Children Speak: Catholic Second Graders’ Agency and Experiences in the Sacrament of Reconciliation

Joining a growing number of childhood studies scholars who stress the need to engage in child-centered research and learn about children's religious experiences from children themselves, I have conducted a qualitative research study that explores how second graders interpret their experiences o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Beste, Jennifer Erin (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Oxford Univ. Press 2011
In: Sociology of religion
Year: 2011, Volume: 72, Issue: 3, Pages: 327-350
Online Access: Volltext (JSTOR)
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Summary:Joining a growing number of childhood studies scholars who stress the need to engage in child-centered research and learn about children's religious experiences from children themselves, I have conducted a qualitative research study that explores how second graders interpret their experiences of a particular religious ritual—the Sacrament of Reconciliation. This article analyzes 73 interviews of Catholic second graders about their experiences of this sacrament, its various meanings, and its moral and spiritual effects. A key contribution of this research is the identification of a strong association between children's perceived sense of agency (or lack thereof) and (1) their affective and attitudinal response, (2) whether the sacrament is personally meaningful, and (3) its impact on their relationship with God and others.
ISSN:1759-8818
Contains:Enthalten in: Sociology of religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1093/socrel/srr002