Encouraging Authenticity and Spirituality in Higher Education (review)

In Encouraging Authenticity and Spirituality in Higher Education, Chickering, Dalton, and Stamm collectively amplify an emerging voice in higher education that calls for the legitimization and cultivation of spiritual dimensions in the lives of college students, administrators, and faculty. The book provides a refreshing perspective that challenges us to delve beneath the facade of rational empiricism that has reigned supreme in our colleges and universities to uncover the deeper purposes and potentialities of our institutions.

As Chickering contends in Chapter 1, institutions are not immune to the practice of indoctrination, despite the "value-free" rhetoric that pervades the academy. Often it is the failure to acknowledge implicitly held values—scientism, consumerism, and materialism—that leads to these indoctrinating tendencies. Applying their own standard of self-disclosure and authenticity, the authors clarify in Chapter 1 the personal and professional orientations that shape their perspectives on spirituality in higher education. The core message they present suggests that institutions successfully balancing scientific rationalism with attention to affective complexity and social responsibility will be responsive to global and national problems, engender meaningful educational contexts, and provide students and professionals with opportunities for spiritual exploration and growth. The remaining chapters identify the rationale for a more spiritually attuned higher education and the means to make the vision a reality.

In Chapters 2 and 3, Stamm discusses multidisciplinary insights based on sociological, psychological, human developmental, and historical perspectives. These insights deepen the reader's understanding of how religion and spirituality have come to be defined and measured, key theoretical models of faith development (and their shortcomings), societal shifts from "a spirituality of dwelling" to a "spirituality of seeking," and the dynamic interplay between spirituality, religion, and higher education throughout the nation's history.

Institutional amplification—that is, intensified attention to spirituality, authenticity, purpose, and meaning in higher education—is the primary focal point of Part 2. Allaying concerns about the constitutional boundaries between church and state, Chickering outlines in Chapter 4 the relevant legal issues that surround the institutional amplification of spirituality in the academy and goes on to highlight the exemplary policy statements on spirituality and religion developed by three unique campuses.

Next, in Chapter 5, through powerful illustrations of programs and diverse pedagogies implemented in innovative campus contexts, Chickering demonstrates how to create educational experiences that promote deep learning, authenticity, contemplativeness, and personal growth. In Chapter 6, the focus shifts to student affairs as Dalton summarizes the findings of a national survey of student affairs leaders. He affirms the burgeoning interest in spiritual matters among college students today from the perspective of practitioners and recommends initiatives to address current trends.

In Chapter 7, Dalton advocates overcoming fragmentation and isolation through strategies that integrate spirit and community: namely, efforts to promote civic responsibility, provide quiet spaces, encourage encounters with diverse religious perspectives, affirm core institutional values and centeredness, and instill appreciation for listening and dialogue in the campus culture.

The final segment of the book, aptly titled "Getting There from Here," introduces the essential components that undergird institutional amplification: planned change, professional development, and assessment. Chapters 8 and 9 are replete with practical guidance and tangible examples to make possible these central processes upon which institutional amplification depends. Chapter 10 formulates a model for moral leadership illustrated with profiles of college presidents who embody spirited leadership. Finally, Chapter 11 reviews 10 principles and associated practices intrinsic to strengthening spiritual and moral development in college.

Taken as a whole, there is much in this book to applaud. First and foremost, this volume marks a critical response to growing evidence that the students in our midst are hungering for more than rationalism and scientific frameworks can provide. The thorough background offered in Part 1 constructs a logical and defensible case for spirituality's legitimate place in higher education.

Secondly, Chickering, Dalton, and Stamm have devised a practical guide that identifies how we can build campus environments that are attentive to the multidimensionality...