Faith Hero

Faith & Spirituality

Churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other spiritual communities are important communities and resources for many (though not all) young people and their families. Since its founding, Search Institute has sought to understand the roles faith communities play in positive youth development, faith formation, and spiritual development, particularly among adolescents.

Research Reports and Briefs

2007

Building Bridges: Community- and Faith-Based Youth Workers Have Much to Learn from Each Other, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain

Is There Common Ground? An Exploratory Study of the Interests and Needs of Community-Based and Faith-Based Youth Workers, Pam Garza, Stephanie Artman, and Eugene C. Roehlkepartain

Early Spirituality and Religious Participation Linked to Later Adolescent Well-Being, Peter C. Scales

Spirituality and Adolescent Well-Being: Selected New Statistics, Peter C. Scales

2000

Uniting Congregations for Youth Development: Lessons Learned, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain

1995

Youth Development in Congregations: An Exploration of the Potential and Barriers, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain and Peter C. Scales

The Attitudes and Needs of Religious Youth Workers, Peter C. Scales, Dale A. Blyth, James J. Conway, Michael J. Donahue, Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner, and Eugene C. Roehlkepartain

Shema: Listening to Jewish Youth, Nancy Leffert and Hayim Herring

1993

Youth in Protestant Churches: A Search Institute Research Report, Eugene C. Roehlkepartain and Peter L. Benson

1990

Effective Christian Education: A National Study of Protestant Congregations, Peter L. Benson and Carolyn H. Eklin

Books 

2000

Roehlkepartain, E.C., Naftali, E.D., & Musegades, L. (1993). Growing up generous: Engaging youth in giving and serving. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.

Roehlkepartain, E.C. (1993). The teaching church: Moving Christian education to center stage. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press.