ABSTRACT
Abstract
The aim of this chapter is to give the reader a sense of religious development across the life span, of the state of relevant psychological theories, and of potential ways for their improvement and integration. After explicating religion and religious development as understood here, the theories of religious development authored by Hall, Kahoe and Meadow, and Rizzuto (all focusing notably on conation), Baldwin, Spranger, Erikson, and Fowler (focusing notably on emotion), Goldman, Elkind, and Oser and Gmünder (focusing notably on cognition) are presented, discussed, and evaluated overall with reference to an ideal theory. As no extant theory is entirely satisfactory, projections from the various theories are conjoined in an attempt to produce a typical theoretical developmental 146path. Next, empirical findings on religious development across the life span are presented. From a comparison with the theoretical projections consistencies emerge, but also two major discrepencies: (a) The diversity of developmental paths, and (b) fairly substantial, sometimes rapid changes in religiousness (both less and more) are not yet fully accounted for. As the former may be ascribable mainly to the context, biological and social factors influencing religious development are then discussed as well as jettisoning religion and conversion to a deeper faith. Finally, steps are indicated that might lead to improved theoretical and empirical knowledge about religious development across the life span.
