Spirituality

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What Does Spirituality Mean to Us? Trends in Spiritual Identification, Behavior, and Resiliency Session Description: As the world recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and new challenges emerge, we recognize that spirituality has been more critical than ever to get us through these difficult times. Fresh data from the Fetzer Institute’s innovative study “What Does Spirituality Mean to Us?” reminds us that our spiritual lives connect us to our values, each other, and something greater than ourselves. Join Institute staff and research advisors for this insightful session that explores the latest trends in the understanding, practices, and benefits of spirituality and...

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Citation Nelson, J., Mangan, S., Baer, R. A., Ramdass, J. V., & King, P. E. et al. (2024). How diverse beliefs shape the experience of transcendent gratitude, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 19(1), 11-24. Abstract As a novel contribution, this study considers transcendent gratitude (e.g. gratitude towards non-human benefactors such as God, Science, or Karma) across diverse belief systems. The sample included 619 participants (M age 37.5, 52.6% female) across the U.S. with beliefs across three distinct categories: a) Theistic; 38.4%), b) Spiritual but not theistic; 26.4%, and c) Non-theistic/Non-spiritual (Other);…

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Research with Compassion International yielded results explaining the assets that come from spirituality across countries and challenges.

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Citation Wang, D. C., Reed, A., Greggo, S., Bowersox, L., Drennan, A., Strawn, B., King, P. E., Porter, S. L., & Hill, P. C. (2023). Spiritual Formation in Theological Education: A Multi-case Exploration on Seminaries and Student Development. Christian Education Journal: Research on Educational Ministry, 20(1), 65–86. https://doi.org/10.1177/07398913231177722 Abstract In recent decades, theological schools have demonstrated increased interest in educational models that not only transmit knowledge and skill to students, but also prepare them to have the character and virtue dispositions needed to successfully navigate the moral challenges that await them in future ministry settings. This shift is reflected in...

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Research indicates spirituality links meaning to joy, and may provide insight into the balance and purpose we seek.

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Citation King, P. E., Mangan, S., & Riveros, R. (2023). Religion, Spirituality, and Youth Thriving: Investigating the Roles of the Developing Mind and Meaning-Making. In E. B. Davis, E. L. Worthington, & S. A. Schnitker (Eds.), Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality (pp. 263–277). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10274-5_17 Abstract In this chapter, we draw on positive developmental psychology, psychology of religion and spirituality, and developmental neuroscience to explore how youth religiousness and spirituality contribute to thriving through the process of meaning-making. Thriving involves the individual, relational, and aspirational development necessary to pursue a life purpose that is meaningful to...

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Citation King, P. E., Baer, R. A., Noe, S. A., Trudeau, S., Mangan, S. A., & Constable, S. R. (2022). Shades of Gratitude: Exploring Varieties of Transcendent Beliefs and Experience. Religions, 13(11), 1091. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13111091 Abstract The study of gratitude has expanded beyond interpersonal gratitude and considers how people respond to gifts that are not caused by human agency. Given the discord between the prominent understanding of gratitude requiring the appropriate recognition of a gift to a giver and the increasing divergence of transcendent belief systems that do not acknowledge a transcendent or cosmic giver, we explored how people with different...

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Pamela King reflects on the church of her youth and how it deeply formed her identity, sense of purpose, and belonging.

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Citation Kim, S.-H., King, P. E., & Trudeau, S. M. (2024). Spirituality and meaning-making across contexts: Structural topic modeling of the Fetzer spirituality study in the United States. Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, 16(2), 203–213. Abstract Given the significant shifts in religious affiliation and spiritual seeking over the last 20 years, a rigorous and updated understanding of how spirituality functions are essential to understand the impact of these changes on individuals and society. Drawing on an integrated view of spirituality informed by relational developmental systems (RDS) and meaning-making approaches, in the present study, we sought to identify commonalities within varied expressions...

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Summary In this panel discussion hosted by the Thrive Center, Pamela Ebstyne King interviews neuroscientists, Mary Helen Immordino-Yang and Rodrigo Riveros on what their research reveals when people grow in the capacity to have transcendent thoughts and emotions that lead to thriving. They address the importance of having culturally grounded, safe, and close relationships and the importance of connecting daily activities, choices, observations, and experiences to bigger, systems-level, and transcendent narratives for meaning-making and spiritual formation. Psychologist and reverend, Brad Strawn joins the conversation to offer perspectives as a clinician and pastor on the importance of being embodied persons that...

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Our research-based framework highlights the 5 modes in which we can actively develop and strengthen your thriving "muscles."

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Citation Vaughn, J. M., King, P. E., Mangan, S., Noe, S., Hay, S., O’neil, B., … & Sim, A. T. R. (2022). Agentic and receptive hope: Understanding hope in the context of religiousness and spirituality through the narratives of Salvadoran youth. Religions, 13(4), 376. Abstract Hope contributes to positive development in adolescents, and religious and spiritual contexts may be particularly important for developing and supporting hope. However, extant literature on hope, religion, and spirituality neglects their synergistic relation, leaving questions about how they work together to support development. In this study, we explore how religiousness and spirituality (R/S) inform hope...