Cultivating the Spirit THIS GROUNDBREAKING WORK IS BASED on a five-year study of how students change during the college years and the role college plays in facilitating the development of their spiritual qualities. Students, the authors argue, grapple with the big questions in life: Who am I? What are my values? Do I have a mission in life? Why am I in college? What kind of person do I want to be? What sort of world do I want to help to create? Their answers to these questions help determine their academic and career choices and are tied to the development of personal qualities such as empathy, caring, and social responsibility. The study finds that, while students' religious engagement declines during college, at the same time they become substantially more caring, tolerant, connected with others, and actively egaged in a spiritual quest. Spiritual growth also enhances academic performance, leadership development, and satisfaction with college. The study provides strong evidence pointing to specific experiences during college that can contribute to students' spiritual growth. The need for spiritual development in college is apparent. Two-thirds of the students in the study express a strong interest in spiritual matters, well over half report that their professors never encourage discussions of religious or spiritual matters, and about the same proportion report that professors never provide opportunities to discuss the purpose and meaning of life. Cultivating the Spirit aims to raise the awareness of academic administrators, faculty, and the public at large to the vital role that spirituality plays in student learning and development. Throughout the book, the authors identify strategies for enhancing students' development and encourage the academy to give greater priority to the spiritual aspects of students' educational and personal development.

Spirituality in College Students' Lives draws on data from a large-scale national survey examining the spiritual development of undergraduates and how colleges and universities can be more effective in facilitating students' spiritual growth. In this book, contributors from the fields of education, psychology, sociology, social work, and religion present research-based studies that explore the importance of students' spirituality and the impact of the college experience on their spiritual development. Offering a wide range of theoretical perspectives and worldviews, this volume also includes reflections from distinguished researchers and practitioners which highlight implications for practice. This original edited collection explores: Emerging theoretical frames and analytical approaches; differences in spiritual expressions and experiences among sub-populations; the impact of campus contexts; and how college experiences shape spiritual outcomes. Spirituality in College Students' Lives is an important resource for higher education and student affairs faculty, administrators, and practitioners interested in nurturing the inner lives of college students.

This groundbreaking book provides a comprehensive resource that addresses the growing movement for incorporating spirituality as an important aspect of the meaning and purpose of higher education. Written by Arthur W. Chickering, Jon C. Dalton, and Leisa Stamm—experts in the field of educational leadership and policy—Encouraging Authenticity and Spirituality in Higher Education shows how to encourage increased authenticity and spiritual growth among students and education professionals by offering alternative ways of knowing, being, and doing. Encouraging Authenticity and Spirituality in Higher Education includes a rich array of examples to guide the integration of authenticity and spirituality in curriculum, student affairs, community partnerships, assessment, and policy issues. Many of these illustrative examples represent specific policies and programs that have successfully been put in place at diverse institutions across the country. In addition, the authors cover the theoretical, historical, and social perspectives on religion and higher education and examine the implications for practice. They include the results of recent court cases that deal with church-state issues and offer recommendations that pose no legal barrier to implementation.

First published in 2008, Donna Freitas's Sex and the Soul achieved national acclaim, illuminating the as-yet-unexplored struggles of college students navigating the lines of faith and sexuality. Conducting face-to-face interviews at a wide range of colleges and universities-from public to private, Catholic to evangelical-Freitas discovers what students really think about these highly personal subjects. Their stories will not only engage readers, but, in many cases, move them with the painful struggles these candid young women and men face. This updated edition includes a new Afterword in which Freitas reflects on the hundreds of conversations she has had with college students since the book was first published, and offers further practical advice for dealing with hookup culture.

A Guidebook of Promising Practices: Facilitating Students' Spiritual Development summarizes campus-wide initiatives and institutional practices from colleges and universities across the country, and features examples of practices that can facilitate students' spiritual development. This guidebook can serve as a companion to Cultivating the Spirit: How College Can Enhance Students' Inner Lives by Alexander W. Astin, Helen S. Astin, and Jennifer A. Lindholm (Jossey-Bass, 2011). Promising Practices is designed for use by administrators, faculty, student affairs professionals, and student leaders who are committed to supporting students' spiritual development.

