Nurturing Children's Spirituality: Christian Perspectives and Best Practices

Childrens spiritual development is currently a hot topic in Christian circles as well as in other fields and disciplines such as educational psychology medicine developmental psychology education and sociology. The key question for Christian scholars and educators is How do Christian beliefs and practices uniquely interrelate with childrens spirituality? In 2003 and again in 2006 a national conference entitled Childrens Spirituality Conference: Christian Perspectives examined childrens spirituality from a distinctly Christian standpoint. This book is a collection of the best materials from the 2006 conference. The first half of the book addresses definitional historical and theological concerns related to spiritual development in children. The second half explores best practices for fostering spiritual growth among our children--in our homes families churches Christian schools and among special populations of children--from a wide spectrum of Christian scholars and practitioners. The volume closes with John Westerhoffs moving keynote address and Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie Mays eloquent culminating plenary address. Nurturing Childrens Spirituality provides a rich cross section of the current research and writing by Christian scholars on childrens spirituality. Contributors: Holly Catterton Allen Michael J. Anthony Stacy Berg Chris J. Boyatzis MaLesa Breeding Marilyn Brownlee Linda V. Callahan Jane Carr Mara Lief Crabtree Karen Crozier James Riley Estep Jr. Jeffrey E. Feinberg Stephanie Goins Judy Harris Helm Dana Kennamer Hood Sungwon Kim Kevin Lawson Scottie May Marcia McQuitty Heidi Schultz Oschwald Donald Ratcliff Pam Scranton Timothy A. Sisemore Catherine Stonehouse La Verne Tolbert T. Wyatt Watkins John H. Westerhoff III In Nurturing Childrens Spirituality Holly Catterton Allen weaves together the experience and research of leading Christian scholars and practitioners to enrich and deepen understanding of childhood spirituality. With its fresh perspectives on history social science theology and practical ministries this volume is a welcomed addition to an important and growing movement to recognize celebrate and nurture the spiritual lives of the children in our midst. --Eugene C. Roehlkepartain Codirector Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence Search Institute Minneapolis Minnesota Reading these research-grounded chapters made me feel like I had discovered new veins of gold that were waiting to be mined and used in my own ministry. . . . [C]hurch practitioners Sunday school teachers and parents will all benefit . . . . This book like precious metal will have a front-and-center spot on my bookshelf. Whats more important I will use it. --Marlene LeFever Vice President of Educational Development David C. Cook Holly Catterton Allen PhD is Associate Professor of Christian Ministries and the director of the Children and Family Ministry program in the Division of Biblical Studies at John Brown University in Siloam Springs Arkansas. Her areas of scholarly interest are childrens spirituality and intergenerational issues; she has published articles and chapters on these topics in Christian Education Journal and other publications. She is a member of the Planning Team for the 2009 Childrens Spirituality Conference: Christian Perspectives to be held June 2009 at Concordia University in River Forest Illinois.