The role of authenticity in religious maturity. The theoretical and empirical approaches
showing that authenticity are the crucial concept of existentialism, postmodernism
and humanistic psychology (be free, autonomic, unique, self-defining,
self-creating and integrated, transcend enculturation, invent our own patterns, rise
above circumstances, gather the past, present and future into the wholeness of our
resolute selves, create our own meanings and goals). This article discuses especially
the role of authenticity on religious maturity (Allport’s intrinsic orientation, Batson’s
quest and Sandage’s dwelling and seeking). In this paper projection method
were used to examine the functioning authenticity among artistically gifted young
people and its role on religious maturity. Ss (N=296 aged 15–20 yrs) had to finish
sentences: 1) I’m sadly …, 2) I treasure, I like …, 3) Rational analysis…. The results
of qualitative analysis revealed that the authenticity have two aspects: 1) autonomy
(the freedom and loneliness, spontaneity, sensuality and creativity, 2) empathy
(kindness, sensibility, emotional self-reflection, the acceptance of the imperfection,
love and friendship). The findings confirmed validity of the authenticity on religious
maturity as well as usefulness of considerations based on new theoretical suggestions
in psychology (developmental framework of new concepts of the authenticity
and religious maturity). Implications are considered for future research on dialectical
understandings of religious maturity (a Wuthnow, Sandage, Shults dialectical
model of spiritual development based on dwelling and seeking offers an interesting
theoretical base for research).
Keywords: religious maturity, authenticity, youth research