Young Adult Faith Development

The following is from "Young Adult Works" researched, compiled and written by the Center for Ministry Development, 1997, p. 1.13

James Fowler offers another perspective on faith development, one that is more detailed and a bit more complicated...Fowler presents a six stage approach to faith develop0ment. Here is a brief overview:

Stage One: Intuitive-projective Faith: primarily a reflection of parental faith; faith understood through the family experience.

Stage Two: Mythic-Literal Faith: still essentially a reflection of the concepts and beliefs of others, but the circle has widened from the family to include the influence of other adults--teachers, coaches, clergy- and often older siblings.

Stage Three: Synthetic-Conventional Faith: appears in adolesence byt may be retained through adulthood; the security of a community of like-minded believers provides the context of faith; most find meaning in their faith as they share beliefs and understandings with others with whom they essentially agree; their authority is no longer parents or teachers, it is that community of like-minded believers of which they feel a part.

Stage Four: Individuative-Reflective Faith: beginning to take harge of one's faith; involves doubting, struggling with new concepts, and even sometimes rejecting traditional assumptions; not a comfortable place stage to remain in for a long time.

Stage five: Conjuctive Faith: builds on the previous faith journey through stages 1-4, integrating elements of each into an understanding of faith that is uniquesly one's own; includes the ability to see perspectives other than one's own.

Stage Six: Universalizing Faith: Fowler describes these rare individuals as those whose faith is more than beliefs or even a way of life, but as one of total commitment to the ongoing, guiding presence of God or whatever the person recognizes as Ultimate Authority.