The experience of spirituality in the lives of Anglican gay men

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dc.contributor.advisorAlderson, Kevin
dc.contributor.advisorStrong, Tom
dc.contributor.authorHollowell, Barry Craig Bates
dc.date.accessioned2017-12-18T22:38:04Z
dc.date.available2017-12-18T22:38:04Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.descriptionBibliography: p. 219-262en
dc.descriptionIncludes copy of ethics approvals and copyright permission. Original copies with original Partial Copyright Licence.en
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this qualitative study is to open a window of articulation and understanding into the lived experience and meaning of spirituality in the lives of gay men who, in the past or present, identify as being members of the Anglican expression of Christianity. While over the last 50 years or so institutionalized religious institutions have been declining in their social influence and membership numbers, there has been an increase in interest and attention to spirituality. Institutional religious movements in the past have been nearly uniformly negative or condemnatory of i.ndividuals identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (GLBT), and of same-gender sexual expressions. Recently, however, attitudes have been changing in some branches of Christianity. Within the worldwide Anglican Communion, and more particularly in the Anglican Church of Canada, official and unofficial voices have expressed positions along a continuum ranging from condemnatory to affirming of same-sex affection, desire, and relationships. This study's aim is to shed light on how gay men with roots in this particular religious community live out their gay identity and how they experience and express spirituality in their lives. Participants (N = 14) took part in two interviews. The starting points for the second interview were the photographs they brought reflecting their experience of spirituality. Utilizing Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), two interrelated principal lenses were identified through which participants created meaning about that experience. The first lens, Jrifluences, identified the location of various influences impacting participants' experiencing spirituality. The second lens, Interpretative Engaging, explored how participants sifted, sorted, and sewed together both negative and growthful experiencing of these influences as they created meaning about spirituality in their lives. Identifiable qualities characterizing these participants' experiencing also emerged. These qualities were that spirituality was (a) relational, (b) intentional, (c) directional, and ( d) transformational. Limitations of this research are discussed, along with identifying potentially fruitful avenues of future research. Implications particularly for counselling psychology are also identified, especially noting the rich potential in utilizing photographic images as tools expressing and exploring experiential areas oflife when words themselves fall short
dc.format.extentxiii, 290 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.en
dc.identifier.citationHollowell, B. C. (2012). The experience of spirituality in the lives of Anglican gay men (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/5062en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/5062
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/106063
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.titleThe experience of spirituality in the lives of Anglican gay men
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineApplied Psychology
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (PhD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
ucalgary.thesis.accessionTheses Collection 58.002:Box 2109 627942979
ucalgary.thesis.notesUARCen
ucalgary.thesis.uarcreleaseyen
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