Faith and moral journeys develop in stages and continue throughout our lives

This summer I had the privilege of being a part of the leadership team for Westminster’s Vacation Bible School. It was a delight to interact with the different age groups and to celebrate each unique stage of development within their faith formation. I was reminded of the many layers of meaning in the rich biblical phrase: “They journeyed by stages.”

My husband Peter, a pediatrician, and I have taught the class “Faith and Moral Development” which reviewed the stages through which each child of God journeys. Not surprisingly there are parallels among the stages of psychosocial, cognitive, moral, and faith development. As we consider our faith journeys this overview offers a framework for personal reflection.

Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg outlines the stages of moral development and theologian James Fowler outlines the stages of faith development. Both the moral and faith development stages have interesting parallels with Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development and Eric Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development.

For Kohlberg, the journey of morality begins in the stage of the very young (ages 2-6) being obedient to avoid punishment. Consistency in discipline is important. Faith in this stage, according to Fowler, begins as a simple projection. God is like mommy and daddy. Young children develop a basic trust and rely on those who provide them with care, love, and nurture.

Elementary children (ages 7-12) enter another stage as they begin to conform their behavior to obtain rewards and favors. Children in this stage are concerned with rules, what is fair, and who’s getting what. During this stage of development, they are attracted to simple Bible stories, which they understand literally and usually only in terms of good and evil or justice and fairness. Their faith perspective sees good people receiving blessings and bad people punishment.

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According to Kohlberg, as the journey by stages continues into junior high and high school, the adolescent’s higher logical reasoning plays a role in their understanding of morality. Their motivation to be good now focuses on relationships and the approval of others. Friends and what they think becomes very important during this stage of the journey! In terms of faith formation, these young people are open to learning the conventional teachings of their faith and the importance of mission through adults they trust.

With the foundation of their faith laid during this stage, older adolescents and young adults seek dialogue and new ways of looking at things. They see shades of gray where they once saw only black and white, are open to seeing other’s viewpoints in search of deeper meaning, and can be generous with their resources, talents, and time in giving back to the community. Differentiation from others and maturity deepen their understanding that one conforms to rules, not only to satisfy legitimate authorities but also for the welfare of the community. The rules they began obeying to avoid punishment as toddlers are now the principles they embrace as young adults. The faith that began as a projection of mom and dad has grown into a thoughtful relationship with God who desires mercy and welcomes all.

Of course, each of us regresses from time to time into the feeling and thinking of previous stages while the journey continues throughout our lives. William Shakespeare eloquently portrays our stages in As You Like It through Jaques's soliloquy “The Seven Ages of Man.” May we delight in the stages of our children and may we celebrate each stage on our journey through life with insight, joy, and humility.

The Rev. Dr. Blythe Denham Kieffer is pastor and head of staff at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Springfield.

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Faith and moral journeys begin early and continue throughout our lives