Integrating a Spiritual Perspective in Secular Education: Some Fundamental Concepts

• In Event: Centering Spirituality: During Crisis, in Secular Education, and in Educational Leadership

Abstract

This paper explores the question, “What does it mean to appropriately emphasize spirituality in secular education?” by exploring a few approaches appropriate for a secular setting for facilitating transformative spiritual growth. I will first define some terminology related to a spiritual perspective, then introduce the idea of transformation understood as a spiritual process as an appropriate focus for the curriculum and discuss three relevant general topics, the mystery of Spirit, building a foundation for adult growth, and the need for inner work. This paper focuses on a few concepts that I believe are essential to integrating a spiritual perspective versus presenting a comprehensive discussion of what it means to integrate a spiritual perspective in secular education

Author

• Robert H. London, California State University - San Bernardino