Spiritual development

de Peter L. Benson, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Kathryn L. Hong

Dawing on the global research and field-building efforts of Search Institutes Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence, this volume frames a new, deeper dialogue about the intersections between youth development and spiritual development. Contributors explore ways to integrate spiritual development and youth development in order to strengthen theory, research, and practice. They ask: How do young people develop their deepest, fundamental commitments? How do they find their place in their family, community, world, and universe? How do they come to terms with issues of meaning, purpose, and identity beyond themselves? These are at their core, spiritual development questions. They are also critical issues in adolescent development. They are the wellspring of some of the best within young people and humanity, and the source of some of the greatest atrocities in society when the answers lead to alienation, hatred, or violence. The past decade has seen an explosion in interest in spiritual development within youth development and related fields. National youth-serving systems are beginning to ask how they can effectively address these questions in a society that has become increasingly diverse and pluralistic. And the growth of positive, community-based youth development provides a platform for examining these issues within the context of an overall commitment to healthy, holistic development among all young people.