A Spiritual Biography Project : Lisa Kim’s Pilgrimage

Abstract

This study explores the spiritual faith journey of Lisa Kim, a fourteen-year-old interviewee born into a Christian family, by examining the interplay of psychosocial facets in the faith development theory of James W. Fowler and a theological perspective of the Holy Spirit. Drawing on the seven categories of the developmental and theological (including biblical) viewpoint related to the Holy Spirit, this study seeks to analyze the faith stage of Lisa. Lisa’s faith stage could align with the “mythic-literal” position seen in the structuring features of Stage 2 and by some dimensions of the initial transition into Stage 3. Her faith stage also has some aspects of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, a man-works-performance-based faith, which results in American youth failing to follow Jesus Christ theologically. This study will first analyze her faith stage grounded in seven categories – the “locus of authority,” the “form of world coherence,” the “bounds of social awareness,” the “symbolic function,” the “form of logic,” the “perspective taking,” and the “form of moral judgment” - throughout her significant spiritual development. Then, this study will explore Lisa’s spiritual journey by leading her to discover gifts and vulnerabilities and offering some specific suggests for her future faith life. Finally, for her ongoing spiritual journey through the power of the Holy Spirit, I will conclude by briefly stating how her parents and church should do in the ministry of education today. The results led ideas for reflecting her own pilgrimage in the faith and her spiritual or religious quest for meanings, applying her faith in life today, and learning religious commitment and belief in the spiritual journey.