| DC Field | Value | Language |
|---|
| dc.contributor.author | Nelson, James M. | - |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-04-19T07:26:59Z | - |
| dc.date.available | 2021-04-19T07:26:59Z | - |
| dc.date.issued | 2009 | - |
| dc.identifier.isbn | 978-0-387-87573-6 | - |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://localhost:8080/xmlui/handle/123456789/77 | - |
| dc.description | The fields of psychology, religion, and spirituality have a vast, rich heritage that
is beyond the scope of any single volume or set of volumes. Even the literature
on the intersection between psychology and religion is enormous. Accordingly, in
a book such as this, hard choices must be made about what to include and how it
should be discussed. In general, I have tried to provide a bird’s-eye view of the field,
indicating important major issues and areas where dialogue is taking place. How-
ever, this is a textbook rather than an encyclopedia, so you will not find coverage
of all the major writers or research related to psychology, religion and spirituality.
Such an undertaking would be neither possible nor desirable in the confines of a
single volume. Instead, it is important to be selective and focus on key figures or
ideas as a way of introducing various points of view and issues of interest. In order
to understand the current state of the dialogue, it is necessary to focus more on
recent research findings and understandings of various issues, although older work
is also considered when it is relevant to current debates. This includes discussion
of research in the sociology and anthropology of religion that is of importance to
psychology. Each chapter concludes with a discussion of a key issue or theme that
emerges from the psychology and religion dialogue on that topic.
The material in the book falls into several sections. Part I deals with fundamentals
in the psychology and religion dialogue. It is very helpful to consider this topic within
the context of the larger conversation between science and religion. Thus, there is
a chapter that introduces the philosophical concepts (e.g., naturalism, materialism)
and historical information (e.g., positivist movements) needed to understand the sci-
ence and religion relationship, particularly as it has worked itself out with reference
to psychology. For those that are unfamiliar with the major religious traditions
addressed in the psychology and religion dialogue, a chapter with a brief review of
Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity is also included.
Parts II and III cover basic areas in the psychology and religion dialogue as it has
evolved over the past century. Part II also provides an overview of approaches to
the topic that are likely to be central in the future, such as the perspectives provided
by neuroscience and postmodernism. summarizes material related to the
important area of human development, and suggests how new advances in narrative
psychology may help us to understand the process of spiritual growth.
Part IV deals with the practical applications of the psychology and religion
dialogue. Religion and psychology share a concern with the quality of human
existence. They hope to offer guidance to people seeking to find meaningful, ful-
filled and even happy lives. Thus, a final goal of this book is to harness theory and
empirical research in the service of practical applications. How can we in the 21st
century build positive communities? In what ways can we help individuals deal
with challenges and develop richly satisfying lives? The concluding chapters of this
book will attempt to begin sketching out answers to these questions.
A difficult problem is how to handle terminology and references, which for this
topic must come from a number of fields. For the most part, references utilize the
system developed by the American Psychological Association, although this is not
always ideal when referring to philosophical or theological works. Multiple author
citations have been abbreviated somewhat in the text, although the full citation can
still be found in the reference list. A glossary is included at the end of the book that
provides quick definitions of terms as they are typically used by psychologists,
theologians, and religious studies scholars.
The primary task of a book such as this is to present ideas that have been influ-
ential in the dialogue between psychology and religion. Once we have these ideas
in front of us, the next critical task is to evaluate the value of these ideas and the
evidence that supports them. This is important, as the ideas of many influential
figures in the dialogue (e.g. Freud, Fromm) have little or no evidence to support
them, while other less-known ideas appear on examination to be very attractive.
However, evaluation is not easily done. A systematic critique of theories requires
agreement on how they should be evaluated and a body of theoretical discussion or
evidence relevant to the task. Unfortunately, one or both of these things is often
missing in the science and religion dialogue. Scholars in different fields such as
social psychology and religious studies often disagree on what constitutes evidence
in support of a position. For instance, scientists often insist upon the presence of
empirical data to support a theory, while a theologian might argue that other kinds
of evidence are more relevant and persuasive. There is also much variability in the
quantity and quality of critique directed at different positions. Some theories—even
good once—have been the target of extensive critiques, while others have received
little criticism even when there is little data to support them. So while evaluative
sections have been included in situations where there has been a lot of scholarly
discussion about the worth of a particular theory or position, it has not always been
possible to offer an extensive critique of every theory. Absence of a critique does
not mean a position is “proven” and presence of a critique does not mean a view has
no value. Much remains to be done to evaluate the worth of the many strands in the
psychology and religion dialogue. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Over a century ago, psychologists who were fascinated with religion began to study
and write about it. Theologians and religious practitioners have responded to this
literature, producing a fascinating dialogue that deals with our fundamental under-
standings about the human person and our place in the world. This book provides
an introduction to the important conversations that have developed out of these
interchanges.
The dialogue between psychology and religion is difficult to study for a number
of reasons. First, it requires knowledge of both psychology and religion. People
with a background in psychology often lack a solid understanding of the religious
traditions they wish to study, and theologians may not be up to date on the latest
developments in psychology. Second, it requires conceptual tools to organize the
material and understand the basic problems involved in any attempt to connect the
science of psychology with religion. These concepts can be found in many places,
for instance in the writings of philosophers of science, but they are complex and
often hard to follow for those without a proper theological and philosophical back-
ground. Finally, authors who write on the topic come to the study of psychology
and religion from a variety of academic and personal backgrounds. This makes for
wonderful diversity in conversations, but it makes understanding and mastery of the
material quite difficult. | en_US |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.publisher | Springer | en_US |
| dc.subject | Psychology | en_US |
| dc.subject | Religion, | en_US |
| dc.subject | Spirituality | en_US |
| dc.title | Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality | en_US |
| dc.type | Book | en_US |
| Appears in Collections: | ARTS & SCIENCE
|
