The development of abstract religious thinking among Muslim youth: An examination based on Ronald Goldman's theory of religious thinking development

The aim of this study is to examine the developmental characteristics of religious thought among Muslim youth within the framework of Ronald Goldman's theory of religious development, based on Piaget's theory of cognitive development. The research aims to reveal how individuals interpret religious concepts according to their age and level of mental development. In this study, which uses the phenomenological design from qualitative research methods, students aged 14–18 studying at different types of high schools (Science High School, Anatolian High School, Imam Hatip High School, Project Imam Hatip High School, Vocational and Technical High School, Sports High School) in Malatya province were determined as the research group. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 24 students selected using the criterion sampling technique, one of the purposeful sampling methods. The data obtained were evaluated using content analysis. The research findings reveal that both individual and environmental factors are decisive in the development of religious thought. In particular, it was observed that family structure and religious education provided at school are effective in students' levels of understanding religious concepts. While some students approach religious concepts with a more intuitive and concrete perspective, others evaluate them in a more relational, holistic, and meaning-oriented manner. This situation shows that abstract religious thought is mostly developed among Muslim youth.