COLLEGE STUDENT RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND

400 Pages·2008·1.69 MB·English

COLLEGE STUDENT RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND SPIRITUAL IDENTITY:
A QUALITATIVE STUDY
by
Jenny L. Small

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
(Education)
in The University of Michigan
2008

Doctoral Committee:
Professor Edward P. St. John, Chair
Associate Professor Lesley A. Rex
Adjunct Associate Professor David Schoem
Clinical Professor John C. Burkhardt
© Jenny L. Small

All rights reserved
2008
Dedication

To Josh, for constant support
And
To Sophie, for constant inspiration
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Acknowledgments
I would like to thank the following people who helped to make this dissertation
possible. Each one contributed in a valuable way.
Thank you to the clergy and advisors who reviewed my protocol, to ensure
cultural sensitivity: Reverend Susan F. Sprowls, Lord of Light Lutheran Church; Rabbi
Nathan Martin, University of Michigan Hillel Foundation; and Michael Olrogge,
undergraduate contact for Unitarian Universalist Campus Ministry (UUSRL). In
addition, I am grateful to the many other clergy and student leaders who helped me to
reach out to potential participants for the study.
Thank you to the three graduate students who co-facilitated focus groups with me,
to ensure my understanding of diverse religions: Julie DeGraw, CSHPE; Ethan
Stephenson, CSHPE; and N’Mah Yilla, Modern Middle Eastern and North African
Studies.
Thank you to the Rackham Graduate School at the University of Michigan, which
provided me with a research grant to cover the costs of this project.
Thank you to the members of my “dissertation support group,” who have been my
friends since we started together in CSHPE: Allison Bell, Danielle Molina, Ethan
Stephenson, and Janel Sutkus.
Thank you to the members of my committee, each of whom has given me support,
advice and encouragement throughout my time as a doctoral student and particularly
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during the dissertation phase: Edward St. John, CSHPE; John Burkhardt, CSHPE; Lesley
Rex, Joint Program in English and Education; and David Schoem, Sociology.
Finally, thank you to the 21 students who participated in this study, and who
openly shared their insights, viewpoints, and deepest of beliefs.

