Nurturing Children's Spirituality

by Holly Allen

Overview

Description: Children's spiritual development is currently a hot topic in Christian circles, as well as in other fields and disciplines such as educational psychology, medicine, developmental psychology, education, and sociology. The key question for Christian scholars and educators is ""How do Christian beliefs and practices uniquely interrelate with children's spirituality?"" In 2003 and again in 2006, a national conference entitled ""Children's Spirituality Conference: Christian Perspectives"" examined children's spirituality from a distinctly Christian standpoint. This book is a collection of the best materials from the 2006 conference. The first half of the book addresses definitional, historical, and theological concerns related to spiritual development in children. The second half explores best practices for fostering spiritual growth among our children--in our homes, families, churches, Christian schools, and among special populations of children--from a wide spectrum of Christian scholars and practitioners. The volume closes with John Westerhoff's moving keynote address and Catherine Stonehouse and Scottie May's eloquent, culminating plenary address. Nurturing Children's Spirituality provides a rich cross section of the current research and writing by Christian scholars on children's spirituality. Contributors: Holly Catterton Allen, Michael J. Anthony, Stacy Berg, Chris J. Boyatzis, MaLesa Breeding, Marilyn Brownlee, Linda V. Callahan, Jane Carr, Mara Lief Crabtree, Karen Crozier, James Riley Estep Jr., Jeffrey E. Feinberg, Stephanie Goins, Judy Harris Helm, Dana Kennamer Hood, Sungwon Kim, Kevin Lawson, Scottie May, Marcia McQuitty, Heidi Schultz Oschwald, Donald Ratcliff, Pam Scranton, Timothy A. Sisemore, Catherine Stonehouse, La Verne Tolbert, T. Wyatt Watkins, John H. Westerhoff III Endorsements: ""In Nurturing Children's Spirituality, Holly Catterton Allen weaves together the experience and research of leading Christian scholars and practitioners to enrich and deepen understanding of childhood spirituality. With its fresh perspectives on history, social science, theology, and practical ministries, this volume is a welcomed addition to an important and growing movement to recognize, celebrate, and nurture the spiritual lives of the children in our midst."" --Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Codirector, Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence, Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota ""Reading these research-grounded chapters made me feel like I had discovered new veins of gold that were waiting to be mined and used in my own ministry. . . . [C]hurch practitioners, Sunday school teachers, and parents will all benefit . . . . This book, like precious metal, will have a front-and-center spot on my bookshelf. What's more important, I will use it."" --Marlene LeFever, Vice President of Educational Development, David C. Cook About the Contributor(s): Holly Catterton Allen, PhD, is Associate Professor of Christian Ministries and the director of the Children and Family Ministry program in the Division of Biblical Studies at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. Her areas of scholarly interest are children's spirituality and intergenerational issues; she has published articles and chapters on these topics in Christian Education Journal and other publications. She is a member of the Planning Team for the 2009 Children's Spirituality Conference: Christian Perspectives, to be held June 2009 at Concordia University in River Forest, Illinois.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781556355585
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	03/01/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	416
Sales rank:	679,429
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Holly Catterton Allen (PhD, Talbot School of Theology) is professor of family science and Christian ministries at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she holds a joint appointment in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Bible and Ministry. Dr. Allen teaches undergraduate courses such as Nurturing Spiritual Development in Children and Family Ministry and has previously taught at John Brown University, Biola University, and Abilene Christian University. Dr. Allen's areas of scholarly interest are children's spirituality and intergenerational issues. Her newest book is InterGenerate: Transforming Churches through Intergenerational Ministry (Abilene Christian University Press, 2018, in press). She is the coauthor (with Christine Ross) of Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community, and Worship (InterVarsity Press, 2012), and the editor of Nurturing Children's Spirituality: Christian Perspectives and Best Practices (Wipf & Stock, 2008). She leads two international, ecumenical conferences: the Children's Spirituality Summit and InterGenerate that currently meet in alternating years at Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. She has published articles in Christian Education Journal, Lutheran Education, Lifelong Faith, Christian Scholar's Review and Christianity Today along with chapters in several books. Allen is married to Dr. Leonard Allen and they have three adult children as well as four grandchildren.

