The Connected Life: The Art and Science of Relational Spirituality
It’s no secret that we live in an increasingly isolated world. The pandemic has only exacerbated what was already a startling trend: loneliness and disconnection have been on the rise for a long time in our society. We long for a deep sense of meaning to make sense of our lives, but we don’t know how to find it. Even worse, we often search for it in unhealthy ways that hinder the very thing we’re desperate for: genuine relational connection.
Psychologist Todd Hall has been researching human relationships and ways of connecting for many years. In The Connected Life, he offers the fruit of that work, contending that real human growth doesn’t come through head knowledge alone but through relational knowledge and strong attachment bonds. It’s our relationships—with God and others—that lead to authentic transformation. Ultimately, the family of God provides the best context for lasting growth.
Here is a wise, accessible introduction to transformative relational connection, addressing the deeply felt disconnection in our society and inviting us into lasting relationships with God and others.
Relational Spirituality: A Psychological-Theological Paradigm for Transformation
In Relational Spirituality, Hall and Hall present a definitive model of spiritual transformation based on a relational paradigm. At its heart is the truth that human beings are fundamentally relational—we develop, heal, and grow through relationships. While many sanctification models are fragmented, individualistic, and lack a clear process for change, the relational paradigm paints a coherent picture of both process and goal, supported by both ancient wisdom and cutting-edge research. Integrating insights from psychology and theology, this book lays out the basis for relational spiritual transformation and how it works practically in the context of relationships and community.
Relational Spirituality draws together themes such as trinitarian theology, historical and biblical perspectives on the imago Dei, relational knowledge, attachment patterns, and interpersonal neurobiology into a broad synthesis that will stimulate further dialogue across a variety of fields. Highlighting key characteristics of spiritual communities that foster transformation, Hall and Hall equip spiritual leaders and practitioners to more effectively facilitate spiritual growth for themselves and those they serve.
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About Dr. Todd Hall – Ph.D.
Dr. Hall is Professor of Psychology at Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University serves as a Faculty Affiliate in the Harvard Human Flourishing Program within the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University. Dr. Hall’s writing and research focus on relational approaches to spiritual development, leadership/organizational development and flourishing. Over the past two decades he has worked to develop a broad theory of relational spirituality, the subject of his recent book called Relational Spirituality: A Psychological-Theological Paradigm for Spiritual Transformation (IVP Academic, 2021). As part of this research program, Dr. Hall has developed several widely used measures of relational spirituality (Spiritual Assessment Inventory, Spiritual Transformation Inventory, SpiritPulse) and published empirical research on topics such as attachment to God, attachment and psychological well-being, and longitudinal trends of college student spirituality. He has also conducted research on the role of relational connection in leadership and organizational culture. Dr. Hall is a founding partner of Flourishing Metrics and consults regularly to organizations in the areas of leadership/organizational development and employee well-being. His current research focuses on emerging adult spirituality, the measurement of well-being and positive leadership. Dr. Hall earned an MA and PhD in Clinical Psychology from Rosemead School of Psychology, and an MA and doctoral specialization in Measurement and Psychometrics from UCLA.
Dr. Hall’s Books
The Connected Life
Relational Spirituality
Psychology and Christianity
Psychology in the Spirit
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