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We all long for peace within ourselves, families, communities, countries, and throughout the world. We wonder what we can do about the multitude of con?icts currently wreaking havoc across the globe and the continuous reports of violence in communities as well as within families. Most of the time, we contemplate solutions beyond our reach, and overlook a powerful tool that is at our disposal: forgiveness. As a genocide survivor, I know something about it. As the genocide unfolded in Rwanda in 1994, I was devastated by what I believed to be the inevitable deaths of my loved ones. The news that my parents and my seven siblings had indeed been killed was simply unbearable. Anger and bitterness ...
This volume answers the question: Why do we believe what we believe? It examines current research on the concept of beliefs, and the development in our understanding of the process of believing. It takes into account empirical findings in the field of neuroscience regarding the processes that underlie beliefs, and discusses the notion that beyond the interactive exploratory analysis of sensory information from the complex outside world, humans engage in an evaluative analysis by which they attribute personal meaning and relevance to the probabilistic representations of objects and events. Beliefs exert a strong influence on behaviour, decision-making, and identifying and solving problems. De...
The leading undergraduate psychology of religion text, this engaging book synthesizes cutting-edge theories and findings into an accessible account enlivened by personal reflections and contemporary examples. Raymond F. Paloutzian offers an authoritative overview of theoretical and empirical foundations; experiential, developmental, personality, and sociocultural dimensions of religion and spirituality; and clinical implications. Students are also given food for thought about bigger questions--how religion influences their own lives; what beliefs or values they hold most dear; and how to live in a multicultural, multireligious world. Each chapter opens with a brief topic outline and conclude...
Paloutzian (experimental and social psychology, Westmont College) and Park (psychology, U. of Connecticut) provide a 33-chapter handbook on the psychology of religion and spirituality, for social and clinical psychologists, pastoral counselors, and students and researchers in psychology and religious studies. Psychologists and a few religious studies specialists from the US and some countries in Europe address the foundations, including definitions, core issues, measurement assessment, research methods, psychodynamic psychology and religion, and evolutionary psychology as a foundation for the psychology of religion; religious and spiritual development across the lifespan; and the neural and ...
This handbook offers a comprehensive exploration of the dynamics of religious conversion, which for centuries has profoundly shaped societies, cultures, and individuals throughout the world.
Failure and Nerve in the Academic Study of Religion presents a provocative critique of the unwillingness of modern scholars to publically distinguish research into comparative religion from confessional studies written within denominationally-affiliated institutions. The book offers the 19th Century founders of the study of religion as a bracing corrective to contemporary timidity. The issue was analysed and documented by Wiebe a quarter of a century ago. Here, marking Wiebe's work, a wide range of contributors reassess the methodology and ambition of contemporary religious research. The book argues that conceptualizing religion as part of the world of human action and experience is the first requirement of the study of religion.
Incidental Psychotherapy within Christian Relationships points out the close similarity between the loving connections of Christians and therapeutic relationships between psychotherapists and clients. Thus, a simple Christian connection has an incidental therapeutic value for a troubled friend. This book continuously emphasizes that a Christian connection is never forged for the purpose of restoring mental health, but to obey the Christian mandate to love. The Christian connection, as a therapeutic alliance, merely provides a personal preparatory stage for possible later improvement. It does not apply in any way to the use of professional therapeutic techniques. The book discusses the nature of psychotherapy, the nature of 'cures,' and the credentials of qualified psychotherapists. Chapters focus on the nature of Christian connection and ways to improve it.
This integration of psychological and religious thinking states that the way to mental health of individuals and society is God's prescription of selfless devotion and service to others. This thesis is supported by insightful advice from experts and commentators on social problems, and specific quotations from the Bible.
Based on the analysis of 52 conversion narratives to various religious groups, A New Model of Religious Conversion utilizes case studies for comparison of converts' backgrounds, network influence, and conversion narratives. The author convincingly illustrates a "fit" between the converts' background and the religion they convert to, such as between disorganized family backgrounds and highly structured religions. Conversely, those from highly structured backgrounds often convert to more "open" groups. The book also makes it clear that not all conversions are influenced by networks or align themselves with a social constructivist view of a conversion as an "account." Taking converts' trajectories seriously, the author makes a strong case for the application of biographical sociology to the study of conversion and (American) sociology overall.
This book, the first of a groundbreaking series, provides a solid theoretical and empirical grounding from the psychology of religion and spirituality to the emerging field of workplace spirituality. Leading researchers in the psychology of religion have contributed up-to-date reviews within their areas of expertise to help guide the emergence of this exciting new discipline. Each chapter is written with the workplace researcher in mind. Not only is the relevant literature from the psychology of religion reviewed, but it is also made relevant to the workplace setting. The religious and spiritual aspects of such topics as meaning making, emotional resilience, sense of calling, coping with stress, occupational health and well-being, and leadership, among others are discussed within the context of work life. Surely researchers interested in workplace spirituality will keep this book, as well as others in the series, within arm’s reach for years to come.