Table of Contents

Preface: The Children's Spirituality Conference-Christian Perspectives: 2003, 2006, 2009   Kevin Lawson     xi
Acknowledgments     xv
Definitional, Historical & Theological Issues of Children's Spiritual Development
Introductory & Definitional Concepts
Exploring Children's Spirituality from a Christian Perspective   Holly Catterton Allen     5
"The Spirit of Children Past": A Century of Children's Spirituality Research   Donald Ratcliff     21
Children's Spiritual Development: Advancing the Field in Definition, Measurement, and Theory   Chris J. Boyatzis     43
Historical & Theological Understandings of Children's Spirituality
The Christian Nurture of Children in the Second and Third Centuries   James Riley Estep Jr.     61
"Forbid Not the Little Ones": The Spirituality of Children in Celtic Christian Tradition   Mara Lief Crabtree     78
Theological Perspectives on Children in the Church: Reformed and Presbyterian   Timothy A. Sisemore     93
Theological Perspectives on Children in the Church: Anabaptist/Believers Churches   Holly Catterton Allen     110
Best Practices for Nurturing Children's Spiritual Development
Prayer, Storytelling & Reading
Unfettered Wonder: Rediscovering Prayer through the Inspired Voices of Children   T. Wyatt Watkins     131
Making StoriesCome Alive   Jeffrey E. Feinberg     146
Turning Down the Noise: Reading and the Development of Spirituality in Children   Linda V. Callahan     164
For Churches & Schools
Children's Ministry Models, Learning Theory, and Spiritual Development   Michael J. Anthony     183
Equipping Children for Ministry   Jane Carr     198
Documenting Children's Spiritual Development in a Preschool Program   Judy Harris Helm   Stacy Berg   Pam Scranton     214
For Families
Parenting Styles and Children's Spiritual Development   Sungwon Kim     233
A Qualitative Understanding and Application of the Deuteronomy 6 Commandment for Parents   Marcia McQuitty     252
God Across the Generations: The Spiritual Influence of Grandparents   Holly Catterton Allen   Heidi Schultz Oschwald     267
For Specific Populations
The Place of Forgiveness in the Reintgration of Former Child Soldiers in Sierra Leone   Stephanie Goins     289
Voices Unheard: Exploring the Spiritual Needs of Families of Children with Disabilities   MaLesa Breeding   Dana Kennamer Hood     305
The African American Church and Its Role in Nurturing the Spiritual Development of Children   La Verne Tolbert   Marilyn Brownlee      320
Facing the Challenges for the Future
Reimagining the Spirit of Children: A Christian Pedagogical Vision   Karen Crozier     341
The Church's Contemporary Challenge: Assisting Adults to Mature Spiritually with Their Children   John H. Westerhoff III     355
THE Story and the Spiritual Formation of Children in the Church and in the Home   Catherine Stonehouse   Scottie May     366
"The Spirit of Children Future"   Donald Ratcliff     380
Contributor List     393

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"In Nurturing Children's Spirituality, Holly Catterton Allen weaves together the experience and research of leading Christian scholars and practitioners to enrich and deepen understanding of childhood spirituality. With its fresh perspectives on history, social science, theology, and practical ministries, this volume is a welcomed addition to an important and growing movement to recognize, celebrate, and nurture the spiritual lives of the children in our midst."
—Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Codirector, Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence, Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota

"Reading these research-grounded chapters made me feel like I had discovered new veins of gold that were waiting to be mined and used in my own ministry. . . . [C]hurch practitioners, Sunday school teachers, and parents will all benefit . . . . This book, like precious metal, will have a front-and-center spot on my bookshelf. What's more important, I will use it."
—Marlene LeFever, Vice President of Educational Development, David C. Cook

Editorial Reviews

In Nurturing Children's Spirituality, Holly Catterton Allen weaves together the experience and research of leading Christian scholars and practitioners to enrich and deepen understanding of childhood spirituality. With its fresh perspectives on history, social science, theology, and practical ministries, this volume is a welcomed addition to an important and growing movement to recognize, celebrate, and nurture the spiritual lives of the children in our midst.
--Eugene C. Roehlkepartain, Codirector, Center for Spiritual Development in Childhood and Adolescence, Search Institute, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Reading these research-grounded chapters made me feel like I had discovered new veins of gold that were waiting to be mined and used in my own ministry. . . . [C]hurch practitioners, Sunday school teachers, and parents will all benefit . . . . This book, like precious metal, will have a front-and-center spot on my bookshelf. What's more important, I will use it.
--Marlene LeFever, Vice President of Educational Development, David C. Cook

From the Publisher