A Perennial Conundrum: Investigating Spirituality in a Postmodern World

• In Event: Sustaining and Transforming the Communication Discipline: Examining the Relationship of Spirituality and Communication

Abstract

Multiple disciplines (e.g. philosophy; psychology) have been devoted to the investigation of spirituality in academic contexts. These endeavors have not gone unchallenged by contemporary academics, especially in light of the influence of modern science and positivistic approaches to disciplined inquiry (see Campbell & Stanley, 1958, Wilber, 1998; Hawkins, 2001). However, communication approaches to spiritual questions provide viable methodological avenues for such questions, despite such paradigmatic tensions. This proposal will investigate the impact of these differing viewpoints and offer suggested discipline specific approaches for investigating spirituality.

Author

• Michael Hazel, Gonzaga University