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{{short description|American scholar of religion}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = [[The Reverend]]
| name = James W. Fowler
| image = <!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] -->
| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption =
| birth_name = James William Fowler III
| birth_date = {{birth date|1940|10|12}}
| birth_place = [[Reidsville, North Carolina|Reidsville]], [[North Carolina]], US
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|10|16|1940|10|12}}
| death_place =
| spouse = Lurline Fowler{{sfn|Osmer|Bridgers|2018}}
| awards =
| module = {{Infobox clergy |child=yes
| religion = Christianity ([[Methodist]])
| church = [[United Methodist Church]]
| ordained =
| congregations =
| offices_held =
}}
| module2 = {{Infobox academic |child=yes
| alma_mater = {{ubl | [[Duke University]] | [[Drew University]] | [[Harvard University]]}}
| thesis_title = The Development and Expression of "the Conviction of the Sovereignty of God" in H. Richard Niebur's Thought
| thesis_year = 1971
| school_tradition =
| doctoral_advisor =
| academic_advisors =
| influences = {{flatlist|
* [[Erik Erikson]]{{sfn|Osmer|Bridgers|2018}}
* [[Immanuel Kant]]{{sfn|Downs|1994|p=114}}
* [[H. Richard Niebuhr]]{{sfnm |1a1=Downs |1y=1994 |1p=114 |2a1=Osmer |2a2=Bridgers |2y=2018}}
* [[Paul Tillich]]{{sfn|Downs|1994|p=114}}
}}
| era =
| discipline = {{hlist | [[Religious studies]] | [[theology]]}}
| sub_discipline = [[Psychology of religion]]
| workplaces = [[Emory University]]
| doctoral_students = <!--only those with WP articles-->
| notable_students = <!--only those with WP articles-->
| main_interests =
| notable_works = ''Stages of Faith'' (1981)
| notable_ideas = Stages of faith development
| influenced = <!--must be referenced from a third-party source-->
}}
| signature =
| signature_alt =
}}
'''James William Fowler III''' (1940–2015) was an American theologian who was Professor of Theology and Human Development at [[Emory University]]. He was director of both the Center for Research on Faith and Moral Development, and the Center for Ethics until he retired in 2005. He was a minister in the [[United Methodist Church]].<ref name="Freightman 2015">{{cite news |last=Freightman |first=C. G. |date=October 22, 2015 |title=James W. Fowler, 75: Theologian, Author 'Embodied the Faith He Studied' |url=http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-obituaries/james-w-fowler-75-theologian-author-embodied-the-f/nn7P7/ |newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |___location=Dunwoody, Georgia |publisher=Cox Media Group |page=B6 |issn=1539-7459 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304204245/http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-obituaries/james-w-fowler-75-theologian-author-embodied-the-f/nn7P7/ |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=August 26, 2020}}</ref>{{sfn|Evans|Forney|Guido|Patton|2010|p=196}} Fowler is best known for his book ''Stages of Faith'', published in 1981, in which he sought to develop the idea of a [[Developmental psychology|developmental]] process in "human faith".
==Life and career==
Fowler was born in [[Reidsville, North Carolina|Reidsville]], [[North Carolina]], on October 12, 1940, the son of a [[Methodist]] minister.<ref name="Freightman 2015"/> In 1977, Fowler was appointed Associate Professor of Theology and Human Development at the [[Candler School of Theology]] at [[Emory University]].{{sfn|Osmer|Bridgers|2018}} He was later named Charles Howard Candler Professor of Theology and Human Development.{{sfn|Osmer|Bridgers|2018}}<ref>{{cite web |title=James W. Fowler |url=https://ethics.emory.edu/who-we-are/about/founder.html |website=Emory Centre for Ethics |___location=Atlanta |publisher=Emory University |access-date=August 27, 2020}}</ref> He died on October 16, 2015.{{sfn|Osmer|Bridgers|2018}}
==Stages of faith==
He is best known for his book ''Stages of Faith'' (1981), in which he sought to develop the idea of a [[Developmental psychology|developmental]] process in "human faith".{{sfn|Evans|Forney|Guido|Patton|2010|p=196}}
These [[stages of faith development]] were along the lines of [[Jean Piaget]]'s [[theory of cognitive development]] and [[Lawrence Kohlberg]]'s [[Kohlberg's stages of moral development|stages of moral development]].{{sfn|Evans|Forney|Guido|Patton|2010|pp=196–197}}
In the book, Fowler describes 6 stages of development.
===Description of the stages===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;"
! No.
