Exploring Spiritual Transformation and Moral Awakening in Formerly Incarcerated Individuals: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study
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Abstract
Spiritual and moral transformation during incarceration has become an increasingly important topic in religious philosophy and ethics, particularly in the context of carceral rehabilitation. While existing studies have explored behavioral outcomes of religious engagement in prison, few have examined the lived experience of inmates undergoing existential reflection and ethical identity reconstruction. What remains unclear is how incarcerated individuals interpret and make meaning of their spiritual awakening and ethical realignment during confinement. This interpretative phenomenological study explores how formerly incarcerated individuals experience and articulate religious transformation while in prison. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with ten participants and thematic analysis inspired by Heideggerian philosophy, the study identifies four core themes: awakening in isolation, ritualized repentance, ethical identity reconstruction, and spiritual community formation. The analysis revealed that participants viewed incarceration not merely as punishment but as a space for deep reflection, moral responsibility, and reconnection with the transcendent. Narratives emphasized how solitude, prayer, and collective spiritual practices fostered significant shifts in self-perception and value orientation. These findings suggest that spiritual growth in prison is shaped not only by external rehabilitative programs but also by internally driven, meaning-oriented processes. The study enhances understanding of religious experience in marginalized settings and informs more human-centered approaches to prison rehabilitation.
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