Revisiting some half-forgotten ideas on children’s spirituality

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article revisits various ideas from the literature on children’s spirituality which have elicited less attention in recent years, notably those of researchers who emphasise the contexts of children’s lives and those whose research uses children’s narratives. Key aspects meriting further investigation and research are suggested, especially the idea of the spirituality(ies) of societies, rather than only of individuals, and the importance of children’s agency and narratives. It is argued that spirituality should be seen as a process rather than a thing, or a set of practices; and that considerations of power, notably factors such as gender, race, class and age, are too rarely addressed. Some cautionary words about the current discourse in children’s spirituality and suggestions for how research should be conducted are presented, calling for a less individualised view with more emphasis on context and culture and on how the manifestations of children’s spirituality vary at different ages.