Spirituality in Education: Professional Accounts of the Impact of Spirituality on Education

The author proposes a new definition of spirituality that is specific to educators in all settings, drawing on narrative accounts from faith and none to illustrate the contested understanding of spirituality and its interaction with professional values and choices. He also demonstrates how this new understanding of spirituality may challenge learning spaces with a distinctive religious character and place tensions on individual teachers with regards to their professional practice.

Format: Hardback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 04 February 2021
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited

Spirituality in the UK has undergone a significant transformation, evolving from a shared experience of religious and cultural norms to one that embraces diversity and individualism. In response to these changes, Aidan Gillespie offers a novel definition of spirituality tailored specifically for educators across various settings. Drawing from narrative accounts from both faith and non-faith individuals, the book explores the multifaceted understanding of spirituality and its interplay with professional values and choices. Gillespie's exploration of spirituality spans from a purely religious perspective to one that recognizes a shared spiritual component within individuals, regardless of their faith or belief. This perspective challenges traditional learning spaces with a distinctive religious character and raises important questions about the role of spirituality in faith education. By examining the potential conflicts that arise when personal conceptualizations of spirituality diverge from the assumed character of faith education, Gillespie highlights the significance of this new understanding of spirituality in a culture that values secularism. This book is a valuable resource for teachers, researchers, and students of education in the UK and internationally, offering insightful perspectives and contributing to the ongoing dialogue about spirituality and education.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 238 x 160 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839098956