Attachment and Spiritual Maturity 74
Under st anding when adult relationships become secure enough for there to be confidence to develop other relationships would be important research.
Longitudinal research studies are needed to assess the development of
relationships over the lifespan. As yet, there are no observational studies of attachment
behavior and a corresponding attachment behavior system in adults, as there are in
infancy and early childhood. The role of affect extending from adult intimate
relationships and its influence on the internal representational model formed in childhood
needs further exploration. Questions need to be asked concerning how much influence
and change an adult attachment experience is able to create. This kind of study may give
answers to what relational elements get carried over from childhood to adulthood. These
findings then could be explored in light of attachment with God.
Religious Training Institutions
What is conspicuously absent from the literature are virtually any studies on
pastors' spirituality (Hall, 1997). Because this study shows the inter-relationship
between adult attachment and spiritual maturity of seminary students, the question arises
about pastors already in leadership. Measuring the spirituality of pastors particularly
their attachment to God and others needs to be done. This will serve not only pastors,
but the communities which they serve. It is becoming increasingly difficult for religious training institutions to educate
future leaders of the church so the relational development and leadership skills converge
and integrate into a meaningful and genuine personal faith maturity. Further research on
how issues of relational and spiritual maturity relate to leadership outcomes needs to be
explored. Then curriculum can be developed to meet these concerns. This curriculum
would need to be developed in logically progressive ways throughout seminary experience
so attachments could be addressed
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