Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective

Üzeyir Ok; Carsten Gennerich

doi:10.53112/tudear.1556541

EN TR

Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective

Öz

The Faith Development Theory (FDT), primarily grounded in cognitive development models, has made significant contributions to the understanding of religiosity and has explained the role of the human factor in the developmental trajectories of religion and spirituality. After James Fowler's original study, the theory was extended and revised by subsequent international researchers in terms of its theoretical framework, research instruments, and empirical findings. However, it has seldom been critiqued from an intercultural perspective. This study aims to critically evaluate both the conceptualization of FDT and the instruments used to measure it. An iterative, reflective critical review of related literature was employed as the research method in this theoretical study. The findings from the literature review suggest that the use of terms like “faith” or “religiosity” within FDT can be misleading and may create tensions between theology and psychology. It is argued that dimensions such as indifference to religion, doubt, and forms of conjunctive faith in religious contexts should be integrated into the theory. Furthermore, FDT's focus on cognitive structural development has led to the neglect of the interior dimensions of religiosity, including levels of commitment and emotional aspects. Additionally, FDT appears less relevant for analysing Muslim contexts. Finally, the theory promotes a secular approach to religious development, with “developed” stages predominantly reflecting a Eurocentric, Enlightenment-oriented perspective on religiosity.

Anahtar Kelimeler

faith development, religiosity, styles, Muslim, critique

İnanç Gelişimi Kuramı ve Ölçüm Çalışmalarının İslami Perspektiften Eleştirisi

Öz

İnanç gelişimi kuramı, öncelikle bilişsel gelişim modellerine dayanan bir teori olup, dindarlık anlayışına önemli katkılarda bulunmuş ve din ile manevi gelişimin gelişim süreçlerinde insan faktörünün rolünü açıklamıştır. James Fowler’ın orijinal çalışmasından sonra, inanç gelişimi kuramı, teorik çerçeve, araştırma araçları ve ampirik bulgular açısından sonraki uluslararası araştırmacılar tarafından genişletilmiş ve revize edilmiştir. Ancak, kuram nadiren kültürler arası bir bakış açısıyla eleştirilmiştir. Bu çalışma, inanç gelişimi kuramının hem kavramsallaştırılmasını hem de onu ölçmek için kullanılan araçları eleştirel bir şekilde değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Bu kuramsal çalışmada araştırma yöntemi olarak, ilgili literatürün tekrarlı (iterative), düşünsel-eleştirel (reflective) bir incelemesi kullanılmıştır. Literatür taramasından elde edilen bulgular çerçevesinde, inanç gelişimi kuramı içerisinde kullanılan "inanç" veya "dindarlık" gibi terimlerin yanıltıcı olabileceğini ve teoloji ile psikoloji disiplinleri arasında gerilim ve belirsizlik yaratabileceğini öne sürülmüştür. Çalışmada dine yönelik ilgisizlik, şüphe ve dini bağlamlardaki birleşik inanç (conjunctive faith) biçimleri gibi boyutların kuramı zenginleştirecek şekilde yeniden entegre edilmesi gerektiği savunulmuştur. Ayrıca, inanç gelişimi kuramının bilişsel yapısal gelişime odaklanması, dindarlığın içerik boyutlarının, dine bağlılık düzeyleri ve duygusal yönler gibi boyutların göz ardı edilmesine yol açtığı ifade edilmiştir. Bunun yanı sıra, inanç gelişim kuramının, Müslümanların yaşadığı kültürel bağlamlarda kültürel adaptasyon çalışması yapılmadığı takdirde dindarlığı analiz etmek için daha az geçerlilik kriterine sahip olabileceği belirtilmiştir. Son olarak, teorinin, dini gelişime seküler bir yaklaşımı teşvik ettiği ve "gelişmiş" olarak ifade ettiği aşamaların, çoğunlukla Avrupa merkezli ve aydınlanma (enlightenment) odaklı bir dindarlık anlayışını yansıttığı yönünde düşüncelere yer verilmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