! Fowler
! Age
! Piaget
|-
| 0
| Fowler rowspan=1 | Undifferentiated<br>Faith
| Age rowspan=1 | 0–2 years
| Piaget rowspan=1 | Sensoric-motorical
|-
| 1
| Fowler | Intuitive-<br>Projective
| Age | 2–7 years
| Piaget | Pre-operational
|-
| 2
| Fowler | Mythic-<br>Literal
| Age | 7–12 years
| Piaget | Concrete operational
|-
| 3
| Fowler | Synthetic-<br>Conventional
| Age | 12+ years
| Piaget rowspan=4 | Formal-operational
|-
| 4
| Fowler | Individuative-Reflective
| Age | 21+ years
|-
| 5
| Fowler rowspan=1 | Conjunctive
| Age rowspan=1 | 35+ years
|-
| 6
| Fowler | Universalizing
| 45+
|-
|}
* Stage 0 – "Primal or Undifferentiated" faith (birth to 2 years), is characterized by an early learning of the safety of their environment (i.e. warm, safe and secure vs. hurt, neglect and abuse). If consistent nurture is experienced, one will develop a sense of trust and safety about the universe and the divine. Conversely, negative experiences will cause one to develop distrust about the universe and the divine. Transition to the next stage begins with integration of thought and language which facilitates the use of symbols in speech and play.
* Stage 1 – "Intuitive-Projective" faith (ages of three to seven), is characterized by the psyche's unprotected exposure to the [[Unconscious mind|Unconscious]], and marked by a relative fluidity of thought patterns.{{sfn|Wolski Conn|1986|pp=226–232}} Religion is learned mainly through experiences, stories, images, and the people that one comes in contact with.
* Stage 2 – "Mythic-Literal" faith (mostly in school children), is characterized by persons have a strong belief in the [[justice]] and reciprocity of the universe, and their [[deity|deities]] are almost always [[anthropomorphic]]. During this time [[metaphors]] and [[Symbolic language (literature)|symbolic language]] are often misunderstood and are taken literally.
* Stage 3 – "Synthetic-Conventional" faith (arising in adolescence; aged 12 to adulthood), is characterized by [[conformity]] to authority and the religious development of a personal identity. Any conflicts with one's beliefs are ignored at this stage due to the fear of threat from inconsistencies.
* Stage 4 – "Individuative-Reflective" faith (usually mid-twenties to late thirties), is a stage of [[angst]] and struggle. The individual takes personal responsibility for his or her [[belief]]s and [[feeling]]s. As one is able to reflect on one's own beliefs, there is an openness to a new complexity of faith, but this also increases the awareness of conflicts in one's belief.
* Stage 5 – "Conjunctive" faith (mid-life crisis), acknowledges paradox and [[transcendence (philosophy)|transcendence]] relating reality behind the symbols of inherited systems. The individual resolves conflicts from previous stages by a complex understanding of a multidimensional, interdependent "truth" that cannot be explained by any particular statement.
* Stage 6 – "Universalizing" faith. The individual would treat any person with compassion as he or she views people as from a universal community, and should be treated with universal principles of love and justice.
==Empirical research==
Fowler's model has inspired a considerable body of empirical research into faith development, although little of such research was ever conducted by Fowler himself. A useful tool here has been Gary Leak's Faith Development Scale, or FDS, which has been subject to [[factor analysis]] by Leak.{{sfn|Leak|2008}}
For criticism see [[Psychology of religion#Developmental approaches to religion|Developmental approaches to religion]].
==Publications==
*''Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning'' (1981) {{ISBN|0-06-062866-9}}
*''Becoming Adult, Becoming Christian: Adult Development and Christian Faith'' (1984) (revised 1999 {{ISBN|0-7879-5134-X}})
*''To See the Kingdom: The Theological Vision of H. Richard Niebuhr'' (
*''Faith Development and Pastoral Care'' (1987) {{ISBN|0-8006-1739-8}}
*''Weaving the New Creation: Stages of Faith and the Public Church'' (1991) {{ISBN|0-06-062845-6}}
*''Faithful Change: The Personal and Public Challenges of Postmodern Life'' (1996) {{ISBN|978-0-687-01730-0}}
==See also==
*[[Jean Piaget]], [[Theory of cognitive development]]
*[[Erik Erikson]], [[Erikson's stages of psychosocial development]]
*[[Lawrence Kohlberg]], [[Kohlberg's stages of moral development]]
*[[Developmental psychology]]
**[[Developmental stage theories]]
*[[Psychology of religion]]
*[[Integral theory (Ken Wilber)]]
==References==
===Footnotes===
{{reflist|22em}}
===Bibliography===
{{refbegin|35em|indent=yes}}
* {{cite book
|last=Downs
|first=Perry G.
|year=1994
|title=Teaching for Spiritual Growth: An Introduction to Christian Education
|___location=Grand Rapids, Michigan
|publisher=Zondervan Publishing House
|isbn=978-0-310-59370-6
}}
* {{cite book
|last1=Evans
|first1=Nancy
|last2=Forney
|first2=Deanna
|last3=Guido
|first3=Florence
|last4=Patton
|first4=Lori
|last5=Renn
|first5=Kristen
|year=2010
|title=Student Development in College: Theory, Research, and Practice
|edition=2nd
|___location=San Francisco, California
|publisher=Jossey-Bass
|isbn=978-0-7879-7809-9
}}
* {{cite journal
|last=Leak
|first=Gary K.
