This study is a psychobiographical study, aiming to explore and describe the life of John Henry Newman (1801-1890), a theologian, priest, and cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, through the application of Erik Erikson’s theory of Psychosocial Development. Newman is a significant figure in the English-speaking Christian world and his life and thought remains of interest and importance, particularly in the fields of philosophy, theology, ecclesiology and education. Newman was beatified in 2010 and therefore this study also considers the hagiographical nature of biographical data. This study utilises a qualitative single case study approach and the subject was selected through purposive sampling based on interest value. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources to enhance validity. The data were analysed by organising and reducing information obtained regarding Newman’s life and then displaying it for discussion. The study considers Newman’s life, reconstructed from birth, through adolescence and adulthood to his death and also considers his posthumous legacy. The main themes of discussion revolve around Newman’s development of his religious identity and his life as a churchman and an academic. It considers how a psychosocially functional individual such as Newman manifests certain dystonic, maladaptive or malignant tendencies such as doubt, shame, guilt and overextension, and how these impact the formation of religious identity and the experience of God and the spiritual life. Basic trust, celibate intimacy and generativity emerged as three significant areas of importance in the Newman’s life and identity. The study highlighted the value of psychobiographical studies and of Erikson’s theory in understanding development. Recommendations for future research in this field are made in the hope of further uncovering and understanding personality, religious identity and psychosocial development.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:nmmu/vital:9981 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Mitchell, Gregory Paul |
| Publisher | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Faculty of Health Sciences |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, Masters, MA |
| Format | xiv, 238 leaves, pdf |
| Rights | Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University |
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