Psychology of Religion: Classic and Contemporary (Hardcover)

~ David H. Wulff (Author)
Key Phrases: literal disaffirmation, subjective worship, correlational psychologists, William James, Roman Catholic, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

An unbiased, comprehensive introduction to the psychology of religion. This book integrates clinical, theoretical, and empirical literature, as well as biographical information of the lives of significant psychologists and their works. It contains new research on meditation, the correlational study of religion, religion and mental health, object relations theory, pluralism and social constructionism.

From the Publisher

An unbiased, comprehensive introduction to the psychology of religion. This book integrates clinical, theoretical, and empirical literature, as well as biographical information of the lives of significant psychologists and their works. It contains new research on meditation, the correlational study of religion, religion and mental health, object relations theory, pluralism, and social constructionism. Integrates material from diverse religious traditions throughout the world.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 784 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 2 edition (1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471037060
• ISBN-13: 978-0471037064
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #632,391 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the best book on the subject, May 19, 2004

By	Don McCormick, Ph.D. (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews

I have looked at all the textbooks on psychology of religion because I teach the subject at the University of Redlands. This is by far the best textbook on the topic. The depth and scope of Wulff's writing is phenomenal. He takes a historical and biographical approach that is very intriguing. My students love the book too.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive yet Digestable, May 15, 2001

By	Tricia Ullani "Tricia" (Laie, HI) - See all my reviews

I picked up this book as an amateur both in psychology and in religion, but with a desire to learn more about both. It really hit the spot. It's comprehensive - covering eveything from classic Freudian analysis to the newest brain scan results - and at the same time totally digestable. It was nice to see Wulff extensively quoted in a recent Newsweek article about "neurotheology". I give it five stars for both form and content.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a nearly ideal introduction to the field, October 14, 2006

By	Mark Stavig "quester" - See all my reviews

"Disguised as a textbook, this magnificent handbook encompasses the field in twelve chapters of forty to sixty pages. Exposition and insight flourish at every turn. Chapter 1 outlines history of the field; chapter 2 examines biological approaches to bodily states (G. Stanley Hall); chapter 3 presents behavioral theory and comparative studies of ritual behavior (in dogs and apes). Chapter 4 outlines laboratory experimentation, while chapter 5 probes statistical studies. Chapter 6 on Freud leads to chapter 7 on object-relations theory and narcissism (Suttie, Pruyser, Kohut) and thence to chapter 8 on Erikson. All are gems of synthesis and discernment. Chapter 9 on Jung and chapter 10 on James offer masterpieces of exposition and critique. Chapter 11 on the German descriptive tradition explores authors neglected in North America (Otto, Spranger, Girgensohn). Chapter 12 on the American humanistic synthesis expounds Allport, Fromm and Maslow, as well as transpersonal psychology. Case studies from major religions (particularly Jewish, Christian, Buddhist and Hindu) dot the text. An epilogue assesses the field in light of both the humanities and the social sciences....Indexes of persons and concepts are superb.

"David Wulff has written the closest thing to a German-style handbook that North Americans are likely to see. Exhaustiveness, clarity in both organization and explication, and common sense combine to produce a nearly ideal introduction to the field. History of the discipline shines.... [The] bravura pieces on Freud, Erikson, Jung and James are among the best anyone has written on the masters. The same can be said of the chapter on "Object Relations Theory and Religion." Nearly every chapter climaxes with several pages of "Evaluation," in which the author weighs pros and cons. The style is lucid and nuanced but never boring. Until this volume appeared, few would have thought such a handbook to lie within the capacity of a single author. For a single scholar to synthesize literature of the past 125 years while exuding poise, common sense and uncommon insight exceeds all expectations. This work set a standard for handbooks in the social sciences....

"This masterpiece accomplishes something that cries out to be done for sociology of religion and anthropology of religion. Dispensing exposition, critique and hints for further research, Wulff makes the field accessible and attractive. Mastery resounds."

--comments on the first edition of this book, by William M. Johnston, Recent Reference Books in Religion: A Guide for Students, Scholars, Researchers, Buyers & Readers (rev. ed., 1998), pp. 275-276.