ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the changed understandings of the concept of spirituality and the implications for the expression and practice of the spirituality of children and young people today. In order to understand the role of spirituality in the learning process this chapter discovers how contemporary perceptions of and attitudes towards spirituality impact on the lives of children and young people. One instance is the self-declared agnostic Carl Sagan who, though critical of formal religion which promotes a personal God, recognises a link between science and spirituality: Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality. Other studies of the spirituality of children and young people echo the concept of connectedness and relationality, although many of these were linked to exploring religious influences on children's way of being and thinking. Given the dominance of a secular culture and the receding influences of traditional religion, many young people have little experience of religious and spiritual practices.
