Fowler's Stages of Faith Development

Overview

• James W. Fowler, an American theologian and professor at Emory University.
• Known for his developmental model of faith, detailed in his book "Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning".
• Seven primary stages of faith throughout an individual's life.

Stage 0: Primal Undifferentiated Faith

• Age: Birth to 2 years
• Characteristics:
  • Similar to Erik Erikson's trust vs mistrust stage.
  • Infants develop feelings of trust and assurance if comforted and cared for.
  • Consistent care results in trust in the universe and harmony with the divine.
  • Neglect or abuse can result in mistrust and existential angst.
  • Compares with Piaget's sensory-motor stage.

Stage 1: Intuitive-Projective Faith

• Age: 3 to 7 years
• Characteristics:
  • Development of language and symbolic thought.
  • Faith is experimental, influenced by stories, images, and others' influences.
  • Perceptions of God and universe are innocent and intuitive.
  • Aligns with Piaget's pre-operational thinking.

Stage 2: Mythic-Literal Faith

• Age: 7 to 12 years
• Characteristics:
  • Beliefs in justice, fairness, and reciprocity in the universe.
  • Anthropomorphic image of God.
  • Literal interpretation of religious metaphors leading to possible misunderstandings.
  • Aligns with Piaget's concrete operational stage.

Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Faith

• Age: 12 to adult
• Characteristics:
  • Identification with religious institutions and personal religious identity.
  • Potential conflicts are often ignored to protect faith-based identity.
  • Corresponds to Piaget's formal operational thinking.

Stage 4: Individual-Reflective Faith

• Age: Mid-20s to late 30s
• Characteristics:
  • Personal responsibility for beliefs, leading to possible angst and struggle.
  • Greater complexity and open-mindedness in beliefs.
  • May lead to conflicts as different beliefs collide.

Stage 5: Conjunctive Faith

• Age: Midlife
• Characteristics:
  • Recognition of paradoxes and mysteries in transcendent values.
  • Move beyond inherited religious traditions.
  • Resolution through multi-dimensional perspectives and truth beyond articulated faith.

Stage 6: Universalizing Faith (Enlightenment)

• Age: Later adulthood
• Characteristics:
  • Rarely achieved stage.
  • Emphasis on compassion and understanding for all beings.
  • Living by the principles of major religious traditions.
  • Example: Count Leo Tolstoy in his later years.