History of Psychology of Religion

Question 1

Psychology of Religion definition

Answer 1

The scientific study of religious/spiritual behaviour, emotion and cognition, not a study of religion as such, but about the human, psychological considerations.

While the premise of psychology is rooted in the natural realm, religion relies on the supernatural realm

Question 2

Founders of Psychology of Religion

Answer 2

William James (1842-1910)
James Leuba (1867-1946)
E. D. Starbuck (1966-1947)

Question 3

What did William James study

Answer 3

A scientific study into:
1. Personal and Institutional Religion
2. Healthy-mindedness vs Sick Soul
3. Conversion
4. Mysticism

Question 4

Who founded psychoanalysis?

Answer 4

Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) and Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961)

Question 5

Rebirth of Psychology of Religion

Answer 5

1976: APA Division 36: Psychology of Religion is founded
1980s: Subject specific textbooks start getting published
1988: First Annual Review chapter (Gorsuch, 1988)
1990: International Journal for the Psychology of Religion
2009: Psychology of Religion at Newcastle University

Question 6

Gordon Allport (18797-1967)

Answer 6

Important for the rebirth, looking at religion and prejudice and intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Question 7

The present paradigm (Emmons and Paloutzian, 2003)

Answer 7

“recognises the value of data at multiple levels of analysis while making nonreductive assumptions concerning the value off spiritual and religious phenomena.”

Question 8

Brief History of Religion

Answer 8

1. Pre-axial (pre 900 BC)
2. Axial (8th to 3rd century BC)
3. Post axial age (300 BC)

Question 9

Pre-Axial Age Traits

Answer 9

Animistic and shamanic cultures
Inter- and co-dependence between the mythical and mundane.
Homo religiosus (Eliade).
Interplay between humanity and nature.
Cyclical nature of life.
Environment of evolutionary adaptiveness?

Question 10

Animism definition

Answer 10

• Attributing a spirit or soul to natural phenomena (eg Mother Nature)
• EB Tylor (1903) said this was the ‘minimal definition of religion’
• Victorian researchers caused this an intellectual mistake, whereas modern researchers call it a natural disposition

Question 11

Shamanism definition

Answer 11

• People who are animistic practitioners. Communicating with spirits, serving psychological and spiritual needs of the tribe, and healing
• There is a new movement on shamanism trying to bring it back, although slightly differently (less likely to involve psychoactive substances)

Question 12

Examples of Pre-Axial religions

Answer 12

• Mostly polytheistic = many deities
• Pantheon of gods; elaborate mythologies
• Gods usually represent natural forces
• Ancient Egyptian: Ra, Osiris, Isis
• Hellenistic: Zeus, Hera
• Germanic: Thor, Odin

Question 13

Axial Age (Jaspers, 1949; Daniels (2016)

Answer 13

“The Great Transformation” (Armstrong, 2006)

Period of change in which foundational thinkers emerged (Jaspers, 1949)
* Zoroaster ( ~500 BCE)
* Confucius (551–479 BCE) and Lao–Tse (6th -4th Century BCE)
* Jewish Prophets ( ~800-400 BCE)
* Socrates ( ~469-399 BCE) and Plato ( ~428-348 BCE)
* Gautama Buddha ( ~563-483 BCE)
* Upanishads ( ~800-300 BCE)

Question 14

Post-axial Age

Answer 14

Development of the main world religions

Shift to new relationship to “divine” and to transformation:
* Emphasis on the individual
* Progress and conquest
* Salvation and perfection
* Struggle and suffering
* Evolution and change.

Question 15

List of Major World Religions

Answer 15

• Judaism
• Christianity
• Islam
• Buddhism
• Hinduism
• Confucianism
• Taoism
• Jainism
• Sikhism

Question 16

Secularism (Bruce, 2002)

Answer 16

Secularisation is a “social condition manifest in
A. the declining importance of religion for the operation of non-religious roles and institutions, such as those of the state and the economy;
B. a decline in the social standing of religious roles and institutions;
C. a decline in the extent to which people engage in religious practices, display beliefs of a religious kind, and conduct other aspects of their lives in a manner informed by such beliefs.”

Question 17

What brought secularism?

Answer 17

• Modernity: Rationalism
• Structural and functional differentiation of Society
• Separation of Church and State
• Prediction: Demise of significance of religion in society
• Declining church membership and political significance widely accepted but what about personal significance?
• Peter Berger: Secularisation one process amongst many?
• Rational Choice Theory: Demand for religion?

Question 18

What is secralisation?

Answer 18

A move away from religion into a more personal experience of spirituality.

Question 19

Heelas (1996)

Answer 19

The New Age of religion focuses on self-transformation. Transformation happens through pursuit of spiritual disciplines under own direction

Question 20

What is New Atheism?

Answer 20

New Atheism focuses on a strong reaction against religious belief and the use of scientific argument. Main leaders of this are Daniel Dennett, Richard Dawkins, and Sam Harris.