Where Our Bright Star Is Cast: Religiosity, Spirituality, and Positive Black Development in Urban Landscapes
1
Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
2
School of Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
3
National Center for Institutional Diversity, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Religions 2019, 10(12), 654; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel10120654
Received: 19 July 2019 / Revised: 20 November 2019 / Accepted: 27 November 2019 / Published: 29 November 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Perspectives on Religion and Positive Youth Development)
Social science research offers a particular, narrow view of the lived experiences of Black urban-residing people. When the religious and spiritual lives of Black urban residents are viewed through this narrow lens, the diversity of religious and spiritual experiences and the connections between everyday life and positive outcomes, such as compassion, hope, liberation, joy, etc., become flattened, doing a disservice to the very people whose experiences we aim to understand. We contend that understanding the link between religiosity, spirituality, and positive development among Black urban-residing people requires us to pay attention to the ways that faith helps Black people to navigate the sequelae of five distinct sociopolitical features of urban life. We propose a conceptual framework that links these sociopolitical factors to religiosity, spirituality, and positive development among Black youth and adults residing in urban spaces. We conclude with recommendations applicable to the study of Black urban religiosity and spirituality.
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Keywords:
religiosity; spirituality; black; urban; positive psychology
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MDPI and ACS Style
Mattis, J.S.; Palmer, G.J.M.; Hope, M.O. Where Our Bright Star Is Cast: Religiosity, Spirituality, and Positive Black Development in Urban Landscapes. Religions 2019, 10, 654.
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