Spiritual Formation Throughout the Lifespan

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Introduction

Spiritual formation plays a critical role in the lives of individuals, as it influences the way they perceive the world and react to it. The practices that are included in this process are ‘means of grace’ that allow people to develop their spirituality (worship, prayer, meditation, simplicity, service, fasting, confession, solitude, etc.). Spiritual formation starts with the birth of a child. It can be influenced by various factors, including physical, cultural, geographic and social ones.

What are specific practices of Christian spiritual formation?

Spiritual formation plays a critical role in the lives of individuals, as it influences the way they perceive the world and react to it. Christian spiritual formation describes the process of “being restored into the image of God through Jesus Christ in its multidimensionality by the work of Holy Spirit” (Chandler, 2014, p. 17). The practices that are included in this process are ‘means of grace’ that allow people to develop their spirituality. There is a wide range of them but among the most common ones are worship, prayer, meditation, simplicity, service, fasting, confession, solitude, etc. Different scientists group them into spiritual disciplines, such as “inward, outward and corporate” (Chandler, 2014, p. 17).

Does developmental theory speak to the development of faith/belief?

Developmental theory considers the way individuals change when they get older. It investigates how one’s views and behavior alter with the course of time under the influence of various factors. In this way, faith development is also considered as it is an important element of people’s growth. It is claimed to have an influence on individuals and to be influenced by other aspects of life. Spirituality is often discussed in relation to cognitive and moral development.

How do the theories of Erickson, Piaget, Kohlberg and Fowler speak to spiritual development?

In his work, Erickson considers spirituality as a part of moral-ethics while Piaget’s view was based on cognitive development, as she emphasized intelligence in the child’s development. Kohlberg used ideas presented by Piaget and started to discuss moral development, which turns out to be connected with beliefs of a person. Still, the most evident discussion of spiritual development is presented by Fowler, who gathered the ideas of his colleagues and investigated faith development in particular. He points out six stages, in which faith develops and connects them to the age of the individual, underlying that the process of spiritual development is maintained through the lifespan and cannot be considered only within a particular period of time.

At what developmental stage does spiritual formation begin?

According to the stages that Fowler identifies, spiritual formation starts with the birth of a child and is not a process that is triggered by some event or by education. In this way, it can be observed on the pre-stage already that starts with the first moments of life and lasts for two years.

What influences impact spiritual formation throughout the lifespan?

Spiritual formation impacts the way people perceive both some situations and individuals and how they relate to them. This process can be influenced by various factors, including physical (age, disabilities), cultural (common beliefs), geographic (location) and social (community) ones.

References

Antonucci, T., Wong, K., & Trinh, S. (2012). The role of the family across the lifespan. In P. Noller & G. Karantzas (Eds.), The Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Couples and Family Relationships (pp. 51-65). West Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons.

Burke, M., Chauvin, J., & Miranti, J. (2005) Religious and spiritual issues in counseling: applications across diverse populations. New York, NY: Routledge.

Chandler, D. (2014). Christian spiritual formation: an integrated approach for personal and relational wholeness. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

Dacey, J., & Travers, J. (2002). Human development across the lifespan. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Molcar, C. (2006) The relationship of place attachment to spiritual well-being across the lifespan. Dept. of Graduate Psychology, Seattle Pacific University. Seattle, WA.

Scott, D. (2003). Spirituality in child and youth care: Considering spiritual development and “relational consciousness”. Child & Youth Care Forum, 32(2), 117-131.

Talley, R., & Montgomery, R. (2012). Caregiving across the lifespan: Research, practice, policy. New York, NY: Springer.

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