# The Spiritual Nature of a Human Being

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-19 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: William G. Huitt, The Spiritual Nature of a Human Being, Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, 2000, bahai-library.com.
> ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
> 
> The Spiritual Nature of a Human Being
> 
> William G. Huitt
> published in Educational Psychology Interactive
> 
> Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, 2000
> 
> A number of important psychologists have included humankind's spiritual nature as part
> of their theory of human behavior (e.g., Gordon Allport, William James, Carl Jung, Abraham Maslow.) And some have made it the
> central theme of their theory (e.g., Danesh, 1994; Khavari, 1999). Even though these
> researchers represent a minority within the scientific community, the view of a spiritual
> dimension to humankind is receiving increasing support (Gilder, 1997). However, most
> non-scientists have a different view of the importance of spirituality. Recent data report
> that more than 80% of the world's population expresses some sort of religious affiliation
> (Huddleston, 1993).
> 
> While there is no well-developed theory of "spiritual psychology" or
> 
> "spiritual anthropology" (McLean, 1994),
> spirituality is fundamental and critical to the development of human beings and human
> society, in that spirituality defines the vision of who we are as human beings
> (Huddleston, 1993; Kirk,
> 1992). Huddleston states "we might define vision as a spiritual insight of who we
> are, why we are, and where we are going. Values might be similarly defined as standards of
> spiritual worth by which we try to live in accordance with our vision." (p. 142).
> From this perspective, one's view of spirituality has an important influence on one's values and self-concept.
> 
> Vision has been an important theme in religious scripture (e.g., "Where there is
> no vision, the people perish." Proverbs 29:18 ) as well as the arts and literature
> (e.g., "Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp, Or what's a heaven for"
> `Andrea del Sarto' by Robert Browning.) One's perspective on humankind's spiritual nature
> also impacts the dreams and goals one develops and how
> one pursues them.
> 
> Vision is also important for communities and nations and the educational systems that
> provide their foundation (Hiebert
> & Hiebert, 1993). For example, the importance of the vision of world peace cited
> in Isaiah is one that many Americans hold dear: "They shall beat their swords into
> ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against
> nation, neither shall they learn war any more." (Isaiah 2:4).
> 
> Huddleston (1993) believes that our modern economic system [and the secular educational
> system that supports it] has a major deficiency in that it "...lacks a soul. It rests
> on the assumption that man differs from animals only because of his superior
> intelligence...there is an inexorable logic in the materialistic view that drives it
> towards a short-term perspective: `for tomorrow we die'. And yet vision has always been
> about the long-term perspective." (p. 144). He proposes that we look to the religious
> experience for a better vision since that has been our "main source of vision and
> ethical values down the ages." (p. 145) and cites five universal religious themes
> that can serve as the foundation for a global vision of human behavior and a global
> civilization:
> 
> An awareness of a spiritual dimension to life and existence as well as a material
> dimension.
> 
> A sense of the sacredness, interdependence and harmony of life.
> 
> A self-esteem that comes from the belief that man is the highest form of life, not
> simply because of his superior intelligence, but because he has a consciousness of the
> transcendental, and a spiritual side of his nature.
> 
> A recognition that the purpose of life is to nurture and develop the spiritual side of
> our nature; to cultivate the noble qualities: truthfulness, honesty, courage, reliability,
> compassion, courtesy, and so on.
> 
> An insistence on the fact that we are all Children of God--the human family (pp.
> 146-147).
> 
> Khavari (1999) provides a similar list on the basic features of religion and the
> importance of its inclusion in discussions of how we should live our lives:
> 
> the claim that there is a Creator;
> 
> the clear set of statements about right and wrong;
> 
> the requirements for obedience to its teachings
> 
> the promise of reward for the faithful and punishment for the rebellious;
> 
> the emphasis on the heart and feelings, rather than the mind and reason (p. 42).
> 
> These views are very similar to those expressed by Ballou (1939, as cited in Norder,
> 1995) who states "...the religious need of man today is for something greater than
> the dogmas of a single sectarian Church...A philosophy for today needs:
> 
> knowledge of mankind's many paths to God;
> 
> the compassionate humanity of Christ;
> 
> His conception of the Father-God;
> 
> the passion for justice of the Jewish prophets;
> 
> the vision of life and respect for other religions...found in Hinduism and Buddhism;
> 
> wise and timeless social precepts in regard to government--such as those of Confucius;
> 
> the mysticism and sense of cooperation with Nature (of Taoism);
> 
> the reverence for work; and
> 
> the adoration of earth and its fruits which mark Zoroastrianism." (p. 76).
