Psychology and Religion: Classical Theorists and Contemporary Developments / Edition 4

by Andrew R. Fuller

Overview

This book articulates a broad range of theoretical viewpoints, both classical and contemporary, in the field of the psychology of religion. Chapters One through Eight are overviews of such 'classical' theorists as William James, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Gordon Allport, Abraham Maslow, Alan Watts, Erich Fromm, and Viktor Frankl. Chapters Nine through Twelve consider subsequent developments in the field, e.g., the views of object relations theorists on the God-image; empirical research on the scaling of religiousness; and modern consciousness research. Chapters Ten through Twelve are new to this edition and comprise an eclectic overview of the feminist psychology of religion, recent developments in the intersection of neuroscience and religion, and the evolutionary psychology of religion. Both wide-ranging and current, therefore, this book offers illuminating and in-depth coverage of major theorists and approaches. While its breadth makes it an excellent place to begin an exploration of the psychology of religion, its depth and detail provide the opportunity for a serious and rewarding immersion in the field.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742560222
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	11/27/2007
Edition description:	Fourth Edition
Pages:	382
Product dimensions:	6.07(w) x 9.07(h) x 1.12(d)

About the Author

Andrew R. Fuller, Ph.D. is professor emeritus at The College of Staten Island, The City University of New York.

Table of Contents

Preface     ix
William James     1
Sigmund Freud     31
Carl Jung     65
Gordon Allport     105
Abraham Maslow     127
Alan Watts     167
Erich Fromm     195
Viktor Frankl     223
Developments     251
Feminist Psychology of Religion     277
Neuroscience and Religion     301
The Evolutionary Psychology of Religion     331
Index     353
About the Author     369

Editorial Reviews

In this new edition, Andrew Fuller expands his original, meticulous digest of the views of a handful of classic psychologists of religion by expounding upon the research and reflections of a number of scholars whose work still lies on the periphery of the psychology of religion. Incorporated in detail are feminist perspectives, including the views of Mary Daly and Carol Gilligan; neurophenomenology and its return to subjective experience; and the writings of Manes Austin on meditation, Pascal Boyer on the origins and function of religion, and Daniel Dennett on religion as memes. These are most certainly perspectives of which students of the psychology of religion should be knowledgeable.

David M. Wulff

Like his earlier editions, this Fourth Edition of Psychology & Religion is a fine introduction to the classic perspectives that make the psychology of religion a fascinating subject. With the addition of recent developments in feminist psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary psychology, this edition gives readers a rich and well-rounded view of the many theoretical perspectives that psychologists have used to understand religious thought....

Michael Nielsen