ABSTRACT
Rather than a detailed review of the social work literature on values and spirituality, this chapter takes a broad view of values and spirituality as motivated by social work's desire to make life better for others through ethical or values-based practice. As a practical–moral activity where purpose and mission – meaning and values – are equally important, social work is a profession with a purpose and its literature on values and spirituality reflects this teleological quest. There are many aspects to this literature which reflects social work's multifaceted nature. For example, spirituality is an important aspect of the literature on coping with death and dying and dealing with trauma as well as the very different literature on indigenous social work that strongly influences New Age spirituality. While these apparently diverse practice realities have multiple – psychological, emotional, cognitive, hermeneutical, moral, and so on – dimensions, each of which might be influenced by different theories, all are united by a common concern with the spiritual dimensions of people's lives and the values-based predominantly secular and humanistic nature of professional practice.