inanç gelişimi, dindarlık, stiller, Müslüman, Eleştiri

Kaynakça

Alam, M. (2021). al–Ghazali epistemology: A philosophical overview. International Research Journal of Education and Technology, 01(7), 10-15.
Allport, G. W., & Ross, J. M. (1967). Personal religious orientation and prejudice. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 5, 432–443.
Altemeyer, B., & Hunsberger, B. (1992). Authoritarianism, religious fundamentalism, Quest and prejudice. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2, 113–133. doi:10.1207/s15327582ijpr0202_5
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Commitment. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://dictionary.apa.org/commitment.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Development. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://dictionary.apa.org/development
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Faith. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://dictionary.apa.org/faith.
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Religious faith. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved January 4, 2023, from https://dictionary.apa.org/religious-faith.
Aygün, A. (2012). Religiöse Sozialisation und Entwicklung bei islamischen Jugendlichen in Deutschland und in der Türkei: Empirische Analysen und religionspädagogische Herausforderungen. Waxmann.
Baltazar, T., & Coffen, R. D. (2011). The role of doubt in religious identity development and psychological maturity. Journal of Research on Christian Education, 20(3), 182–194. doi:10.1080/10656219.2011.590123
Batson, C. D. (1976). Religion as prosocial: Agent or double agent? Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 15(1), 29-45.

