Who Do I Say I Am: A Review of Catholic Teachers’ Spiritual Identity and Factors Affecting Its Formation

Teachers in Catholic schools are not only required to provide quality education through mastering the essential skills of pedagogy; they are also called to “be a reflection, albeit imperfect but still vivid, of the one Teacher” (Gravissimum educationis, 1965, para. 23). Thus, the spiritual identity of all teachers in Catholic schools, not only those who teach religious education, must be integrated with their professional identity. This review draws from 20 empirical peer-reviewed articles on Catholic school educators to understand how Catholic teachers see their spiritual identity as teachers and how these spiritual identities are formed. The results show that Catholic teachers understand their spiritual identity in teaching as vocation, mission, communion, profession, and evangelization. The factors that affect their spiritual identity include personal beliefs and faith life, context of school and society, and leadership and formation in schools. This will help teacher trainers and administrators to design their in-service teacher formation programs more effectively.