Adolescent identity formation involves not simply preparing a young person for the future or equipping them, him or her to cope with the problems of today, but it also requires a personal integrated spiritual formation. This article examines the predominant educational philosophies undergirding youth discipleship and their deficiencies, as well as challenges educators to embrace teaching approaches that focus on identity formation. James Loder's theological-psychological approach to development, specifically his five axes of adolescent identity formation involving space/time, values, authority, love, and worth, is explored. These principles are then expanded to address issues of curriculum development and application.
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