The presenter will introduce the characteristics and social-behavioral challenges associated with autism and their incompatibilities with the nature of and types of activities in faith based-communities and congregational activities. The presenter will then discuss various programs, training models, and interventions that are used by various faiths in their worship. He will stimulate discussion on best-practices and research-based interventions in an effort to include individuals with autism and their families in congregational activities.

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No description available.

Many individuals within faith congregations are primarily taught by volunteers desiring to edify and support those they teach. Unfortunately, these devoted teachers also feel heightening insecurity in accomplishing this task because they lack professional training and experience working with individuals with disabilities. As volunteer teachers, many of these instructors do not have access to training that is efficient and affordable. The purpose of this study was to examine the how brief training videos on inclusive teaching practices, gleaned from empirically-supported practices promoted in special education classrooms, impact faith-based instructors' knowledge, confidence, and planning skills. Participants included three lay teachers from faith congregations that currently teach students between the ages of 5-18 years old. Participants completed teaching skills quizzes, confidence questionnaires, inclusive lesson plans based on hypothetical teaching scenarios with individuals with disabilities during the baseline phase. During the intervention phase, participants viewed training videos prior to completing the same set of activities. A final phone interview was conducted with each participant to assess social validity. Results indicated an unclear relation from mentioning inclusive teaching strategies in lesson plans after watching training videos. Knowledge of inclusive practices increased for two of the three participants (Range = 4-16%) and decreased by 4% for one participant. In evaluating their confidence, nearly 90% of the participants' responses increased or remained the same indicating an overall increase in confidence after brief exposure to training. Gathered data also showed that participants liked the videos and felt they were viable in teaching new teaching skills. Further research can be done to look at how inclusive teaching skill video trainings impact a teacher's use of the skills in a faith-based learning environment.

The present study investigates the contribution of religious community involvement to adolescent development, including the processes of identity formation and moral development. Three key areas are explored: 1) the precursors of faith community membership; 2) the process by which a belief system is chosen; and 3) the ways in which religious belief is supported by a faith community once it is joined. Of specific interest are the ways in which religious community integration nurtures the evolution of religious belief, including through intergenerational support, religious peer groups, and a connection to the ritual and history of a faith tradition. In particular, the influence of peers is examined, both for its role in the initial establishment of a religious identity as well as its role in the maintenance and growth of religious belief. The current study utilizes a phenomenological approach to the qualitative data analysis of adolescent interviews with subjects ranging in age from 12-21 years, from Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith communities, representing a religiously and ethnically diverse sample. The narratives of participants have been analyzed to allow for the distillation of themes across contexts. This phenomenological analytic framework allows for exploratory hypothesis generating on dimensions of developmental support derived from religious community.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Adolescent sexual development forms a crucial role in the process of identity formation and the establishment of healthy romantic and social relationships. However, some adults are uncomfortable with the notion of adolescent sexuality, and would choose to remain in a state of denial or ignorance. It is pivotal that adults address the topic of adolescent sexuality. Numerous adolescents are not adequately guided by parents, educators, and church leaders. Hence, their lack of basic sexual knowledge or simply having erroneous ideas appertaining to sexuality may cause them to make very unwise sexual decisions. A number of adolescents routinely engage in behaviours that unknowingly put their health at risk. Amongst South African adolescents, sexual risk-taking behaviours including early coitarche, unprotected sex, multiple sex-partners and low contraceptive use are quite common.

