Call for Papers: Health Care Chaplaincy

This announcement comes from Routledge Publishing:

The Journal of Health Care Chaplaincy is inviting authors to submit scholarly articles based on original research, quality assurance/improvement studies, descriptions of programs and interventions, program/intervention evaluations, and literature reviews on topics pertinent to pastoral care and counseling in relation to physical and mental health. Scholarly articles on all relevant topics will be considered.

Of particular interest to psychologists of religion, they seek articles that address the following areas:

• Clinical Pastoral Education – Training, Evaluation, Outcomes
• Standards of Practice and Best Practices
• Defining and Contrasting Spiritual and Pastoral Care
• Measuring Patients Spiritual and Emotional Needs
• Outcome-Oriented Chaplaincy and Measuring Chaplain Effectiveness
• Spiritual Assessment and Interventions
• Spiritual Distress and Health Outcomes
• The Chaplain as Part of the Interdisciplinary Team

They prefer empirically-grounded articles written in APA style.

News wave about Scientology

You may be seeing a new wave of stories about Scientology in the news. Religion Link, which serves as a religion resource to reporters, recently issued an update about Scientology. It coincides with a series by Tampa Bay / St. Petersburg Times about controversial aspects of Scientology. This might form the basis of an interesting assignment, particularly in conjunction with a recent post on the TED Blog in which Zimbardo is asked such questions as what psychology's biggest mistake has been, and whether there is such a thing as a good cult.

And, speaking of TED, another post there that you or your students might find interesting is Diane Benscoter's talk at TED and her later Q & A session. Although Benscoter asserts that brain scans of people engaged in circular thinking, such as she experienced while with the Moonies, would differ from those of people engaged in critical thinking, I'm not aware of any studies that have demonstrated this. (Perhaps you could point me to such studies?)

These are very controversial topics, and may need special care in class discussion. But your students are likely to find them very stimulating, and you can use them to illustrate important concepts in the psychology of religion.

IAPR Registration

Remember to register for the International Association for the Psychology of Religion meeting by July 1. The meeting is in Vienna, August 23-27. Details are at http://www.iapr.at.vu/. And then, when you return from the conference, email me to let me know what I missed! (I vow to attend this meeting one year!)

Why the King James Version

As you may know, some people feel very passionately about using one version or another of the Bible. In this video, a man presents what he believes is a very important reason for selecting the King James Version rather than a more modern translation. As you view the video, it will be apparent why I emphasized man.

The Bible, Manga Style

The BBC reports on a new version of the Bible, presented in Manga style. It is an interesting attempt to engage young people in religion. A quick search at Amazon (use "manga bible" in the search box) will show several variations on that theme. Undoubtedly, some will see it as progressive; others as insulting.

Peter Homans has died

Peter Homans (1930-2009)

Peter Homans, Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Religious Studies at the University of Chicago, died May 30, 2009.

He was born in New York City and earned degrees from Virginia Theological Seminary (B.D.) and University of Chicago Divinity School (M.A. & Ph.D.). His work emphasized psychoanalysis and is expressed primarily in three books,

• Theology After Freud: An Interpretive Inquiry


• Jung in Context


• The Ability to Mourn: Disillusionment and the Social Origins of Psychoanalysis

His final book is an edited volume, Symbolic Loss: The Ambiguity of Mourning and Memory at Century's End.

Homans was known for his teaching as well as for his scholarship. A warm tribute to him can be found at the University of Chicago, where the Dean of the Divinity school describes him as meticulous with details, but never forgetting the larger questions. Homans taught at the University of Chicago for 36 years.

Psychology, Religion, & Culture in Iran

A group of psychologists has announced a Congress on Psychology, Religion, and Culture, 18-20 May 2010 to be held in Tehran. Issues to be addressed range from basic issues (both theoretical and empirical investigations) to applications of psychology and religion to issues such as family and bioethics.

For what its worth, I have spoken with two people who attended a similar conference in Tehran several years ago. They raved about the experience! If you are able to travel, consider this on your calendar. It promises to be a fascinating, rewarding experience.