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SPIRITUAL IDENTITY IN ISRAELI RELIGIOUS MALE ADOLESCENTS: Observations and Educational Implications

ABSTRACT Based on Herbert's (1987) theory of ego identity development and on interviews of hundreds of Israeli religious male adolescents and young adults who were raised and educated in religious society and later left the fold, this paper presents a model of development of religious identity. Three levels of religious identity development—healthy, unhealthy and dangerous—are described. In healthy development, adolescents abandon childish faith, confront and deliberate about their doubts and consolidate a mature and personal spiritual identity. Unhealthy development, which may occur if doubts are not accepted and dealt with, is seen in four forms: sloganeering, diffuse spiritual identity, moratorium, and emphasis on ritual and behavioral aspects of religion. These, in turn, may lead to dangerous developments: (a) joining a cult or enslaving oneself to a charismatic leader; (b) joining a group of formerly religious peers; (c) group delinquency (theft or vandalism) or group use of alcohol or dnigs; (d) alienation and anti‐religious attitudes; (e) inconsistency or “being religious at heart”; (f) solitary use of alcohol or drugs, possibly leading to addiction. Methods of preventing and correcting unhealthy and dangerous developments are presented and discussed. Consolidation of ego identity is the central and most important task of adolescence (Erikson, 1968). It is affected by the previous stages of the child's development and, to a greater extent, influences later life. According to Marcia (1980), adolescents who have consolidated their identities in a healthy manner do not guarantee themselves permanent identity contents, but are ensured an effective process of dealing with later questions of identity. Erikson (1968) also did not see the resolution of identity conflicts as final or total. In his opinion, resolution of such conflicts climax during adolescence; however, a person may return to tackle identity‐related issues at later ages. Relying on Erikson, Marcia (1966, 1980, 1986) emphasized two major components of identity: (1) a sense of identity crisis, and (b) vocational and ideological commitment. “Identity crisis” refers to re‐thinking, sorting, experience and deliberation about a variety of social roles and future plans, especially in the areas of vocational choice and personal philosophy. In Marcia's opinion, commitment which arises from the crisis is related to individuals’ willingness to invest in their choices, and their ability to select a profession and a world‐view. In line with these two components, a typological foursome is created, as follows: identity achievement, foreclosure, moratorium and diffuse identity.