> 
> Huddleston (1993) advocates that serious consideration of these spiritual or religious
> themes will have a powerful impact on the quality of life for all the world's citizens. He
> summarizes his views with the following statement:
> 
> "finding a new vision and an associated new system of values is a vital component
> of the process of evolving towards a peaceful global society. It is suggested that in
> searching for such a vision, there should be an objective analysis of what is offered by
> the religious experience: the source of the great visions of the past" (p. 150).
> 
> As important as a global vision may be, it certainly does not exist today. However, we
> do not need for it to be fully developed before we begin considering some of the basic
> principles that can provide its foundation. Torrance (1994) proposes that the
> "spiritual" aspect of humanity "indicates the transcendent potentiality of
> the unknown....[S]pirit, far from being opposed to the biological (as in the Cartesian
> dualism of body and mind), is the potentiality of human life--through conscious positing
> of future goals--for purposeful creation and growth" (p. 54). It is humanity's
> spirituality that gives each member the ability to consciously transcend his or her
> biological/physical existence that separates homo sapiens from all other species.
> Other unique aspects such as language, culture, and abstract symbolic thought are tools to
> be used in this transcendence. McLean (1994) goes so far as to say that a science of human
> behavior must be developed that is "grounded in God, with strong convictions in the
> existence of the divine self and the soul" (p. 161).
> 
> It is important that we acknowledge humanity's spiritual nature as we search for ways
> to reform schooling and education. While most of us recognize that schools are
> a significant influence on the children that will someday provide leadership for the
> nation and the world, we are forcing them to be at cross purposes to the influence of the
> family and religious institutions that are also guiding children's development. Religion (the social institution that focuses on
> spiritual issues), as well as science and philosophy, have made valuable contributions to an understanding of what it means to be
> human (Potter, 1994) and should be
> welcomed to the discussion of how to prepare young people for the modern (or
> postmodern) world.
> 
> Toynbee (1948) in his twelve-volume review of human history, stated that spiritual
> teachings provide the seed from which a civilization develops. Educators need to study the
> principles and values taught by the major world religions and incorporate them into the
> school curriculum. For example,
> The
> Virtues Project is a values education program that has made humankind's spirituality,
> as defined in the world's religious scriptures, central to its curriculum. When
> individuals combine understandings derived from science, philosophy and religion with
> their personal experiences and intuitions they will have a more complete knowledge of the
> reality of the universe than if any one knowledge system is relied on exclusively.
> 
> References
> 
> Ballou, R. (1939). The Bible of the world. New York: Viking Press.
> 
> Danesh, H. B. (1994). The
> psychology of spirituality: From divided self to integrated self. Victoria,
> Canada: Paradigm Publishing. Retrieved December 1999, from
> 
> www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/3906726029/qid=975247924/.
> 
> Gilder, G. (1997, May). The
> materialist superstition. Seattle, WA: Discovery Institute for Public Policy.
> Retrieved December 1999, from
> http://www.discovery.org/Gilder/ggvatican.html.
> 
> Hiebert, A., & Hiebert, D. (1993, Winter). Antiseptic education: The myth of
> irreligiosity. Faculty Dialogue, 17, 1-28. Retrieved December 1999,
> from
> http://www.iclnet.org/pub/facdialogue/17/hiebert.
> 
> Huddleston, J. (1993). Perspectives, purposes, and brotherhood: A spiritual framework
> for a global society. In S. Bushrui, I. Ayman, & E. Laszlo, Transition to a global
> society (pp. 142-150). Oxford, England: Oneworld Publications Ltd.
> 
> Khavari, K. (1999). Spiritual
> intelligence. New Liskeard, Ontario: White Mountain Publications.
> Retrieved December 1999, from
> http://www.wmpub.ca/khavari.htm.
> 
> Kirk, R. (1992, July 24). Civilization without
> religion? Washington, DC: The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved December
> 1999, from
> http://www.frc.org/townhall/hall_of_fame/kirk/kirk404.html.
> 
> McLean, J. (1994). Dimensions in spirituality. Oxford: George Ronald.
> [Reviewed by W. Huitt, 1997:
> https://bahai-library.com/huitt_mclean_dimensions_spirituality.
> 
> Norder, C. (1995). The eternal voice (7th ed.). Staunton, VA: Legacy Press.
> 
> Potter, V. R. (1994, May 16). Science, religion must
> share quest for global survival. The Scientist, 8(10), 1-12.
> Retrieved December 1999, from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/../files/scirlg.txt.
> 
> Torrance, R. (1994). The spiritual quest: Transcendence in myth, religion, and
> science. Berkeley: University of California Press.
> 
> Toynbee, A. (1948). A study of history. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
> 
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> Views23184 views since posted 2000; last edit 2025-01-20 06:00 UTC;
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> — *The Spiritual Nature of a Human Being (Used by permission of the curator)*