Bennion, L. D., & Adams, G. R. (1986). A revision of the Extended Version of the Objective Measure of Ego-identity Status: An identity instrument for use with late adolescents. Journal of Adolescent Research, 1, 183-198
Berra, L. (2021). Existential Depression: A Nonpathological and Philosophical-Existential Approach. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 61(5), 757–765. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167819834747
Bertram-Troost, G. D., de Roos, S. A., & Miedema, S. (2006). Religious identity development of adolescents in religious affiliated schools. A theoretical foundation for empirical research. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 27(3), 303-314. doi: 10.1080/13617670601001165
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2009, October 21). Ashʿariyyah. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ashariyyah
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2020, April 3). Māturīdiyyah. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Maturidiyah
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2021, December 28). Khārijite. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kharijite
Broughton, J. M. (1986). The political psychology of faith development theory. In C. Dykstra & S. Parks (Eds.), Faith development and Fowler (pp. 90-114). Religious Education Press.
Coyle, A. (2011). Critical responses to faith development theory: A useful agenda for change? Archive for the Psychology of Religion, 33(3), 281-298; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/157361211X608162
Donahue, M. J. (1985). Intrinsic and extrinsic religiousness: Review and meta-analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48(2), 400-419. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.48.2.400
Duriez, B., Fontaine, J. R. J., & Hutsebaut, D. (2000). A further elaboration of the post-critical belief scale: Evidence for the existence of four different approaches to religion in Flanders-Belgium. Psychologica Belgica, 40(3), 153-181.
Duriez, B., Soenens, B., & Hutsebaut, D. (2005). Introducing the shortened Post-Critical Belief Scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 38(4), 851–857. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2004.06.009
Dykstra, C., & Parks, S. (1986). Faith development and Fowler. Religious Education Press.
Erikson, E. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. Norton & Company.
Fakhry, M. (1983). A History of Islamic philosophy (second ed.). Columbia University Press
Felling, A. J. A., Peters, J., & Schreuder, O. (1986). Believing and living: A national study ınto contents and consequences of religious beliefs. Kerkebosch, Zeist, The Netherlands.
Fowler, J. (1981). Stages of faith: The psychology of human development and the Quest for meaning. Harper & Row.
Fowler, J. W., Streib, H., & Keller, B. (2004). Manual for Faith Development Research (3rd ed.). Bielefeld; Atlanta: Research Center for Biographical Studies in Contemporary Religion, Bielefeld; Center for Research in Faith and Moral Development, Emory University [available at: http://wwwhomes.uni-bielefeld.de/religionsforschung/].
Francis, L.J., & Stubbs, M. T. (1987). Measuring attitudes towards Christianity: From childhood to adulthood. Personality and Individual Differences, 8, 741–743.
Fulton, A. S. (1997). Identity status, religious orientation, and prejudice. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 26, 1-12.
Gazali. (1990). El-Munkizu min-ad-dalal. Milli Eeğitim Bakanlığı
Goldman, R. (1964). Religious thinking from childhood to adolescence. Routledge.
Grajales, T., & Sommers, B. (2016). Identity styles and religiosity: Examining the role of identity commitment. Journal of Research on Christian Education, 25(2), 188-202.
Griffith, B. A., & Griggs, J. C. (2001). Religious identity status as a model to understand, assess, and interact with client spirituality. Counseling & Values, 46, 14–25. doi:10.1002/j.2161-007X.2001.tb00203.
Harris, J. I. & Leak, G. K. (2013). The revised faith development scale: An option for a more reliable self-report measurement of postconventional religious reasoning. Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, 24, 1-14.
Huber, S., & Huber, O. W. (2012). The centrality of religiosity scale (CRS). Religions, 3(3), 710-724.
Hutsebaut, D. (1996). Post-Critical belief: A new approach to the religious attitude problem. Journal of Empirical Theology, 9(2), 48-66.
Hutsebaut, D. (1997). Identity statuses, ego integration, God representation and religious cognitive styles. Journal of Empirical Theology, 10, 39–54.
Kegan, R. (1982). The evolving self: Problem and process in human development. Harvard UP.
Leak, G. K. (2003). Validation of the faith development scale using longitudinal and cross-sectional designs. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal 31(6), 637-64.
Leak, G. K. (2008). Factorial validity of the faith development scale. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 18(2), 123-13.
Leak, G. K. (2009). An assessment of the relationship between identity development, faith development, and religious commitment. Identity, 9(3), 201-218. https://doi.org/10.1080/15283480903344521
Leak, G. K., Loucks, A. A., & Bowlin, P. (1999). Development and initial validation of a global measure of faith development. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 9, 105-124.
Luyckx, K., Schwartz, S. J., Goossens, L., Soenens, B., & Beyers, W. (2008). Developmental typologies of identity formation and adjustment in emerging adulthood: A latent class growth analysis approach. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 18, 595-619.
Marcia, J. E. (1966). Development and validation of ego identity status. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 3, 551–558.
Marcia, J. E. (1980). Identity in adolescence. In J. Adelson (Ed.), Handbook of Adolescent Psychology. Wiley.
Meeus, W. (2011). The study of adolescent identity formation 2000–2010: A review of longitudinal research. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21, 75–94.
Meeus, W., van de Schoot, R., Keijsers, L., Schwartz, S. J., & Branje, S. (2012). Identity statuses as developmental trajectories: A five-wave longitudinal study in early-to-middle and middle-to-late adolescents. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 41, 1008–1021.
Mevlana, C. R. (1988). Mesnevi (transl. V. İzbudak). Milli Eğitim Gençlik ve Spor Bakanlığı Yayınları
Ok, Ü., & Gennerich, C. (2024a). Adapting the faith development model to Muslim populations: A new framework. Van İlahiyat Dergisi 12(21), 109-123. https://doi.org/10.54893/vanid.1558089
Ok, Ü., & Gennerich, C. (2024b). (in the publishing process). Preliminary empirical findings on the adapted faith development model for a Muslim context. İlahiyat Studies
Ok, Ü. (2007a). İnanç psikolojisi: Hayatı anlamlandırma biçiminin yaşam boyu gelişimi (Psychology of faith: Lifespan development of meaning making). Ankara: İlahiyat.
Ok, Ü. (2007b). Faith development and perception of diversity among Muslims in Turkey: construction and initial test of a measure for religious diversity in Islam. Din Bilimleri, 6(3), 199-225.
Ok, Ü. (2009). Dini şemalar ölçeğinden inanç veya dünya görüşü şemaları ölçeğine [From religious schemata scale to faith or worldview schemas scale]. C.Ü. Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 33(2), 149-155.
Ok, Ü. (2011). Dini tutum ölçeği: Ölçek geliştirme ve geçerlik çalışması [Religious attitude scale: Scale development and validation]. Uluslararası İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi, 8(2), 528-549.
Ok, Ü. (2012). Biyografik anlatıya dayalı inanç gelişim biçimleri ve nicel ölçümler [Trajectories of faith development based on biographical narratives and quantitative measurements]. Çukurova Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi, 12(2), 121-155.
Ok, Ü. (2016). The Ok-Religious attitude scale (Islam): Introducing an instrument originated in Turkish for international use. Journal of Beliefs and Values, 37(1), 55-67. Doi: 10.1080/13617672.2016.1141529
Ok, Ü. (2022). The Roles of fundamentalism and authoritarianism in relations between religiosity and civil liberties among Muslims. Asian Journal of Social Psychology. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ajsp.12553
Oser, F. K., & Gmünder, P. (1984). Religious judgement: a developmental approach. Religious Education Press.
Parks, S. (1986). The critical years: The young adult search for a faith to live by. Harper & Row.
Parks, S. (1992). The North American critique of James Fowler's theory of faith development. In J. W. Fowler, K. E. Nipkow, & F. Schweitzer (Eds.), Stages of faith and religious development (pp. 101-115). SCM.
Perry, W. G. (1970). Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years: a scheme. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, inc.
Rank, O. (1923). The idea of holy. Oxford University Press.
Reich, K. H. (1992). Religious development across the life Span: Conventional and cognitive developmental approach. Life Span development and Behavior, 11, 145-188.
Smart, N. (1969). The religious experience of mankind. Charles Scribner's Sons.
Smith, W. C. (1963). The meaning and end of religion. Fortress Press.
Streib, H. (2001). Faith development theory revisited: The religious styles perspective. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 11, 143-158.
Streib, H., & Keller, B. (2018). Manual for the assessment of religious styles in faith development interviews. Bielefeld Center for Biographical Studies in Contemporary Religion, University of Bielefeld.
Streib, H., Chen, Z. J., & Hood, R. W. (2020). Categorising people by their preference for religious styles: Four types derived from evaluation of faith development interviews. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 30(2), 112–127.
Streib, H., Hood, R. W., & Klein, C. (2010). The religious schema scale: construction and initial validation of a quantitative measure for religious styles. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 20, 151-172.
Thorngate, W. (1976). ‘In general’ vs. ‘it depends’: Some comments on the Gergen-Schlenker debate. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2, 404-410.
Ünverdi, M. (2009). İmanda taklid ve tahkik [Imitative and reflective faith] [Doctoral dissertation, Ankara Üniversitesi). Ankara.
Vaillancourt, J.-G. (2008). From five to ten dimensions of religion: Charles Y. Glock’s dimensions of religiosity revisited. Australian Religion Studies Review, 21(1), 58-69.
Visser-Vogel, E., De Kock, A., Barnard, M., & Bakker, C. (2015). Sources for religious identity development of orthopraxy Muslim adolescents in the Netherlands. Journal of Muslims in Europe, 4(1), 90-112.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