Each year a new group of adolescents start the confirmation class and each year it is perceived that some of them do not have a strong faith identity. This is perceived during conversations about faith issues, including baptism. The researcher suspects that some parents and adolescents do not have a proper understanding of the meaning of baptism. This results in believers who cannot live according to the promises that baptism confirms in one’s life. Parents are supposed to be the primary people to teach this truth to their children. Thus, the question comes to mind whether parents are able to do this? Therefore, the decision was made to look to baptismal catechesis to see if what is presented to parents are indeed enough to equip them for this important task. This research problem is seen in chapter 1 where the research method is also developed. Chapter 2 focuses on the purpose and value of catechesis in the lives of families as well as in congregations. Teaching is a very important part in faith formation. However, faith and Christian identity cannot only be taught. Believers should be guided to also experience faith in order that it can also be lived. In the third chapter the focus is on baptism itself as well as the meaning thereof. Firstly, the decision is made for baptism as a sacrament, rather than an ordination. Thereafter the theological meaning of baptism is described shortly. This chapter also explores how baptism contributes to faith formation. Chapter 4 explores practical ways in which parents can be obedient to their promises in terms of the covenant God made with their children. It is seen in this chapter that there are many difficulties that families are faced with each day. In chapter 5 the focus is on the empirical study that was conducted in the Dutch Reformed congregation Nelspruit-Westergloed. The adolescents in the confirmation class of 2015 and their parents took part in this qualitative study. The results confirm the validity of the research problem. Therefore a few suggestions are made in chapter 6 on how families can be guided to live with a better understanding of the meaning of baptism. / Elke jaar wat ‘n nuwe groep adolessente die belydenisjaar begin, word daar waargeneem dat sommige van hulle nie ‘n sterk gevestigde geloofsidentiteit het nie. Hierdie waarneming word bevestig in onder andere gesprekke wat met hulle oor die doop gevoer word. Die navorser vermoed dat baie ouers en adolessente ‘n beperkte verstaan van die doop het, daarom leef hul nie vanuit die beloftes wat die doop in hul lewe waarborg nie. Ouers is veronderstel om hul kinders hierdie waarheid te leer. Die vraag het dus ontstaan of ouers toegerus is om hul kinders hierin te onderrig? Daar is besluit om na te vors of doopkategese, wat veronderstel is om ouers toe te rus vir die taak, wel voldoende is hiervoor. Hierdie probleemstelling word in hoofstuk 1 beskryf en ‘n metode word geformuleer oor hoe die studie benader gaan word. In hoofstuk 2 is gekyk na die doel en waarde van kategese in gesinne en gemeentes. Lering is ‘n belangrike rol in mense se geloofsontwikkeling. Geloof, en daarmee dan ook ‘n Christelike identiteit, kan nie slegs geleer word nie. Gelowiges behoort daarom begelei te word om geloof ook te beleef en uiteindelik te leef. In die derde hoofstuk word aandag gegee aan die doop self en die betekenis daarvan. ‘n Uiteensetting word gegee van hoe die Gereformeerde tradisie na die doop kyk. Dit sluit eerstens in dat gekies word om die doop as sakrament te sien, wat beteken God handel in die doop. Verder word die teologiese betekenis van die doop kortliks beskryf. Hier word ook aandag geskenk aan hoe die doop bydra tot identiteitsvorming by gelowiges. In hoofstuk 4 word meer prakties gekyk na hoe ouers hul verbondsverantwoordelikhede behoort na te kom ten einde hulle kinders in geloofsontwikkeling te begelei. Daar is heelwat struikelblokke en uitdagings wat gesinne op hierdie pad beleef. Die empiriese navorsing word in hoofstuk 5 weergegee. Die navorsing is kwalitatief gedoen deur gesprekke wat met NG Nelspruit-Westergloed se belydenisgroep van 2015 en hul ouers gevoer is. Die resultate bevestig die geldigheid van die navorsingsprobleem. Dit beteken die kerk het ‘n ernstige taak op hande. In hoofstuk 6 word enkele suggesties gemaak oor hoe gesinne begelei kan word om met ‘n sterker bewustheid vanuit die doop se betekenis te leef. / Mini Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Practical Theology / MTh / Unrestricted

In the Dutch Reformed Church (NGK), as well as in other reformed churches, confirmation is an important mile stone in every person's life: It is when young people (or new members) can make a public (re) commitment to God. In this study, the researcher proposes a new way of thinking about confirmation as a liturgical transitional ritual (rite of passage). The research questions in the study are: o During which transitional life phase will confirmation be best suitable and meaningful? o What liturgical praxis theory and key points can be given to help a liturgist to make sense and present this liturgical ritual as transitional ritual? These research questions are approached by studying the question from different probes in the various chapters: a liturgical probe, a psychological and anthropological probe, a transitional (rites of passage) ritual probe, as well as an anthropological theological probe on faith formation. The researcher proposes a liturgy practice theory with key points to keep in mind when planning the liturgical ritual confirmation. In addition, she suggested that confirmation takes place during the transition phase to emerging adulthood. However, the reader will conclude from the different probes and summary of the study that there are more: more transitions, more life phases and more transitional rites and commitments that we can do in the DRC (as well as other reformed churches). / Dissertation (MTh)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns / Practical Theology / MTh / Unrestricted

I present the development and initial validation a new measure designed to assess specific personal prayer content I used feedback from men and women, along with a review of the relevant literature, to identify specific prayer content for inclusion in the Personal Prayer Content Scale (PPCS) (Study 1) I administered the PPCS to a sample of participants from southeast Florida and southeast Michigan allowing for a cross-national investigation of the specific content of the thoughts that individuals privately direct towards a god, gods, or god-like entity (Study 2) I compared men’s and women’s responses (Study 3) and responses between Christians and non-Christians (Study 4) on the PPCS The results provide evidence for the reliability and discriminant validity of the PPCS by demonstrating that personal prayer content predicts aspects of religiosity and is equally valid for men and women and Christians and non-Christians A validated PPCS may be of theoretical, empirical, and practical value / Includes bibliography / Dissertation (PhD)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

This thesis is focused on upbringing the Christian children in the preschool age to prayer. We will recall the essence of the Christian faith and the way faith of a child awakens and develops, along with the progression of its ideas about God. With the help of the psychology of religion we will try to discuss the mental development of a child according to P. Říčan, M. Vágnerová, followed by E. H. Erikson's theory and we will consider "the stages of faith" of a child by J. W. Fowler. Then we will focus on the child's images and experiences with God in the context of prayer, as it is presented by some authors, such as K. Tilmann, S. Cavalletto and Ch. Ponsard. In the next part we will deal with upbringing a child to prayer. There we will mention the key concepts, which are prayer, the Christian faith, as a well as parish, family and catholic kindergarten as the preferred places of education of children to the prayer. In the final part, we will try to outline practical recommendations for upbringing children to the prayer. Keywords prayer, catechesis, faith, child education, family, parish, personality development Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)