Overview
At a time when religious fundamentalism is having a huge impact upon the world, this book helps us to understand how people acquire, conceptualise and practise religion at both personal and social levels. At a time when religious fundamentalism is having a huge impact upon the world, this book helps us to understand how people acquire, conceptualise and practise religion at both personal and social levels. Explores religion both as a social phenomenon and as a form of inner experience. Explains why people believe what they do. Looks at the effects of religious and spiritual belief upon behaviour, and upon physical and psychological health. Outlines the various approaches to religious and spiritual experience. Surveys all relevant research.
Professional Reviews
"I cannot recommend this book too highly." Charles T. Tart, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto"Fontanas sympathetic understanding of religion, his refined knowledge of Eastern traditions, together with a broad grasp of classic and recent psychological research, all combine to produce a work which rightly challenges the narrow assumptions of many psychologists of religion." Brian L. Lancaster, Consciousness & Transpersonal Psychology Research Unit, Liverpool John Moores University"It would be difficult for anyone other than a rabid fundamentalist (of whatever persuasion) to fail to be fascinated, enlightened and enriched by David Fontana's lucid and masterful exposition of the interplay between 'Psychology, Religion and Spirituality' as set out in his book of that title ... The scope of this book is astounding, and its detailed and even-handed dissemination of factual information does its author much credit ... A truly vast canvas, in dealing with which editorial necessity limits me to some four hundred words; ten times as many would, I fear, have been insufficient to do full justice to the most rewarding task set me." Derek Anton-Stephens, The Christian Parapsychologist, June 2003"This book is both refreshingly original and packed with information. It offers a very clear review of empirical studies in religious research, and has the additional merit of being, unusually for textbooks on the psychology of religion, written by an author who actually demonstrates a very wide knowledge of the world religions, their history and teachings ... Both workers in Religious Studies who like a humanities-based approach to the psychology of religion, and lecturers in Psychology who may be seeking considered reviews of quantitative research studies, will find a book that well meets their needs here. I highly recommend this book - what Alan Baddeley did for memory psychology and Roger Brown did for social psychology, Fontana has done for the psychology of religion in writing a book that deserves to become known as a classic text." Anthony Edwards, University College Northampton, Social Psychological Review, October 2003"an impressive survey on the psychology of religion... Fontana's background in transpersonal psychology and his unassuming style allow for an open-minded yet critical stance... An excellent introduction to the psychology of religion" J. Bailey, Caldwell Community College & Technical Institute, Choice, September 2003"From beginning to end, the author tries to bridge over the gap between Western and Eastern approaches to religiosity and spirituality and avoid all dominance of Christianity in research and theory in the area of psychology of religion ... The author is known also for his popular books, which may explain that this scientific book of his is written clearly and readably. As to the results, the book can be recommended not only to the clergy, professional psychologists, students and teachers of psychology of religion, but also to general public." Studia Psychologica, 45, 2003"a book which one hopes will be read by undergraduate psychology students as an antidote to the narrowness of many other academic psychology textbooks ... the coverage is exemplary, covering every conceivable angle, classification and type of explanation ... This is a very good overview of the whole field of psychology of religion, and one can only hope that it will be widely read." Scientific and Medical Network Review, Winter 2003