Expanding Diversity in Social Work Discourse: Exploring the Possibility of a Theistic Perspective

Abstract

Postmodernism has helped to illustrate that scientific advancement occurs most effectively in an academic milieu comprised of diverse perspectives. Furthermore, insiders—those with personal knowledge of the phenomena under study—are often uniquely positioned to contribute to scientific discourse. The increasing calls for research on spirituality and religion suggest the need for spiritual insiders to participate in the emerging conversation. While acknowledging the need for a variety of spiritual viewpoints, this paper explores the possibility of developing a theistic perspective in social work discourse. The possible contributions that such a perspective might add are discussed and some suggestions are offered for developing a theistic perspective.