“An insightful, scholarly resource for dialogue about the symbiotic relationship between the life of the mind and the life of the heart of faculty, and what faculty can do to provide students an education that focuses on meaning and purpose.” —Larry A. Braskamp, professor emeritus, Loyola University Chicago “Among the strengths of this book are Lindholm’s solid research design and data analysis, deft integration of quantitative and qualitative data in presentation of findings and interpretation, and clear writing. Dr. Lindholm makes an important contribution both to higher education literature on faculty, and to religious studies literature, on this dimension of religion and spirituality in colleges and universities.” —Michael D. Waggoner, professor, University of Northern Iowa; editor, Religion & Education “No one understands more thoroughly the roles that spirituality and religion play in higher education today than Jennifer Lindholm, who has spent more than a decade documenting their impact. The Quest for Meaning and Wholeness adds greatly to her earlier findings of how college can enhance the spiritual lives of students.” —Gary Luhr, executive director, Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities “Based on both quantitative and qualitative data, Lindholm’s thoughtful, well-written book opens new ground, addressing a largely ignored topic in the research on faculty lives and work—spirituality, religion, and meaning in academic life. Institutional leaders, faculty members, and students will benefit from the fresh perspectives, careful definitions, issues, and questions discussed in this book.” —Ann E. Austin, professor of higher, adult, and lifelong education, Michigan State University; coauthor of Rethinking Faculty Work: Higher Education’s Strategic Imperative “At last, a book for faculty about faculty on an important, but long-neglected, topic. Jennifer Lindholm provides a cogent, readable analysis of how faculty view spirituality and religion not only in their own lives, but also their role in higher education.” —Peter C. Hill, Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University

Description: Young men undergo significant changes during their years in college. They wrestle with ""big questions,"" which are essentially spiritual questions, as they ponder who they are, what they believe, what kind of persons they want to become, and how they might shape the world into something they can feel comfortable being themselves in. Those who participate in men''s groups realize that their involvement can nurture their inner lives as they explore these questions and connect to transcendent values and a vision of a larger whole. This book includes historical and sociological perspectives on men and spirituality and an expanded case study of how one campus pioneered in the development of men''s spirituality groups, which became a model for other campuses. It includes quantitative empirical research that explores college men''s openness to spirituality and their interest in men''s groups. The book''s most extensive discussion is based on a qualitative analysis of thirty-six interviews with male college students, focusing on their understanding of the relationship between their masculinity and their spirituality, and how spirituality groups provided a venue in which they could begin to engage what it means to be spiritual and what it means to be a man. Endorsements: ""A wonderful account of how men''s spirituality groups at religiously affiliated colleges have enabled men to share their thoughts and feelings about their lives, relationships, and sense of authenticity. I was especially inspired by the men''s thoughtful reflections on the way in which they understand their own masculinity and how they express it in their own lives. The authors make a powerful case for men''s spirituality groups on college campuses by enabling the men''s own voices to be heard."" --Donald Capps Princeton Theological Seminary (Emeritus) Author of Men and Their Religion: Honor, Hope, and Humor ""Forging the Male Spirit is a must-read for anyone interested in the spiritual yearnings and development of young men of college age. Well researched and documented, this study analyzes empirical data and grounds those data in the history of men movements and gender theory. The authors of this study . . . advocate for . . . creating college support groups for young men in search of meaning."" --Bjorn Krondorfer St. Mary''s College of Maryland Editor of Men''s Bodies, Men''s Gods: Male Identities in a (Post-)Christian Culture ""Longwood, Schipper, and Culbertson offer us a surprising glimpse into the lives of college men. Contrary to the perceived masculine norms of restrictive emotional behavior, competition, and distance, many seek closer connections, support, and deeper relationships with each other, as well as meaning in their studies and work. Some find transformation and fulfillment in opposing sexism and violence against women. Everyone concerned with the healthy development of young men must read this book."" --Stephen B. Boyd Wake Forest University Coeditor of Redeeming Men: Religion and Masculinities ""In an era when highly edited versions of the self rocket through cyberspace via instant messaging, the meticulous empirical research of Forging the Male Spirit leads to a haunting but convincing counternarrative. Here young men yearn for slower, braver, face-to-face forms of intimacy with male peers and adult men. They find not in institutional religion but in ongoing same-sex support groups the true foundry of authentic masculine spirituality."" --Robert C. Dykstra Princeton Theological Seminary Coeditor of Losers, Loners, and Rebels: The Spiritual Struggles of Boys ""Forging the Male Spirit is an invaluable resource for anyone wishing to move from thinking to actually doing something about the spiritual development of college men. From broad surveys as well as detailed case studies of both persons and institutions . . ., we learn how we and our institutions can understand and . . . address men''s concerns about their spiritualities and mascul"

