is much is to be learned that will contribute both to science and practice.We believe the time is right to be
7、investing these issues, as our world seeks to come to terms with pluralism and the burgeoning interactionboth fruitful and destructiveacross cultural, spiritual, and religious differences around the world and, increasingly, within countries. We also perceive growing interest in examining these issue
8、s in multiple disciplines, as scholars and practitioners seek to enrich their understanding of the dimensions and dynamics of human development as a whole.Several operating assumptions or hypotheses that grow out of current understandings of human development have guided our work to date, raising bi
9、g questions that we (and others) seek to illuminate through ongoing investigation. These include the following: Spiritual development is an intrinsic part of being human. It includes processes that are manifested in many diverse ways among individuals, cultures, traditions, and historical periods. S
10、piritual development involves both an inward journey (inner experiences and/or connections to the infinite or unseen) and an outward journey (being expressed in daily activities, relationships, and actions). Spiritual development is a dynamic, nonlinear process that varies by individual and cultural
11、 differences. Spiritual development, though a unique stream of human development, cannot be separated from other aspects of ones being. Spiritual development can be conceptually distinguished from religious development or formation, though the two are integrally linked in the lived experiences of so
12、me people, traditions, and cultures.This first report of the findings from the first three years of the centers research is a descriptive portrait of some of our work, with an emphasis on listening to the voices of youth in 17 countries as they think about spiritual development and spirituality in t
13、heir own lives. Later reports will focus on such issues as the dimensions of spiritual development, the relationship of spiritual development to health and wellbeing, theory and definition of spiritual development, and the positioning of spiritual development within the broader field of human develo
14、pment.We invite you to join us in this journey of listening and discovery.INTRODUCTIONStarting a Fresh Conversation with Young PeopleSPIRITFrom Latin spiritus: “soul, courage, vigor, breath. Related to French spirare, to breathe.”1“The vital principle or animating force within living beings. . . . T
15、he essential nature of a person or group.”2“I wasnt interested in this topic before the focus group, but now I actually am.” (Female, 17, India) “Its a weird subject, but I would like to know more information about it.” (Male, 17, Israel)“I would like to talk about it a lot more. . . . But the peopl
16、e I know are not really focused on talking about spiritual things.” (Male, 14, United States)Spiritual developmentand its relatives, spirituality, religion, faith, and beliefis one of the awkward issues in youth development and a blind spot in the broader field of human development. It focuses on a
17、dimension of life that is difficult to define and contentious to talk about. People hold strong opinions about what it is and why it does or doesnt matter. Some see it as off-limits, a private matter for familiesnot the stuff of public discussion or shared action. Or, on the other hand, the devout c
18、an be skeptical if the discussion is not grounded in particular religious or cultural beliefs.And yet, there is growing recognition that spiritual development is an important, if complex, dimension of life that must be better understood and nurtured within a holistic understanding of youth developme
19、nt. But what is it? How do we talk about it? Can it only be understood in parochial terms, or can we find common ground in society that allows us to open up, examine, and nurture spiritual development as a core part of positive youth development?An important place to start is to ask young people: Ho
20、w do they think about this aspect of life? Is it important to them? What helps them on this journey? What gets in the way? How does it influence who they are and who they are becoming?Listening to Young People Around the WorldFrom 2006 through 2008, the research team at Search Institutes Center for
21、Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescencetogether with partners in many parts of the worldhas been listening to young peoples own perspectives on spiritual development (Display 1). These young people, between the ages of 12 and 25, live in 17 countries (Table 1). Through a series of explora
22、tory focus groups, interviews, and surveys, they offer insight into spiritual development among todays youth.This study offers one of the first snapshots of spiritual development across multiple countries and contexts, including both developed and developing nations.1Online Etymology Dictionary. Ret
23、rieved from 2The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Retrieved from The goal during this formative stage of our work has been to engage young people from as many countries, religious backgrounds, and cultural contexts as possible. Though this introduces a number of
24、complex dynamics to the research, the hope is that it helps to reduce the inevitable bias that comes when a theory or framework is generated in a single culture, tradition, or context. SPIRITUAL EXEMPLAR SNAPSHOTName:Nathan Y.Age:16Country:United StatesTradition:BuddhismSixteen-year-old Nathan is Ch
25、inese American and a Tibetan Buddhist. Karma is a central, grounding concept and core to his spiritual beliefs, as is the idea that all of us are created equal. “I believe everybody is part of this world. Everyone is kind of in the same boat. So we all need to hopefully ideally get along and help ea
26、ch other and live happily together. And I think just accept everybody. I mean obviously not everyone is the same. But just accepting peoples differences.” He is aware of the long history of Tibetan persecution by the Chinese and sees some irony in that but is also comfortable with it. “I dont feel r
27、eally protective of anyone or any group or anyone,” he explains, again stressing harmony. “But I definitely wish that they could get along.I think a lot of people in this world are just kind of ignorant of other people I guess, and just believe that their beliefs are right, no one else is right, and
