Children's Spirituality

How do children understand and describe their concept of God? Do children s developmental stages limit their ability to understand God fully? In order to answer these questions, this study sought to examine five to seven-year-old Korean children s perception of four figures ability (mother, father, teacher, and angel) in relation to the ability of God. It also attempted to understand how children differentiate the characteristics or qualities of these individuals from their perception of God. This study utilized three tests (Sun, Box 1, and Box 2) to measure the children s perceptions for the five figures. The results found that children perceived God s abilities and faculties as greater than the other four agents abilities. Although children described God by using human characteristics in the interview portion of the analysis, they still possessed the cognitive capacity to differentiate God from humans and other created beings.

Autorentext

Shin-Pyo Hong received M.A. and Ph.D. degree in Christian Education (Foundations) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He serves as one of the principals at Suwon Central Christian Academy. Heuikwang Shin received M.A. and Ph.D. in Christian Education from the same school. He has been a lecturer and youth pastor in Dallas.

Klappentext

How do children understand and describe their concept of God? Do children's developmental stages limit their ability to understand God fully? In order to answer these questions, this study sought to examine five to seven-year-old Korean children's perception of four figures' ability (mother, father, teacher, and angel) in relation to the ability of God. It also attempted to understand how children differentiate the characteristics or qualities of these individuals from their perception of God. This study utilized three tests (Sun, Box 1, and Box 2) to measure the children's perceptions for the five figures. The results found that children perceived God's abilities and faculties as greater than the other four agents' abilities. Although children described God by using human characteristics in the interview portion of the analysis, they still possessed the cognitive capacity to differentiate God from humans and other created beings.