Critical thinking is a must: The GCU community has strong Christian values, and it is also an institute of higher education. It is important that students are exposed to information even when it may challenge their own Christian worldviews. Critical thinking is one of GCU’s pillars and competency requirements, and it is also one of the defining characteristics of higher education.
Understanding the Christian Worldview: As a Christian university, we integrate faith and learning, which includes information and research that challenges moral stances. It is the foundation for establishing an understanding of the world around us and how as Christians we are a beacon of hope, love, acceptance, and knowledge. While the university is clear about its identity as a Christian university and its foundational convictions, we are intentionally committed to living out the faith within the context of a missional community. This assignment is not meant to be seen as a challenge, but as a platform for discussions and engagement on topics that are relevant to our world today. The assignment is not meant to change personal moral stances or convince students to think or believe a specific way. It is meant to educate and expose students to different resources about gender and sexuality variations. This will ensure students are prepared to handle and address the content in real-world settings. Gender and sexuality variations exist within our society, and within the psychology field, we are tasked with handling situations that we may not agree with, with knowledge and wisdom, characterized by a welcoming spirit and loving service to all. As a society member, there is a responsibility to be informed, educated, think critically, and be globally aware. Sometimes, exploring uncomfortable topics can strengthen one’s beliefs and worldview, while also allowing for new perspective. The hope is that students will learn to navigate that which they are not accustomed to and have the ability to seek knowledge when confronted with challenges to their moral stance or ideology.
Write a paper in 1,200-1,500 words and address the following:
What gender or sexuality issue is the character struggling with? Describe the character’s adolescent stage of development. If you are unsure, based on what you know about their background, did they struggle in adolescence?
What are some physical, cognitive, and social challenges and changes this character might have experienced during adolescence? Include a description of a pivotal moment when the character transitioned.
What support if any does the character have? What impact might the lack of support have?
How is the character impacted by factors using the processes of development (e.g., social norms)? What social stigmas exist for this character, and how do they handle these stigmas? Include a discussion on the relationship and influence of religion on the characters development.
How can the Christian Worldview influence gender and/or sexual identity? Based on various Worldviews, how can different perceptions cultivate stigmas?
Use the GCU Library databases and include two to four scholarly sources to support your claims. In addition to the scholarly resources from the library,
students may include past classroom materials, textbook, and credible internet-based sources as supplemental support (.org, .edu, .mil, .gov).
Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.
