Response to Reich's 'Do We Need a Theory for the Religious Development of Women?'

Abstract

This article responds to Reich's argument that the recent modifications to the faith development scoring criteria do not imply a modification of the theory of faith development. I argue that the new criteria do reflect a refinement in the theory. The theory now ranks defensiveness, emotional detachment, and theory-driven reasoning as attributes of the transition between Stages 3 and 4, whereas earlier criteria identified those attributes with Stage 4 individuative-reflective thinking. The new definition of Stage 4 as a stage in which persons can coordinate theory and evidence, allowing neither to dominate, is intended to eliminate what was perhaps a Western White male bias in the theory.