Blijdorp looks at the development of faith as an integral part of the spiritual climate in which a child grows up. He therefore wants to consider both cognitive learning and affective experience as inseparable aspects of the spiritual growth of a person.
The purpose of his article is to consider the question why some children embrace the faith early and whole heartedly while others struggle extensively and in the end turn away from the faith.
The article relies on the author’s own reading and experience as a teacher and youth group leader, and on some studies done among young adolescents. Some qualitative research was done with Middle Grade students and with 12 - 16 year old participants in church youth groups.
Blijdorp comes to a number of conclusions, some of which are rather obvious, many of which are unrelated to each other. Faith education emphasizes our limitations and dependence. We can teach head knowledge but we cannot instill faith; it is a gift of God. Adults are important in the process of faith development but God is the one who turns the heart. The experience of faith, the walk with God in the family has to be credible and real, if the child is to adopt it as a his own faith. The convictions of faith also have to permeate everything the adults do, or it will be seen as something separate from real life. The faith of the important adults in the life of a child has to be obvious and joyful.
Children up to grade three are best served with Biblical narratives only. The introduction of concepts and theological constructs should not be considered before grade three. Yet narration has to continue throughout because it expresses the experience of faith, not only the dogmas. At the grade six level children begin to ask critical and crucial questions about churches and lifestyles and Biblical concepts. The experiences of a child before his 14th birthday usually determine the general attitude he adopts toward faith and church. Consequently family, parents, school, church and peers are agents of great influence.
Some families are no more than a material and financial depot. Others are emotional safe-houses where mutual feelings of respect, love and appreciation can be formed. In ‘loose-sand-families’ every one creates their own reality, isolating themselves from each other in their own rooms and areas. The ‘tangled-web-family’ does the opposite, it is still harmful for the child’s development because everyone minds everyone’s business without proper structure or guidance. The family has the function of being a religious meditation centre, an ethical discussion centre, a normative point of departure. Such a family gives its children a compass, not a fat rule book.
The growing adolescent goes through the crisis of developing her own identity. She forms her own opinions and and tastes and chooses her own values and ideals. Childlike faith has to develop into a mature faith. The measure to which this is possible depends on the person’s ability to begin to think abstractly. Adolescents around 15 years of age struggle with the mixed messages they get from the different adults in their lives. The struggle when they begin to realize the lack of depth or relevance the faith has for their parents and teachers. They desire the times when being part of a church community is actually a matter of enjoyment. They wish pastors and elders would talk with them ‘normally’.
Blijdorp brings out valuable insights in the faith experiences of young adolescents. He fails to provide a comprehensive outline of faith development through various age groups.