Observing Christian Faith during the Childhood Years

This paper presents the treasure and cultivate model as a research tool for observing Christian faith in the childhood years. The model seeks to treasure and preserve the natural and innate aspects of a child’s faith and spirituality, whilst simultaneously seeking to develop and cultivate other facets. It is proposed that this balanced approach leads to a childhood faith that is both wholesome and a resource to the child. Observation and logging of a child’s faith in this way provides a tool that allows surveying of characteristics that may influence faith. In the future, this research tool may be used to inform those who seek to foster a child’s religious faith in order that such nurture may be both healthy and resourceful. The paper describes a research project of 61 children aged three to thirteen years old, from six Christian denominations in North West England

Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM) Expansion: Measuring Racial, Religious, and National Aspects of Sense of Ethnic Identity Within the United Kingdom

These studies examined the degree to which racial, religious, and national aspects of individuals' sense of ethnic identity stand as interrelated, yet distinct, constructs. Results of exploratory factor analyses in Study 1 (n = 272) revealed that a three-factor model specifying racial, religious, and national identities yielded optimal fit to correlational data from an expanded, 36-item version of the Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (MEIM; Roberts et al., 1999), although results left room for improvement in model fit. Subsequently, results of confirmatory factor analyses in Study 2 (n = 291) revealed that, after taking covariance among the items into account, a six-factor model specifying exploration and commitment dimensions within each of the racial, religious, and national identity constructs provided optimal fit. Implications for the utility of Goffman's (1963b) interactionist role theory and Erikson's (1968) ego psychology for understanding the full complexity of felt ethnic identity are discussed

'Spiritual life' as the heart of the professionalization process of spriritual and community animators in Quebec, Canada

The ‘spiritual care and guidance and community involvement service’ in Quebec has existed since 2001. It replaced pastoral animation in schools and is intended to promote the spiritual development and community involvement of all students, whether or not they are affiliated with a religion. This article presents the historical background that led to the development of this service; as well as the professional concerns of its stakeholders. The concerns raised are based on awareness of great diversity among those who provide this service, both in their training and in their understanding of the meanings of the terms that define their work. Presently working toward the professionalization that they deem essential to their very survival, they are using professional strategies that do not reflect their reality and abilities. This article seeks to demonstrate the relevance of changing perspectives so that this profession is not limited only to community involvement, but instead adopts an interactionist point of view, focused on the spiritual aspect of the role