Children and Spirituality

Brendan Hyde identifies four characteristics of children's spirituality: the felt sense, integrating awareness, weaving the threads of meaning, and spiritual questing. These characteristics can be observed in children if those who work with them know what to look for and are alert to the time, place and space in which children find themselves.

This book provides ways in which schoolteachers and parents can nurture and foster these particular characteristics of children's spirituality. It also considers two factors, material pursuit and trivialising, which may inhibit children's expression of their spirituality.

Children and Spirituality will be of great interest to educators, policy makers, parents, and others who work with and seek to nurture the spirituality of children.

“'A fascinating book... If it makes education policy makers, teachers in school and church and parents aware of the spirituality of children and how they can nurture and foster this, our children will indeed grow in body, mind and spirit.'- Practical Theology'Brenden Hyde has produced a wide-ranging and useful piece of research...This book is well organised with useful notes and an excellent bibliography. As such it would provide a helpful resource for future research.'- The Christian Parapsychologist'This is the kind of book which does a lot for broadening our views of what spirituality is about...a very holistic and insightful book with down-to-earth guidelines.'- Home Education Advisory Service Bulletin”

A fascinating book... If it makes education policy makers, teachers in school and church and parents aware of the spirituality of children and how they can nurture and foster this, our children will indeed grow in body, mind and spirit. -- Practical Theology
Brenden Hyde has produced a wide-ranging and useful piece of research...This book is well organised with useful notes and an excellent bibliography. As such it would provide a helpful resource for future research. -- The Christian Parapsychologist
This is the kind of book which does a lot for broadening our views of what spirituality is about...a very holistic and insightful book with down-to-earth guidelines. -- Home Education Advisory Service Bulletin

Brendan Hyde PhD is a lecturer in the National School of Religious Education at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne, and a Member of the Australian College of Educators. Brendan has authored several scholarly articles and book chapters exploring the spirituality of children, and he regularly presents his work at international conferences.

Brendan Hyde, Ph.D., is a lecturer in the National School of Religious Education at Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia, where he was also awarded his Ph.D. Brendan's research interest is in the spirituality of children. His research interests include exploring the characteristics of children's spirituality, and the implication these have for education in the primary school context.

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