Stage 0: Primal Faith (Age: 0-2). Actually a “pre-stage” since the various structures of the subsequent stages are not available for the same empirical verification as the remaining stages. Fowler sees the mutual interaction between infant and primary caregiver during the first, pre-verbal year of life as providing a foundation for faith in the emergence of basic trust vs. mistrust (Erikson 1968). (It could be suggested that a fundamental sense of hope emerges here, since for Erikson that is the outcome of negotiating the conflict between trust and mistrust!)
Stage 1: Intuitive-Projective Faith (Age 2-7). The acquisition of language marks the emergence of the first true stage which is characterized by the abundant imagination of the pre-school child. This emotional and idiosyncratic faith involves powerful images and a fluidity of thought not bound by the logic of later cognitive structures (cf. Piaget 1970). For Piaget, God “God” is a powerful creature of the imagination, not unlike Superman or Santa Claus. That is God is as real as the Superman!
Stage 2: Mythic-Literal Faith (Age 7-12; preadolescence). Maturation evokes a new way of knowing and engaging the world. The child acquires what Piaget (1970) called concrete operational thought (Piaget: 7 to 11 years – children perform operations: logical reasoning replaces intuitive thought as long as the reasoning is applied to concrete examples). This new way of seeing and interacting with the world and others allows the child to infer intentions and to perceive continuity to actions; justice is concrete and reciprocal. These abilities, held together by means of a narrative, give rise to a faith in which the ultimate environment is inhabited by a cosmic judge (“God”) who guarantees a kind of simple, reciprocal fairness. ( Vasudevi Reddi (2008) has suggested that perception of intensions could be even earlier.)
Stage 3: Synthetic-Conventional Faith (12 to 18 yrs). The emergence of formal operational thought (capacity to have abstract, idealistic, logical thoughts – for Piaget 11 to 15 years of age) brings other possibilities for construing and relating to the ultimate environment. In this stage, meaning-making and committing to values takes on a more interpersonal dimension not previously available. Self-identity and faith are closely tied to valued others, and thought deeply felt, is unexamined. “God” takes on the interpersonal qualities of a good friend.
Stage 4: Individuative-Reflective Faith. This stage of faith is characterized by intentional reflection on one’s faith and its influence on the self. This intense, critical reflection on one’s faith (one’s way of making meaning) requires that inconsistencies and paradoxes are vanquished, which may leave one estranged from previously valued faith groups. “God” is the embodiment of principles of truth, justice, love, etc.
Stage 5: Conjuctive Faith. Mid-life sometimes brings a recognition that the consistencies of one’s more reflective faith have come with a price; one may have dismissed other (unconscious) dimensions of knowing. A yearning for a way to bring together the seeming paradoxes of faith may emerge, along with a desire to enlarge the bounds of social inclusiveness. Although one does not naively or uncritically accept contradictions, “God” is seen to include mystery and paradox.
Stage 6: Universalizing Faith. Finally, Fowler posits a movement toward a style of “universalizing faith” that seeks inclusiveness while still maintaining firm and clear commitments to values of universal justice and love. Critics (Broughton 1986, Parks 1991) have pointed out that this stage seems to be more content-oriented and less structural than the previous ones.
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