How Faith Development Interviews Reflect Biographical Paths to Xenosophia: Conceptual and Methodological Considerations

Abstract

This chapter explains why and how the Faith Development Interview (FDI) allows the reconstruction of biographical paths to xenosophia and how this was realized in the Bielefeld Study of Xenosophia and Religion in Germany. Thus, we first describe the conceptual framework in Fowler’s theory and research and the model of religious styles, to locate xenosophia in this framework. Second, we detail the evaluation procedure of the FDI , including the explication of our current methodological modifications of the FDI evaluation procedure, which, beyond the structural-developmental analysis, includes the interpretation of narratives and content dimensions that are elicited by the FDI questions. Finally, we explain the triangulation of FDI evaluations with questionnaire data, from which case studies profit greatly.