Stages of Moral (Human) Development and Images of God

Ramón Martínez de Pisón

doi:10.18290/rt.2018.65.5-11

Ramón Martínez de Pisón Faculty of Human Sciences (School of Counselling, Psychotherapy and Spirituality) at Saint Paul University in Ottawa

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18290/rt.2018.65.5-11

Keywords: development; dynamic process; God; sin; cultural diversity; education; socio-religious norms and precepts

Abstract

In sharp contrast to views expressed in some earlier theories about life and human development, today human development is considered a “work in progress.” It is a continuous journey on which a person passes through various stages. This dynamic understanding of human development also characterizes moral development. The article's first part takes up these points. The second part focuses on the contextualized nature of this lifespan approach. Nature, heredity, culture, environment, gender, religion, and spirituality constitute the context within which moral development occurs. The third part highlights the need to educate people rather than merely indoctrinate them morally. The fourth part argues that in this dynamic understanding of moral development it is important to recognize ways in which social norms and moral (religious) precepts influence people.

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