The Spiritual Nature of a Human Being
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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.
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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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-- The Spiritual Nature of a Human Being (Used by permission of the curator)