Developmental Implications of Children’s Early Religious and Spiritual Experiences in Context: A Sociocultural Perspective

This article provides a valuable socio-cultural perspective on young children’s religious and spiritual development to argue that one should take more account of social-psychological, affective and emotional phenomena, and personality, rather than adopting a broadly Piagetian, cognitive lens. As well as reviews of the literature, it provides illustrative examples of lived experiences which frame young children’s religious participation giving particular consideration to religious minorities. The role of emotion in how young children select experiences and make meaning is highlighted. One limitation is that religious and spiritual development is not clearly differentiated.