From: Erin (macavity11@yahoo.com)
Date: Fri Apr 22 2005 - 21:41:07 BST
Awhile ago I inquired for an explanation of exactly of what it meant to have faith I didn't really get it after it was discussed.
I happen to come across this in a text book and found it interesting and helpful. I think Pirsig’s conception of faith really only applies to the first stage mentioned.
This is the first time I have ever heard of Fowler. I guess he is a theologian and a developmental psychologist.
Fowler’s Theory of Faith Development (from Bee and Bjorklund Adult Development text)
Fowler uses faith to describe a person’s world view or model of his or her relationship to others and to the universe. In Fowler’s view, each of has a faith whether or not we belong to a particular church or organization. Faith is a broader set of assumptions or understandings, often so basic that they are not articulated, about the nature of our connections with others and with the world in which we live. At any point in our lives each has a “master story”. In an early stage faith is rooted in the implicit assumption that authority is to be found outside oneself. The next stage requires an interruption of reliance on external source of authority –a relocation of authority from external to internal. They then use J. Campbell example to show this transition—In the first stage we experience ourselves as like the moon, illuminated by reflected light. We are not ourselves the source of light or knowledge but are created by outside forces. In the second stage we experience
ourselves as like the sun, radiating light of our own.
The next stage requires an opening outward from the self-preoccupation. There is an openness here to paradox, a moving away from fixed truth toward a search for balance not only of self and others but of mind and emotion of rationality and ritual. The final step involves a step beyond individuality. The transition here is explained as that the person goes from struggling with the paradox of searching for universality while attempting to preserve individuality to the last stage where the person lives the principles of absolute love and justice.
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