The family, according to Dr. Chris Boyatzis (Associate Professor of Psychology, Bucknell University) is the primary locus of religious and spiritual development for the child. A neglected – but perhaps crucial – mechanism for such development is parent-child conversation about religious and spiritual issues.

In his presentation, Dr. Boyatzis described empirical research on parent-child communication and the two different approaches being used: a quantitative survey and a qualitative diary method. The data speak to the content and structure of parent-child communication about religion and spirituality. Boyatzis employed perspectives from mainstream empirical social sciences, ethnographic and cross-cultural disciplines, and theology and scripture to convey different conceptualizations of the child as a spiritual meaning-maker. This ranged from, at one extreme, viewing the child as a passive receptacle and religious tabula rasa to, at the other extreme, a kind of divinely enlightened “spiritual savant.” An intermediate (and rather Western) vantage sees the child as a spiritual “apprentice” under the parents’ more expert mentorship. Even within this more moderate perspective there are variations. Dr. Boyatzis discussed the complex implications of this mainstream and traditional “uni-lateral transmission” model of religious socialization. Throughout, Boyatzis entertained the characterization of the child as an active participant – not a mere recipient – in the construction of spiritual meaning in the family.

For more information about this seminar, please contact Dr. Chris Boyatzis
or Nancy Southerland at (856) 225-6741.