WEEK 13

JAMES FOWLER’S STAGES OF FAITH DEVELOPMENT

OBJECTIVES: At the end of this module, students must be able to define the different

stages of faith development.

What are Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development?

Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development form a framework for the spiritual development of
people throughout their lives. The model was developed by theologian James W. Fowler.
He argues that the development of people’s spiritual awareness runs parallel to other
aspects of human development.

He thus suggests that spirituality is a basic aspect of human existence. Just like cognition,
social behavior or motor skills. James Fowler does not define faith and religion as a single
correct religion, but as a way of interacting with the universe and creating meaning in life.
James Fowler was director of the Center for Research on Faith and Moral Development and
the Center for Ethics. He retired in 2015. He became most famous for his model on faith
development. He wrote about this in his book ‘Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human
Development and the Quest for Meaning’, in 1981. According to Fowler, there are seven
primary stages of faith development. That includes a phase 0. The phases are explained
later in this article.

Other Development Models vs. Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development

There is a lot of interest in the study of human development. Both theorists and researchers
try to explain a wide range of human functions. Some of the most well-known models when
it comes to development is Jean Piaget’s cognitive development model. In addition,
Erikson’s psychosocial model has often been cited in scientific research.

James Fowler also contributed to the development of this area of research. Fowler’s stages
on faith development are based in part on these earlier works on human development. His
Stages of Faith Development model has been widely used and applied in many situations
and has inspired other studies.

Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development, the 7 stages

James Fowler describes faith as the universal quality of human meaning making. He argues
that faith is the underlying meaning-making process used by all people, regardless of which
faith plays a role in people’s lives.

Faith therefore occurs at all times and with everyone. People also put their trust in money,
family, religion or power. Fowler’s stages of faith development describe the process in which
this happens in seven phases.

Prepared by: Lady Diana Datul, LPT, MA Cand

Instructor I, Cavite State University- Trece Martires Campus
 Figure 1 – Six Stages of Faith Development by Fowler

Stage 0: Undifferentiated Faith

Stage 0 starts from birth to about the second year of life. A child at this stage learns to trust
the goodness or badness of the world based on the way the child is treated by his parents.

The baby should develop a sense of security, consistency and confidence at this stage.
These feelings later translate into feelings of trust and security in the universe and the divine.

Conversely, situations of neglect or abuse can lead to the formation of feelings of distrust
and fear of the universe and the divine. In many cases this forms the seed for later doubt
and fear or existence on earth.

This phase corresponds to Jean Piaget’s sensory-motor phase.

Stage 1: Intuitive-Projective Faith

Stage 1, the second stage, is the stage where children begin to use symbols and their
imagination. This phase starts where stage 0 ends and continues until about the seventh
year of life.

Prepared by: Lady Diana Datul, LPT, MA Cand

Instructor I, Cavite State University- Trece Martires Campus
Children at this stage are very self-centered and tend to take ideas about right and wrong
very literally. The ability to distinguish real from fantasy is not yet well developed. Also, they
are generally not yet able to see the world from another person’s perspective. Robert
Keeley writes about this: children cannot think like a scientist, cannot consider logical
arguments and think through and elaborate complex ideas.

Children in this phase are therefore not yet able to develop a formalized religious faith.
Faith at this stage is experiential and develops primarily through hearing stories, images,
and the influence of others. An awareness of what is right and wrong also develops in this
stage.

This stage ties in with Jean Piaget’s pre-operational phase.

Stage 2: Mythic-Literal Faith

The second stage starts around the sixth or seventh year of life and continues until about
the twelfth year of life. In this stage, information is organized into stories and together with
moral rules are concretely understood by the child. There is still little ability to distance
yourself from a story and formulate an overarching meaning.

Justice and fairness are seen as reciprocal. Some people stay in this phase their whole
lives.

Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Faith

Stage three starts from about age 12 to age eighteen. This stage is characterized by young
adults’ identification with a religious institution, belief system, or authority. Personal religion
or spirituality also takes a growth spurt.
Conflicts can also begin to arise at this stage. However, these are often ignored because
they threaten a person’s identity, which is, after all, based in large part on faith.

What were once simple and compelling stories is now seen as a cohesive story of values
and morals. In this stage, children develop the ability to think abstractly and see layers of
meaning in the stories, rituals, and symbols of their faith.

Stage 4: Individuative-Reflective Faith

Stage 4 is called individuative-reflective and runs from the mid-twenties to late thirties. This
stage is characterized by fear and struggle as the person takes responsibility for his or her
beliefs and feelings.

Robert Keeley argues that for generations people have experienced cognitive dissonance
with real questions of faith that are addressed in this phase.

People in these stages begin to question their own assumptions. In addition to questioning
their assumptions about faith, they also begin to question existing authority structures within
their faith.

That’s when someone turns their backs on their religious community. That’s the only
solution when they don’t get their questions answered.

Prepared by: Lady Diana Datul, LPT, MA Cand

Instructor I, Cavite State University- Trece Martires Campus
Stage 5: Conjunctive Faith

This phase is also known as the time of the midlife crisis. A person at this stage recognizes
that there are paradoxes and mysteries attached to the transcendent values and norms of
faith.

As a result, a person goes beyond the traditional beliefs that he or she has inherited from
the earlier stages of faith development.

That simply means that the difficult questions and struggles from the previous phase give
way to a more comfortable place. Answers to some of the hard questions have been found
and the person feels good knowing that some answers are just not easy to find.

Whereas in previous phases self-reflection was central, this phase makes way for an
awareness of the importance of communities in faith development. People will therefore not
soon give up their faith, partly because of the social status they have built up in the
community.

Many people who have reached this stage are beginning to become more and more open to
the religions and beliefs of other people. This is not because they distance themselves from
their own faith, but because they believe that the faith of others can inform, deepen and
enrich their own.

Stage 6: Universalizing Faith

This stage is also known as the enlightenment stage, or later maturity. This stage is only
reached by a limited number of people. A person in this stage is not limited by differences in
religious movements or spiritual beliefs between people in the world. He or she views all
beings as humans who can show compassion and understanding.

An example of a person in this phase is the life of Count Leo Tolstoij. In his later years he
emphasized the importance of equality between people, asceticism in people’s lifestyles
and the importance of compassion for all. Partly because of this, he was expelled from the
Russian Orthodox Church.

People who are at this stage have the potential to become important religious figures. That’s
because they have the ability to interact with anyone at any stage of faith development
without being condescending.

People in this phase cherish life, but do not take life too seriously. They put their faith into
action, challenge the status quo and work to create justice and justice in the world.

References:
Janse, B. (2022). Fowler’s Stages of Faith Development. Retrieved from Toolshero:
https://www.toolshero.com/psychology/fowlers-stages-of-faith-development/

Prepared by: Lady Diana Datul, LPT, MA Cand

Instructor I, Cavite State University- Trece Martires Campus
Prepared by: Lady Diana Datul, LPT, MA Cand
Instructor I, Cavite State University- Trece Martires Campus