What is it about?
This essay brings the work of Paul Ricoeur, and his narrative hermeneutics, and Robert Kegan's approach to constructive-developmental psychology, together into a unique synthesis. The resultant "narrative-developmental" perspective offers insights on how humans make meaning through the lifespan, in the most human (and humane) ways. These insights are particularly helpful for educators in Christian (or another) faith for all ages, interested in fostering openness, compassion, authenticity, and greater social-political consciousness.
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Why is it important?
This work should be of interest to anyone concerned with the formative and transformative potential of religious communities (although presented from a Christian perspective, the core themes regarding narrative-development can be considered from many other religious contexts). It should also interest anyone exploring holistic, dialogical, and story-centered models of education aimed at humanization. Narrative identity-formation has continued to be a "hot topic" in Christian practical theology, but few if any have explicitly considered the "narrativity" of consciousness and its own evolution through the lifespan; this paper introduces this concept.
Perspectives
I wrote the first draft of this paper back in 2013, and since then I have continued to research and develop this "narratival-developmental" approach. My forthcoming dissertation, to be completed in the spring of 2017, will bear the fruits of these explorations. As a young scholar and author, I am grateful for the feedback I have received so far on this paper and welcome others to initiate dialogue with me regarding these ideas.
Joshua H Lunde-Whitler
Boston College
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Paul Ricoeur and Robert Kegan in Unlikely Dialogue: Towards A “Narrative-Developmental” Approach to Human Identity and Its Value for Christian Religious Education, International Journal of Practical Theology, January 2015, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/ijpt-2014-0013.
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