Introduction to James Fowler’s faith development theory As a frame for Religious education

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

Although good models exist for understanding the natural progression of cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial development, Dr. James W. Fowler a theologian noted that there lacked specific models dealing with faith development. He built on the foundations laid by the developmental theorists Jean Piaget, Erik Erikson, and Lawrence Kohlberg plus the theological discussions of faith by Tillich, Niebuhr, and Smith and called his theory as faith development theory. Fowler’s model emerged as he listened to the life stories of 357 individuals interviewed between 1972 to 1981. After several interviewing, fowler concluded that faith development, that is, growth in meaning making, is a universal, human phenomenon. It is somehow innate for us to develop in our meaning making capacities. Fowler demonstrated that faith development follows a predictable cognitive conceptual development trajectory. Although this theory has been considered by many international researchers, the complexity of this theory has led to a lot of theoretical, ethical and practical challenges. Because this theory remains very obsolete in Iran, this review article attempts to provide a better understanding of this theory. At first the definition of faith according to fowler is presented, then the stages of faith development studied in detail and ultimately the criticisms of this theory has been proposed. introducing This theory may be open a way to the use of Fowler's faith development in Iran

Keywords


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