Eğitimin Psikolojik Temelleri

Bölüm

Derleme

Yazarlar

Üzeyir Ok ^*
0000-0002-8202-350X
Türkiye

Carsten Gennerich
0000-0002-8346-5473
Germany

Yayımlanma Tarihi

28 Aralık 2024

Gönderilme Tarihi

28 Eylül 2024

Kabul Tarihi

17 Aralık 2024

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2024 Sayı: 18

DOI

https://doi.org/10.53112/tudear.1556541

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA73HA25TZ

APA

Ok, Ü., & Gennerich, C. (2024). Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective. Türkiye Din Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi, 18, 121-143. https://doi.org/10.53112/tudear.1556541

AMA

1.Ok Ü, Gennerich C. Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective. TUDEAR. 2024;(18):121-143. doi:10.53112/tudear.1556541

Chicago

Ok, Üzeyir, ve Carsten Gennerich. 2024. “Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective”. Türkiye Din Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi, sy 18: 121-43. https://doi.org/10.53112/tudear.1556541.

EndNote

Ok Ü, Gennerich C (01 Aralık 2024) Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective. Türkiye Din Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi 18 121–143.

IEEE

[1]Ü. Ok ve C. Gennerich, “Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective”, TUDEAR, sy 18, ss. 121–143, Ara. 2024, doi: 10.53112/tudear.1556541.

ISNAD

Ok, Üzeyir - Gennerich, Carsten. “Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective”. Türkiye Din Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi. 18 (01 Aralık 2024): 121-143. https://doi.org/10.53112/tudear.1556541.

JAMA

1.Ok Ü, Gennerich C. Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective. TUDEAR. 2024;:121–143.

MLA

Ok, Üzeyir, ve Carsten Gennerich. “Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective”. Türkiye Din Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi, sy 18, Aralık 2024, ss. 121-43, doi:10.53112/tudear.1556541.

Vancouver

1.Üzeyir Ok, Carsten Gennerich. Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective. TUDEAR. 01 Aralık 2024;(18):121-43. doi:10.53112/tudear.1556541

Cited By

Preliminary Empirical Findings on the Adapted Faith Development Model for a Muslim Context

Ilahiyat Studies

https://doi.org/10.12730/is.1557286

Türkiye Din Eğitimi Araştırmaları Dergisi Creative Commons Atıf 4.0 Uluslararası Lisansı (CC BY-NC 4.0) ile lisanslanmıştır.

Critiquing Faith Development Theory and Its Measurements from An Islamic Perspective

Öz

Anahtar Kelimeler

İnanç Gelişimi Kuramı ve Ölçüm Çalışmalarının İslami Perspektiften Eleştirisi

Öz

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

Konular

Bölüm

Yazarlar

Yayımlanma Tarihi

Gönderilme Tarihi

Kabul Tarihi

Yayımlandığı Sayı

DOI

IZ

Kaynak Göster

Cited By

Preliminary Empirical Findings on the Adapted Faith Development Model for a Muslim Context