Global Perspectives on Spirituality and Education [Paperback]

In recent decades, and around the world, much attention has been given to the role of spirituality in the education of children and young people. While educationalists share many common goals and values in nurturing the spiritual lives of children and young people, national and regional cultures, religions and politics have impacted on the approaches scholars and practitioners have adopted in their investigations and practices. The different contexts across nations and regions mean that educators face quite distinct conditions in which to frame their approaches to spiritual education and research, and the nature and impact of these differences is not yet understood.

This book brings together thinkers from around the globe and sets them the task of explaining how their research on childrens spirituality and education has been shaped by the historical, cultural, religious and political contexts of the geographic region in which they work. The book presents contributions in three sections  Europe and Israel, Australasia, and The Americas and concludes with a chapter highlighting what is common and what is contextually unique about global approaches to spirituality and education.

Preface Jacqueline Watson, Marian de Souza and Ann Trousdale   Part 1: Spirituality and Education in Europe and Israel  Introduction  Jacqueline Watson  1. Spirituality, Faith and Education: Some Reflections From a UK Perspective Ron Best  2. Spiritual Development in Schools with No Faith Affiliation: the Cultural Ambivalence towards Childrens Spirituality in England Kate Adams  3. The Custody of Spiritual Education in Ireland James O'Higgins Norman and Caroline Renehan  4. The Complex Flavour of Childrens Spirituality in Flanders: Fostering an Open Catholic Spirituality AnlÓ"