28、 therefore theyre wrong and you should just get rid of them or something like that. And I just dont understand how people can think that.” He appreciates the peacefulness of Buddhism noting “There are never any wars over Buddhism.”His father died when Nathan was quite young. This change in his famil
29、y life influenced Nathans perspectives in that he started thinking about things more and seeing things in light of a bigger picture. Also impacting his spiritual development are visits with extended family, religious leaders who have stayed at his home with him and his family, trips to “Dharma camp,
30、” and courses he has taken in his Episcopal school.Music, playing the violin in particular, is part of Nathans spiritual practices. He experiences a sense of the transcendent when he plays or listens to music.What Is in this ReportThis report introduces the first findings from these multi-dimensiona
31、l studies. It includes: Preliminary findings from surveys of more than 6,500 youth in eight countries. The survey examined their perspectives related to spiritual experiences and development, offering new insight into both the similarities and differences among young people across different traditio
32、ns and cultures. Insights and quotes from youth focus groups in 13 countries around the world. Snapshots of the lives and perspectives of a dozen young “spiritual exemplars” who were nominated and interviewed through this project. An introduction to an emerging framework for understanding core dimen
33、sions of spiritual development.These findings are preliminary and exploratory. The samples are not representative of their countries or their traditions, so it is impossible to generalize the findings. Further research is needed to confirm or reshape the patterns. However, this study and its finding
34、s are unique and important. The theoretical underpinnings of the approach and the breadth of populations being examined break new ground for how we think about and understand young peoples spiritual development. We hope this emerging work encourages a new dialogue about young peoples spiritual devel
35、opment in many contexts and cultures. And we seek input and perspectives from other scholars as well as young people, practitioners, parents, and others who have a stake in young peoples development.Emerging ThemesInterestThis researchusing qualitative and quantitative methods with diverse samples o
36、f young people in different parts of the worldsuggests that a sizable proportion of the youth population is interested in and committed to spiritual development. The readiness to participate in the surveys, focus groups, and interviews suggests that a lot of young peopleacross many countries, cultur
37、es, and religious traditionswould welcome more opportunities to talk about, explore, and reflect upon their own spiritual beliefs, experiences, practices, and priorities. In most countries where surveys were conducted, fewer than 1 in 10 youth said they didnt believe life has a spiritual dimension.
38、Strong majorities see spiritual actions and commitments as part of their core identity. They rely on these commitments and experiences to give them hope in tough times.Spirituality and religionLike adults, many youth struggle with the relationship between religion and spirituality. Young people in o
39、ur survey sample are most likely to say they are both spiritual and religious (34%), with 24% indicating that they are spiritual, but not religious. They are also mostly likely to see both religion and spirituality positively, though a third view religion as “usually bad.”Resources for their spiritu
40、al lifeYoung people say parents are the most common resource to help them with their spiritual life. However, about one in five youth (18%) indicate that no one helps them. When asked what experiences and influences make it easier or harder to be spiritual, at least three-fourths of young people in
41、the survey pointed to being outside or in nature, listening to music, serving others, and being alone as nurturing their sense of hope, peace, and joyexperiences identified by our advisors as active expressions of spirituality. They also noted that the influence of family and friends makes being spi
42、ritual easier.An Invitation to a ConversationWith Their Own Voices shares initial findings from this study in order to encourage new, broader public conversations about spiritual development as an integral part of human development. This first report provides descriptive data from the surveys, focus
43、 groups, and interviews as a way of listening to young peoples own perspectives and experiences. In the process, new questions and opportunities will surface to frame a next phase of research and practice that engages young people as active partners in their own healthy development.SPIRITUAL EXEMPLA
44、R SNAPSHOTName:EugeneAge:17Country:KenyaTradition:ChristianDeeply humble, Eugene is keenly aware of coming from meager social and financial resources. He is thankful to God for the ability to consistently live “above his means” in the opportunities, experiences and resources he has been given by the
45、 demonstration of “Gods favor” in his life. He wants, for example, to be a pilot and has had some training, though it is not something a person of his socioeconomic status would typically be able to do.Eugene is a Christian and takes the Bible very seriously. He strives to live by all of its teachin
46、gs. His mother has been his greatest example of living by faith, as she has trusted in God for providing everything, particularly after the death of Eugenes father. “.Shes really impacted my faith,” he says, “in the sense that shes shown me that when you move away from trusting your own self and act
47、ually trust God totally, it means moving away; it doesnt mean you move away halfway, it means you really tell God, I dont know how this is going to happen, but Im believing your Word. And you just hold onto that.” Having experienced the fulfillment of Gods promises firsthand, such as through his mot
48、her finding a way to pay for a school they cant afford and having had the opportunities to take flying lessons, he has a rock-solid faith in God.Today he feels that two of his biggest spiritual challenges are carrying the burdens of past mistakes, even as a young child, and learning to forgive, particularly himself. Blessed by being the recipient of others financial donations, Eugene wants to make enough money
