The Encyclopedia of Religious and Spiritual Development is the first reference work to focus on the developmental process of religion and spirituality across the human life span. Spiritual development is an important part of human development that has links to identity development, moral development, and civic engagement. This innovative Encyclopedia offers insight into the characteristics of people and their contexts that interact to influence religious and spiritual development over time. Editors Elizabeth M. Dowling and W. George Scarlett provide readers with glimpses into the religious and spiritual developmental trajectories of people from all over the world, from many different religious and spiritual backgrounds.  

Key Features

Includes short, accessible entries written by leading specialists and theorists from a wide range of disciplines and professions, both within the United States and internationally, to provide a broad, multidisciplinary scope
Offers entries that are unrelated to religion and religious experiences in order to examine spirituality in the broadest sense that encompasses religion as just one path toward spiritual development
Explores community-based programs that focus on enhancing spiritual development, as well as the links between spiritual development and positive personal and social development in youth
Offers reference lists for each entry that enable readers to gain further information related to the topic  

Key Themes



Leading Religious and Spiritual Figures
Traditions
Texts
Places, Religious and Spiritual
Practices, Religious and Spiritual Concepts
Religious and Spiritual Theory
Supports/Contexts
Nature
Health
Art
Organizations

The Encyclopedia of Religious and Spiritual Development makes a significant contribution to the research and scholarship looking at the similarities and differences in religiousness and spirituality. It is a welcome addition to any academic library or religious reference collection.