Integrated-Integrating Pedagogy: A Practical Theological analysis of fragmented spirituality among African American adolescents Público
Wright, Almeda Michelle (2010)
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation is to clarify the definition of
fragmented
spirituality and to present a three part practical theological
analysis of fragmented
spirituality among African American adolescents. Fragmented
spirituality occurs when a
person's deeply held religious beliefs are separated from other
critical issues or areas of
their life; such as a belief in a personally transformative and
protective God and
experiences of racism where one never names God as working or
calling one to work to
end racism.
This dissertation attends to the on-the-ground realities of
African American youth
and African American churches through semi-structured interviews
and surveys with a
sample of African American Christian adolescents. The data outline
their understandings
of their spirituality and its connections to their identity and
communal engagement. This
section also explores the formal teachings of African American
churches through an
analysis of Urban Ministries, Inc. curriculum and sermons
from a national sample of
African American churches.
In the second section, this dissertation explores a larger
conversation about the
connection of religion to American public life. It explores the
ways that fragmentation in
African American adolescent spirituality can be a symptom of trends
in the broader
American context towards individualism and separation of religion
and civic
engagement. This conversation highlights the psychological,
sociological and theological
dimensions of fragmentation. In this section, I also name
alternatives to the problematic
effects of fragmentation: These alternatives emerge from the
historical and theological
legacy of African American churches, Womanist Spirituality, and
Black Liberation
theologies.
In the third and final section, I continue the exploration of
alternatives to
fragmented spirituality and offer pedagogical strategies for
fostering an integrated-
integrating spirituality-spirituality that empowers youth to
hold together the seemingly
disparate arenas of their lives, to tap into the resources of their
faith communities and
learn from historical and current faith exemplars, in order to see
themselves as capable of
affecting change on individual, communal, and societal levels.
These strategies include
tapping into the spiritual disciplines and worship practices of
African American churches
and pushing youth to embrace critical reflection and transformative
action as essential
religious practices.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Introduction: Is God Big Enough?
...................................................................................................1
Integrated-Integrating Spirituality
......................................................................................
9
Chapter Two
Practical Theological Interpretation and
Research Methodology
.................................................. 13
Practical Theological Approach to Fragmented Spirituality
............................................. 19
Practical Theology and Youth
..........................................................................................
24
Methodologies with Marginal and Historically Oppressed Communities
........................ 27
Part I: Mapping the Terrain
Attending to the Lives and Spiritual Formation of African
American Adolescents
What's Going On?
Chapter Three
Talking Fragments: African American Adolescents' Voices and
Perspectives on Spirituality and Fragmentation
.....................................................................29
Individual Narratives
........................................................................................................
32
Collective Themes
............................................................................................................
55
Connecting the Fragments
................................................................................................
74
Chapter Four
From Sunday School to Sermons:
African American Churches and Educational ministry with youth
........................................... 76
Sunday School Curriculum
...............................................................................................
78
Sermons
.....................................................................................................................
106
Collective Trends: Summary of Findings
.......................................................................
131
Part II: Critical and Constructive Reflection
Shedding Theoretical Light on the Dimensions of Fragmented
Spiritualities
Why is it going on? & What should be going on?
Chapter Five
Fragmentation in Context:
Exploring Dimensions of Fragmentation in Society
......................... 139
Psychological Dimensions of Fragmentation and Fragmented
Spirituality .................... 139
Fragmentation and Identity Development
......................................................................
143
Sociological Dimensions of Fragmentation and Fragmented
Spirituality ...................... 154
Secularization and Privatization of Religion
..................................................................
154
American Religion: American Individualism
..................................................................
158
Moralistic Therapeutic Deism
........................................................................................
161
Chapter Six
Tapping into the Legacy:
African American Spirituality and Theological Alternatives to
Fragmented Spirituality ........... 166
The Black Church and African American Spirituality
.................................................... 166
Normative Theological Conceptions
..............................................................................
177
Part III: Improved Practice with African American
Adolescents
Fostering Integrated-Integrating Spirituality
How can we respond?
Chapter Seven
Towards a Critical Pedagogy
of Integrated-Integrating Spirituality
............................................ 201
Pedagogical Dimensions of Fragmentation
....................................................................
202
Pedagogical Alternatives and Responses to Fragmented Spirituality
............................. 210
Reconnecting with the Legacy: Religious Education as Formation
............................... 212
Critical Radical Pedagogy: Religious Education as
Transformation ............................ 228
Chapter Eight
Conclusion: Hope and a Plan
......................................................................................................
249
Bibliography
.............................................................................................................................
264
List of Appendices
Appendix A
Institutional Review Board Protocol
Appendix B
Interview Schedule
Appendix C
Survey Questions
Summary of Youth Survey Responses
Appendix D
Sermon Demographics
About this Dissertation
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