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Table of Contents
Dedication ....................................................................................................................... ii
Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................... iii
List of Tables ................................................................................................................... x
List of Figures ................................................................................................................ xi
List of Appendices ......................................................................................................... xii
Abstract ........................................................................................................................ xiii
Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................. 3
History of College Student Religious Involvement .................................................... 6
Religion and Spiritual Identity in Higher Education ................................................... 9
Study Design ............................................................................................................... 17
Research Questions ................................................................................................... 19
Scope ......................................................................................................................... 20
Limitations ................................................................................................................ 20
Definitions ................................................................................................................. 22
Overview of the Study............................................................................................... 24
Chapter 2: Review of the Literature .............................................................................. 26
College Student Development Theory ........................................................................ 26
Moral Development Theory ........................................................................................ 27
Lawrence Kohlberg ................................................................................................... 27
Faith Development Theory .......................................................................................... 32
James W. Fowler ....................................................................................................... 32
Sharon Daloz Parks ................................................................................................... 43
Religious Identity Development Theories................................................................. 46
Chapter 3: Conceptual Framework ................................................................................ 51
Analysis ....................................................................................................................... 51
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Faith Development Theory and Christians................................................................ 54
Faith Development Theory and Jews ........................................................................ 58
Faith Development Theory and Muslims .................................................................. 65
Faith Development Theory and Atheists ................................................................... 71
Complements and Contrasts between Faith Development Theory and all Considered
Religions ............................................................................................................... 76
Faith Development Trajectory for Christianity ......................................................... 76
Faith Development Trajectories for Non-Christians ................................................. 81
Proposed Modifications to Faith Development Theory ............................................ 86
Reconstructed Conceptual Framework ........................................................................ 95
Chapter 4: Research Methods ...................................................................................... 103
Context ...................................................................................................................... 104
Data Collection .......................................................................................................... 106
Participant Recruitment and Selection .................................................................... 106
Focus Groups........................................................................................................... 109
Follow Up Writings ................................................................................................. 114
Interviews ................................................................................................................ 115
Methodology .............................................................................................................. 117
Qualitative Coding Analysis ................................................................................... 117
Discourse Analysis .................................................................................................. 119
Data Selection ............................................................................................................ 126
Triangulation ........................................................................................................... 128
Role of the Researcher ............................................................................................... 129
Trustworthiness ......................................................................................................... 134
Chapter 5: Analysis – Christian College Students ...................................................... 138
Results: Discourse Analysis ...................................................................................... 139
Segment 1 ................................................................................................................ 139
Segment 2 ................................................................................................................ 143
Segment 3 ................................................................................................................ 149
Post-Hoc Positioning and Face Saving ................................................................... 153
Discussion of Discourse Analysis ........................................................................... 154
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Results: Qualitative Coding ....................................................................................... 156
Definitions and Aspects of “Religious” and “Spiritual” ......................................... 156
God Images and Associations ................................................................................. 157
Faith Influences, Faith Trajectories and Developmental Objectives ...................... 158
Learning from and Feelings about Focus Group Experience .................................. 171
Discussion of Qualitative Coding ........................................................................... 172
Summary .................................................................................................................... 174
Chapter 6: Analysis – Jewish College Students .......................................................... 178
Results: Discourse Analysis ...................................................................................... 179
Segment 1 ................................................................................................................ 179
Segment 2 ................................................................................................................ 184
Segment 3 ................................................................................................................ 187
Post-Hoc Positioning and Face Saving ................................................................... 193
Discussion of Discourse Analysis ........................................................................... 193
Results: Qualitative Coding ....................................................................................... 196
Definitions and Aspects of “Religious” and “Spiritual” ......................................... 196
God Images and Associations ................................................................................. 197
Faith Influences, Faith Trajectories and Developmental Objectives ...................... 198
Learning from and Feelings about Focus Group Experience .................................. 208
Discussion of Qualitative Coding ........................................................................... 209
Summary .................................................................................................................... 210
Chapter 7: Analysis – Muslim College Students ......................................................... 215
Results: Discourse Analysis ...................................................................................... 216
Segment 1 ................................................................................................................ 216
Segment 2 ................................................................................................................ 222
Segment 3 ................................................................................................................ 226
Post-Hoc Positioning and Face Saving ................................................................... 230
Discussion of Discourse Analysis ........................................................................... 231
Results: Qualitative Coding ....................................................................................... 233
Definitions and Aspects of “Religious” and “Spiritual” ......................................... 233
God Images and Associations ................................................................................. 234
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Faith Influences, Faith Trajectories and Developmental Objectives ...................... 235
Learning from and Feelings about Focus Group Experience .................................. 245
Discussion of Qualitative Coding ........................................................................... 246
Summary .................................................................................................................... 249
Chapter 8: Analysis – Atheist College Students.......................................................... 252
Results: Discourse Analysis ...................................................................................... 253
Segment 1 ................................................................................................................ 253
Segment 2 ................................................................................................................ 258
Segment 3 ................................................................................................................ 263
Post-Hoc Positioning and Face Saving ................................................................... 268
Discussion of Discourse Analysis ........................................................................... 269
Results: Qualitative Coding ....................................................................................... 271
Definitions and Aspects of “Religious” and “Spiritual” ......................................... 271
God Images and Associations ................................................................................. 272
Faith Influences, Faith Trajectories and Developmental Objectives ...................... 273
Learning from and Feelings about Focus Group Experience .................................. 284
Discussion of Qualitative Coding ........................................................................... 285
Summary .................................................................................................................... 287
Chapter 9: Discussion .................................................................................................. 291
Cross-Cutting Themes and Similarities Between Religious Affiliations .................. 293
Perspectives on Christian Privilege and Societal Status ......................................... 293
Discrepancies between Students’ Talk and Their Meanings .................................. 295
Discourse Communities versus Familiar Communities .......................................... 296
Students Bridging Groups ....................................................................................... 297
Impact of College Environment on Religious and Spiritual Identities ................... 299
Unique Faith Frames ................................................................................................. 305
Conceptual Framework Revisited ............................................................................. 309
Locus of Authority .................................................................................................. 313
Level of Internal Struggle/Acceptance .................................................................... 314
Dogmatism/Ecumenism Trends .............................................................................. 314
Religious Marginalization Awareness Scale ........................................................... 315
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Fluidity in Stage Correspondences .......................................................................... 316
Developmental Objectives ...................................................................................... 318
Summary of Modifications to Conceptual Framework ........................................... 320
Theory Triangulation............................................................................................... 327
Summary .................................................................................................................... 329
Chapter 10: Conclusion and Implications ................................................................... 332
Review of Purposes and Research Questions ............................................................ 332
Implications ............................................................................................................... 336
Morality/Equity ....................................................................................................... 337
Model Specification ................................................................................................ 341
Research in Higher Education ................................................................................. 343
Practice in Higher Education................................................................................... 348
Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 353
Appendices .................................................................................................................. 355
References ................................................................................................................... 366
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