The Quest for Meaning and Wholeness: Spiritual and Religious Connections in the Lives of College Faculty Jennifer A. Lindholm

CHAPTER 1: Spirituality and Higher Education -Chapter one offers sufficient background on the topic of spirituality in higher education, including introduction to the measures that provide the book’s focal points. -The United States is a spiritually engaged nation -Nine in ten adults (91%) believe in God or a Universal Spirit -Fully 80 percent report that religion is “important” in their lives -Just over two thirds (67%) say they reflect on the meaning of life “often” -Only 15 percent report that they are neither spiritual nor religious

CHAPTER 2: The Meaningfulness of Spirituality and Religion in Faculty Members’ Lives -In this chapter, in Table 2.1, research shows that women faculty are generally more likely than men to characterize themselves as spiritual -African American faulty members are most inclined to characterize themselves as spiritual “to a great extent” -Middle-aged faculty are also comparatively more inclined than their younger or older colleagues to characterize themselves as highly spiritual, as are those who have self-described “conservative” political beliefs -An additional 19 percent consider themselves “somewhat” religious -16 percent say they are “not at all” religious

CHAPTER 2 CONT. -“Spiritual and Religious”: 57 percent of four-year college and university faculty self-identify, at least to “some” extent, as both spiritual and religious -“Religious but not Spiritual”: A very small proportion (roughly 2%) of faculty at four-year colleges and universities embrace the personal characterization “religious but not spiritual” -“Spiritual but not Religious”: Within the faculty of four-year colleges and universities, 21 percent self- identify as spiritual but not religious -“Not Spiritual and Not Religious”: Roughly 19 percent of four-year college and university faculty can be considered disengaged both spiritually and religiously

CHAPTER 3: Spiritual Quest -What is spiritual quest? A measure that reflects an engagement in the search for meaning and purpose in life (p. 69). -“Attaining inner harmony” -“Developing a meaningful philosophy of life” -“Attaining wisdom” -Quest and Academic Work: Academic work is meaningful among faculty because of the interconnections between questing and faculty reflections -Institutional Type Differences -Example of one telling quote from a faculty member (p. 82).

CHAPTER 4: Ethic of Caring, Ecumenical Worldview, and Charitable Involvement -Three spiritual-related measures: -Ethic of Caring -Ecumenical Worldview -Charitable Involvement -Challenges to Caring and Connectedness Within the Academy -Example of one faculty noting that the academy is a dark place (p. 108).

CHAPTER 5: Religious Faith and Perspectives -Four measures of “religiousness” are the focal point in Chapter 5 -Religious Commitment: this measure is an “internal” measure comprising twelve attitudinal and belief items. -Religious Engagement: is an “external” measure that represents the behavioral counterpart to Religious Commitment. -Religious Skepticism: is a measure which is comprised of nine items -Religious Struggle: is a composite measure of the individual’s responses to seven survey items

CHAPTER 6: Equanimity -What does the title of this chapter even mean? -The importance of equanimity for individuals -The Equanimity measure is comprised of five items: -“been able to find meaning in times of hardship,” -“felt at peace/centered,” -“I feel good about the direction in which my life is headed,” -“seeing each day, good or bad, as a gift,” -and “being thankful for all that has happened to me” -What do these findings illustrate?

CHAPTER 7: Higher Education and the Life of the Faculty Spirit -Spirituality and Religion in the Lives of College Faculty -80 percent of faculty who teach undergraduates consider themselves spiritual -Variations are based on demographic differences -Quest inclinations -Undergraduate students are the one population that faculty have an influence on -Faculty members are at the heart of the academic community -Challenges that faculty encounter and a sense of wholeness are critical to understand

FINAL THOUGHTS on The Quest for Meaning and Wholeness Reference: Jennifer A. Lindholm (2014). The Quest for Meaning and Wholeness: Spiritual and Religious Connections in the Lives of College Faculty. Jossey-Bass.