Answering the Big Questions: Connections Between Worldview Formation and Purpose Development

• In Event: Spirituality and Education: Select Papers

Abstract

This study examined how a diverse sample of 75 students from across the nation connected their understanding of purpose to their worldview development, including their sense of meaning, relationship to others, motivation to action, and religious perspectives. The analysis revealed that different purpose types consistently focus on different ways of forming their worldviews. Each purpose type used different language and principles to formulate answers to these questions. Moreover, religion was not a consistent identifier across these types. The authors suggest that purpose types may be a better method of understanding common ways students answer the big questions than religious orientation.

Authors

• Jessica Robinson, Baylor University

• Perry Glanzer, Baylor University