Spiritual Development: New Directions for Youth Development, Number 118

by Peter L. Benson (Editor)

Drawing on the global research and field-building efforts of SearchInstitute?s Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood andAdolescence, this volume frames a new, deeper dialogue about theintersections between youth development and spiritual development.Contributors explore ways to integrate spiritual development andyouth development in order to strengthen theory, research, andpractice. They These are, at their core, spiritual development questions. Theyare also critical issues in adolescent development. They are thewellspring of some of the best within young people and humanity,and the source of some of the greatest atrocities in society whenthe answers lead to alienation, hatred, or violence. The past decade has seen an explosion in interest in spiritualdevelopment within youth development and related fields. Nationalyouth-serving systems are beginning to ask how they can effectivelyaddress these questions in a society that has become increasinglydiverse and pluralistic. And the growth of positive,community-based youth development provides a platform for examiningthese issues within the context of an overall commitment tohealthy, holistic development among all young people. This volumeis a valuable addition to the field. This is the 118th volume of New Directions for YouthDevelopment , the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series dedicatedto bringing together everyone concerned with helping young people,including scholars, practitioners, and people from differentdisciplines and professions. The result is a unique resourcepresenting thoughtful, multi-faceted approaches to helping ouryouth develop into responsible, stable, well-rounded citizens.

152 pages, Paperback

First published August 4, 2008