The Secret Spiritual World of Children

November 15, 2003
Adults too often mistakenly believe that to be considered spiritual a child must understand the tenets of a particular religion. In fact, says Hart, children are far more likely to experience what William James referred to as "personal religion" (an intimate knowledge of God) without any formal religious training. After learning that his six-year-old daughter often saw angels, psychologist Hart embarked upon a five-year study of children's spirituality, an area all but ignored in the annals of child psychology. Defining spirituality as an intimate and direct influence of the divine in our lives, Hart interviewed more than 100 children and adults about their experiences. The inspiring accounts he reports reveal that often independently of, and sometimes despite, their parents, children enjoy rich and rewarding relations with the spiritual side of life. He concludes by proposing that parents encourage spirituality in their children by recognizing them as complete spiritual beings, and he offers parents a "spiritual curriculum" intended to nurture a child's personal power and perspective.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2003, American Library Association.)