Forming a Spiritual Identity:

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• Forming a Spiritual Identity
• The Spiritual Development of Young Adults
• Dr. Preston VanLoon
• Iowa Wesleyan College
• Professor and Acting Chaplain
• March 1, 2009

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• My Experience
• Personally
• Parentally

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• The Transition from Adolescence to Adulthood
• Sets the stage for later adult life.
• Can function as a turning point, providing
  opportunities for change from negative to more
  positive developmental pathways in subsequent
  developmental periods.
• Successful development of skills, competencies,
  and behaviors that are beneficial to self and
  society during this period can lead to later
  thriving in adulthood.

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• Young Adulthood is often described in terms
• of the new roles and statuses adopted during
• this stage.
• What are some of the life changes that young
  adults experience at this time in life?
• Leaving parental home
• Establishing ones own residence
• Establishing financial independence
• Completing school
• Moving into full-time employment
• Getting married
• Becoming a parent
• Forming their own belief system

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• What is spirituality?
• A holistic approach
• Physical
• Emotional
• Social
• Mental
• Moral

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• The Spiritual Development of Young Adults
• Beliefs about Spirituality
• Factors that Influence Spiritual Development
• Implications for Addressing Spiritual Development

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• What Young Adults Believe about Spirituality
• 1. Most youth believe life has a spiritual
• dimension.
• What does it mean to young adults to be
  spiritual?
• There is a purpose to life (36, US 41)
• Believing in God (32, 33)
• Being true to ones inner self/inner peace or
  happiness (26, 25 )
• Dont think there is a spiritual dimension to
  life (7, 10)

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• 2. Many young people want to talk about spiritual
  matters.
• How often do you think young adults discuss
  spiritual matters?
• 1/3 of youth talk about spiritual issues monthly
  with their friends such as the meaning of life,
  why we are on earth, or God or faith.
• 2/3 of youth have talked with their parents
• a few times in the past 12 months about their
  parents beliefs and faith.
• 24 have these conversations at least once a
  month.
• 12 have these conversations weekly.

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• 3. Many youth believe in and/or experience God or
  a higher power.
• What are some things you think young adults
  believe about God and life?
• A large majority believe that there is a God or
  higher power.
• 8 do not believe in God.
• 10 said they did not know.
• Spiritual beliefs about life
• All living things are connected to each other.
• There is life after death.
• They have experienced God or some other
  mysterious presence.
• There is a spirit world, spiritual beings, or
  spiritual powers.

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• 4. Youth see spirituality and religion as
  related,
• but different.
• What do you think young adults believe about
  spirituality and religion?
• 34 indicated they are both spiritual and
  religious.
• 23 indicated they are spiritual, but not
  religious.
• Quotes
• Spirituality is the search for answers and
  religion provides the answers.
• Religion is more of a placeits there you are
  supposed to find spirituality.
• You dont have to be religious to be spiritual,
  but you do have to be spiritual to be religious.

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• 5. Most young people see both spirituality and
  religion as positive.
• What kind of thoughts do you think young adults
  have about religion? Spirituality?
• A majority of youth see being both spiritual and
  religious as usually good.
• Other youth saw religion less positively than
  spirituality.
• Quotes
• Spiritual is something one experiences in your
  own being. Religion is, well, your own religion.
  Most of our religion is forced.
• Religious is kind of knowing the things in your
  head, but spiritual is knowing them in your
  heart.

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• The Influence of Spiritual Development
• Factors that influence spiritual development.
• What do you think are some activities or
  practices that influence young adult spiritual
  development?
• 50 of young adults engage in some of the
  following practices
• Reading books
• Praying or meditating alone.
• Helping others
• Showing love or compassion to others.

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• Groups or people that support young adult
• social-spiritual development.
• What groups or organizations do you think
  influence young adult development?
• Family (44)
• Friends (15)
• Religious Organization (14)
• School (6)
• Youth Organization (4)
• No one (18)

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• The influence of parents.
• Up to 2/3 of youth saw their parents expressing
  their own religious or spiritual practices or
  beliefs at least a few times in the past 12
  months.
• 1/3 to 1/2 of the youth surveyed did not ever
  engage in spiritual or religious activities with
  their parents or see their parents engage in
  these activities.
• Most common was seeing parents
• Be joyful because of their religious faith. (70)
• Pray or meditate by themselves. (70)
• Talk with their parents about religious beliefs.
  (65)

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• Hours per week in religious services, groups,
• or programs
• 33 said that they spend 0 hours per week. (US
  34)
• 39 said that they spend 1-2 hours per week. (US
  28)
• 28 said that they spend 3 or more hours per
  week. (US 38)

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• Implications for Addressing Young Adult Spiritual
  Development
• For Youth
• For Parents
• For Educators and Youth Workers