RESEARCH
The Faithful Formation Project funds two important research efforts. Dr. Bradley Wigger has researched children's spirituality and Dr. Lesley Ann Earles ongoing research focuses on mothers passing their faith onto their daughters, titled The Faith of our Mothers.
Children's Spirituality
J. BRADLEY WIGGER, PH.D
For more than three decades, Dr. Wigger has engaged in ongoing research that explores faith and families which confirms that, “... children are capable of a rich relationship with invisible figures (God, saints, angels) that buoy their inner lives even as they participate in meaningful relationships with peers and other adults in congregational life.” According to his research, these relationships have bi-directional benefits as parents report their own spiritual growth by teaching their children about God and faith. They too are learning from the questions and observations of, and with, their children.
Below is an original manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Children's Spirituality on 21 August 2019, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/1364436X.2019.1652572
Faith of Our Mothers
LESLEY ANN EARLES, PH.D
Since 2019, Dr. Lesley has conducted ongoing qualitative research on faith formation between mothers and daughters, using interview and thematic analysis to develop theoretical insights.
