1. Spiritual, Religious, and Secular Pathways to Purpose in a Global Society Dr. Kathy Goodman Dr. Jenny L. Small Association of American Colleges and University Global Learning in College Fort Lauderdale, FL October 8-10, 2015

2. Purpose of this session To build on yesterday’s conversations about college students’ spiritual, religious, and secular pathways to purpose To understand spiritual, religious, and secular pathways as culture To discuss how a model of intercultural development can be useful for developing interfaith understanding in our global world To recognize that students may not be equipped to engage in interfaith dialogue if they have not had sufficient time to explore their own worldview

3. Spiritual, religious, and secular worldviews are culture What is culture? ◦ The sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another (dictionary.com) ◦ Shared values, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and languages within a group (Tisdell, 2003) ◦ The spirituality of most people connects to what they value and how they behave in the world (Tisdell, 2003)

4. Intercultural Development The educational sector is increasingly recognizing the need for building intercultural competence in order to better prepare individuals to function more effectively in our global community (Hammer, 2011; 2012)

5. The Denial Mindset Definition - Not aware of the depth of differing religious, spiritual, and secular perspectives. Avoids or ignores those with different beliefs. Developmental Task - Become aware of differing religious, spiritual, and secular perspectives. Willingness to learn about those perspectives. Possible Activities - Structured exposure to those of different beliefs. This can be knowledge awareness, as opposed to interpersonal interactions.

6. The Polarization Mindset Definition - Acknowledgement of differing religious, spiritual, and secular perspectives but has little to no interaction with those whose beliefs differ from own. Often expressed as an “us vs. them” attitude or animosity. Developmental Task - Become aware that one shares commonalities with those of differing religious, spiritual, and secular perspectives. Willingness to see commonalities as good. Possible Activities - Structured interactions between groups that focus on commonalities.

7. The Minimization Mindset Definition - Acknowledgement of differing religious, spiritual, and secular perspectives. Interactions with those whose beliefs differ from own focus on similarities and “universal truths” (e.g. love, compassion, community service). Developmental Task - Become aware that there are both commonalities and differences between those of differing religious, spiritual, and secular perspectives. Willingness to see that it is ok for differences to exist. Possible Activities - Structured interactions between groups that recognize that differences exist.

8. The Acceptance Mindset Definition - Acknowledgement of differing religious, spiritual, and secular perspectives. Interactions focus on understanding similarities and differences. Developmental Task - Willingness to change cultural behavior depending on context and recognize that adapting behavior doesn’t mean abandoning one’s own beliefs and culture. Possible Activities - Ongoing structured interactions between groups and sharing information about ways to adapt behaviors in various cultural situations.

9. Creating an environment for intercultural development Individuals need opportunities to explore and reflect on their own existential worldview either alone or in groups of individuals with similar perspectives. Invite students to bring their whole selves into the learning environment (Tisdell, 2003). ◦ Acknowledge that individuals create meaning through their cultural, symbolic, and spiritual experience, as well as the cognitive.

10. Questions and conversation General reactions and questions. Is your campus environment inviting for individuals of differing religious, spiritual, and secular worldviews? Do interfaith conversations happen and in what context? In what ways does this intercultural development model hold promise for interfaith understanding for your campus?