Religion and Spirituality of Children in Emerging and Transforming Societies

Group 1; Gift, Autonomy and Young people - New perspectives for the Interpretation of Spirituality

Coordinator: Trygve Wyller , professor at the Faculty of theology, University of Oslo

On this background the Religion and Spirituality Group is interested in a survey and a broader understanding of children's rights in religions and the contributions of religions to children's rights. The aim is to develop an understanding of children as participants in their own lives and in society. These are ideas which should be widely discussed in the religions of today.

Call for papers

Group 2; Coordinator(s) 2: Usha Nayar , psychologist, vice-president of CWI and deputy director (vice-rector) of Tata Institute in India, and Robin Kimbrough-Melton , lawyer and faculty member at the Institute on Family & Neighborhood Life at Clemson University, U.S. Gary Melton , PhD, and former president of CWI will also be involved as a coordinator of the three groups/sessions.

This initiative comes from Childwatch International Research Network. The group has identified three sub-themes which will be developed through the use of study groups of theologians and children's scholars to examine the relation between religion and spirituality and the development and well-being of children in emerging and transforming societies. The sub-themes are:

1) “ The theology of childhood, children's rights and social justice ”

2) “ The meaning of spiritual experiences and religious beliefs in children's lives ”.

3) ” The development of religious identity ”.