Fr. William Toohey, C.S.C. has written a masterpiece for all college students. A quick glance at the chapter titles in the Table of Contents will affirm the relevance, style and tone that make this book a classic invitation to spiritual growth for college students and others confronting the realities of life in the world today. Father Toohey's remarkable understanding of college students, and of the Gospel, combine to make Life After Birth a call to a life well lived. Fr. William Toohey, C.S.C. was Director of Campus Ministry at the University of Notre Dame from 1970 until his untimely death from encephalitis in 1980. A dynamic preacher, his 12:15 Mass at Sacred Heart attracted throngs of students, faculty and staff, as did his writings. Life After Birth is testimony to the timelessness of his witness.

Rise Above It: Spiritual Development for College Students is a textbook for a course in practical spirituality for young adults in general, and specifically for college students. In this course, "rise above it" refers to rising into higher states of consciousness through practicing universal spiritual principles. In these higher states, above ego concerns, students become more self-aware and gain a broader, deeper perspective on the issues that confront them. While this course does not deal directly with the pressing social issues of our day (violence, substance abuse, global warming, gender identity, poverty, etc.), it does encourage students to examine themselves in the light of universal truth. This leads to an awareness in which they can make decisions that are grounded in the highest human values. Using the Ten Commandments as a framework for universal spiritual principles, this book demonstrates how spiritual practice is the core of every major religion-regardless of differences in doctrine or ritual. Students will not only learn how the commandments occur in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Buddhism, they will also have the opportunity to practice these spiritual principles in their own lives-especially in regard to the college experience. Each chapter has four parts: Part One: Introductory Story An opening story based on world history, famous literature, or current events, intended to introduce the spiritual practice to be discussed in the chapter. Part Two: World Scriptures A survey of the major religions, with a focus on how each religion contributes to a fuller and deeper understanding of the spiritual practice being studied that week. Many perspectives on the same truth reveal multiple facets of the same gem. Part Three: Journal Entries Excerpts from journal entries and weekly reports, selected from over 12,000 journal entries written by students who have taken this course over the past eighteen years. The book contains over 100 of these anonymous journal entries, reproduced with permission. Part Four: Suggestions for further reflection and practice. Many participants in this course have described themselves as "spiritual but not religious," "evangelical," "agnostic" and even "atheist." Regardless of how students initially describe themselves, they find this course tremendously useful in becoming a finer version of themselves. This course has been taught in a variety of formats for both undergraduate and graduate credit at Bryn Athyn College, the Graduate Theological Foundation, Lincoln University, Mercer University, and the Pacific School of Religion. It is recommended for courses in Practical Spirituality, Religious Ethics, Comparative Religion, Professional Ethics, Moral Life, and Ethical Decision-Making. It could also provide the framework for a First-Year Studies program. A 22-page index, along with a bibliography that includes multiple web sources is designed to help students pursue further research interests.