|year=2008
|title=Factorial Validity of the Faith Development Scale
|journal=The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion
|volume=18
|issue=2
|pages=123–131
|doi=10.1080/10508610701879399
|s2cid=143819966
|issn=1532-7582
}}
* {{cite web
|last1=Osmer
|first1=Richard
|last2=Bridgers
|first2=Lynn
|year=2018
|orig-year=2015
|title=James Fowler
|url=https://www.biola.edu/talbot/ce20/database/james-fowler
|work=Christian Educators of the 20th Century
|___location=La Mirada, California
|publisher=Biola University
|access-date=August 27, 2020
}}
* {{cite book
|year=1986
|editor-last=Wolski Conn
|editor-first=Joann
|first=James W.
|last=Fowler
|chapter=Stages of Faith
|pages=342-48
|title=Women's Spirituality: Resources for Christian Development
|___location=New York
|publisher=Paulist Press
}}
{{refend}}
==Further reading==
{{refbegin|35em|indent=yes}}
* {{cite book
|last=Fowler
|first=James W.
|year=1981
|title=Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning
|___location=San Francisco, California
|publisher=Harper & Row
|isbn=978-0-06-062840-6
}}
* {{cite journal
|last=McDargh
|first=John
|year=2001
|title=Faith Development Theory and the Postmodern Problem of Foundations
|journal=International Journal for the Psychology of Religion
|volume=11
|issue=3
|pages=185–199
|doi=10.1207/S15327582IJPR1103_05
|s2cid=144494399
|issn=1532-7582
}}
* {{cite journal
|last1=Rothman
|first1=Stanley
|last2=Lichter
|first2=S. Robert
|last3=Nevitte
|first3=Neil
|year=2005
|title=Fundamentals and Fundamentalists: A Reply to Ames et al.
|journal=The Forum
|volume=3
|issue=2
|at=Art. 8
|doi=10.2202/1540-8884.1081
|s2cid=144057401
|issn=1540-8884
}}
* {{cite journal
|last1=Rothman
|first1=Stanley
|author1-mask={{long dash}}
|last2=Lichter
|first2=S. Robert
|author2-mask={{zwsp}}
|last3=Nevitte
|first3=Neil
|author3-mask={{zwsp}}
|year=2005
|title=Politics and Professional Advancement Among College Faculty
|journal=The Forum
|volume=3
|issue=1
|at=Art. 2
|doi=10.2202/1540-8884.1067
|s2cid=145340516
|issn=1540-8884
}}
* {{cite journal
|last=Streib
|first=Heinz
|year=2001
|title=The Symposium on Faith Development Theory and the Modern Paradigm
|journal=International Journal for the Psychology of Religion
|volume=11
|issue=3
|pages=141–142
|doi=10.1207/S15327582IJPR1103_01
|s2cid=145263454
|issn=1532-7582
|url=https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/16355e60-e8d7-48ba-8381-53c1eae06baf
}}
* {{cite book
|last=Wulff
|first=David M.
|year=1997
|title=Psychology of Religion: Classic and Contemporary
|edition=2nd
|___location=New York
|publisher=Wiley
|isbn=978-0-471-03706-4
}}
* {{cite book
|last1=Zastrow
|first1=Charles
|author1-link=Charles Zastrow
|last2=Kirst-Ashman
|first2=Karen
|year=2007
|title=Understanding Human Behavior and the Social Environment
|___location=Belmont, California
|publisher=Thomson Brooks/Cole
|isbn=978-0-495-00622-0
}}
{{refend}}
==External links==
*[http://
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060901213906/http://thejourney.typepad.com/the_journey/2006/07/stages_of_faith_2.html A synopsis of Fowler's Stages of Faith Consciousness]
*[http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/apr1982/v39-1-tabletalk1.htm Craig R. Dykstra "Transformation in Faith and Morals"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205061858/http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/apr1982/v39-1-tabletalk1.htm |date=2012-02-05 }} ''Theology Today'' '''39'''(1)
*[http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/2219.htm James Fowler's Stages of Faith in Profile] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615015457/http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/2219.htm |date=2012-06-15 }}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20141010133734/http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/fowler.htm]
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach|aw}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Paul R. Fleischman]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Oskar Pfister Award]]|years=1994}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Prakash Desai]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:
[[Category:20th-century American psychologists
[[Category:
[[Category:Writers from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:1940 births]]
[[Category:Psychologists of religion]]
[[Category:American United Methodist clergy]]
[[Category:Duke University alumni]]
[[Category:Drew University alumni]]
[[Category:Harvard Divinity School alumni]]
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