Remembering Laurence B. Brown

Laurence Binet Brown, 1927-2011

Laurence Binet Brown was known for his several books in the psychology of religion. After completing his bachelor's degree at Victoria University (Wellington, New Zealand), Brown obtained his Ph.D. at the University of London, where he studied with Michael Argyle and Robert Thouless. His career featured extensive work in the psychology of religion, with many relevant books: Psychology of Religion (1973), Ideology (1973), Advances in the Psychology of Religion (1985), The Psychology of Religious Belief (1987), The Psychology of Religion: An Introuction (1988), and Modern Spiritualities: An Inquiry (1997). Brown also served as co-editor of International Journal for the Psychology of Religion at its founding. For his contributions to the field, APA Division 36 awarded him the William James Award in 1992. His career took him to many countries, from his native New Zealand to Australia and England. He also introduced Western psychologists to psychology in China, through his Psychology in Contemporary China (1981).

Psychologists interested in religion owe him a great debt. Brown's prolific career has left a significant impact on the field.

SSSR Travel Grants

A brief announcement from the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion:

The deadline for Jack Shand International Travel Award has been extended to May 15, 2012. These awards fund travel by scholars outside North America to the SSSR meeting in November. Details can be found at http://www.sssrweb.org under Annual Awards and Grants.

Applications should be sent to rlwood[at]unm.edu

Please note the usual May 1 deadline, tomorrow, for Student Travel Awards, Student Research Awards, and the Jack Shand Research Awards.

Conference: Bioethics & Entheogens

From Tom Roberts comes this message: April 26-27, 2012, near Madison, Wisconsin Treat your intellect. Next Thursday and Friday the bioethics conference (below) will feature people and programs who are described in the NYTimes Sunday Magazine article on using psychedelics to prepare for death (online yesterday, hardcopy forthcoming tomorrow). Among them:
Stanislav Grof. In my estimation, Grof will eventually hold a place in the study of the mind parallel to Galileo's in astronomy.
William Richards is the head session monitor for the Johns Hopkins psilocybin studies. His professional experience goes back to the Good Friday Experiment, 50 years ago yesterday.
Jeff Guss is co-director with Stephen Ross of the Bellevue-NYU Medical School study.
Charlie Grob, who is featured in the article, spoke last year, will probably be there this year too. Enjoyable to chat with.
The conference is hosted in the quite comfortable grounds of Promega Corp. just south of Madison in Fitchburg. The Quality Inn is the nearest overnight accommodation; mention the conference for lower group rates.
Register at the Bioethics Forum Website

Serpent Handling on Animal Planet - with Ralph Hood

The US cable television channel, Animal Planet, is running a series on serpent handling, with Ralph Hood in the first segment of the series. You can read about the program at the Times Free Press. You also can preview clips from the program, Snake Man of Appalachia.

Master's Programs in Psych of Religion

Two universities in the UK now offer master's degree programs in the psychology of religion. I have added the information to my page on graduate study in psych of religion, but I want to advertise these efforts here as well.

Heythrop College, University of London, offers a M.A. in Psychology of Religion. This is a traditional course, with a strong reading list that will prepare students with an excellent understanding of the field's past and present.

Another program is fully online, through Glyndwr University in Wales. This program may offer more flexibility for students who are not near enough to attend Heythrop and can thereby take advantage of in-person classes.

For more information about graduate school options in psychology of religion, view my graduate study page to get started.

Conference in Sri Lanka

The International Conference on Psychology and Allied Professions will be held in Sri Lanka, December 5-8, 2011. The agenda and materials for this conference are too lengthy to summarize adequately on this blog. I have made them available to you at this link. I hope that someone will be able to attend, and tell me about the experience. It sounds like a tremendous opportunity to exchange ideas about psychology and spirituality in a fascinating context. In addition to the academic sessions, the President of Sri Lanka will speak to attendees, and the conference will include ceremonial dance, and blessings by religious dignitaries.

Position at Uppsala University

Uppsala University seeks to hire a researcher or postdoc in the psychology of religion. The ad indicates "The position as researcher/postdoc in Psychology of Religion involves primarily pursuing empirical research related to one or more of the following areas of the research programme: health, wellbeing, migration and ritual studies. Both cultural- and gender analysis are an integral part of all research projects included in the research programme." View the ad for more details.

Graduate Study at Georgia Southern

Some last-minute assistantship funds have become available for our MS in experimental psychology program. This is part of an effort to attract good students who might not have been successful in doctoral admissions, or who are only now realizing that they wish to pursue graduate study in psychology. Please pass word along anyone who might be seeking support for graduate studies. Information about our program is available at:
http://class.georgiasouthern.edu/psychology/ms.php

Please send any questions or replies to me off-list, at mnielsen@georgiasouthern.edu

Thanks,
Mike

Research position at Catholic University of Louvain

This announcement comes from Vassilis Saroglou:

A research position for a postgraduate/Ph.D. student is open at the Catholic University of Louvain, Centre for Psychology of Religion http://www.uclouvain.be/psyreli . The position is full time (fellowship + social security), lasts two years (1+1), starts September 2011, and implies working in Louvain-la-Neuve (University's town). The research focuses on the understanding of moral and emotional characteristics of ideological (including religious) radicalism and will use methodology from social/moral psychology and psychology of emotions. It is integrated into a broader interdisciplinary project (Research Coordinated Action) on religious fundamentalism and ideological radicalism, a project funded by the Belgian Community of Brussels-Wallonia and the University.

Applications (CV and letter of motivation) are to be sent to Prof. Vassilis Saroglou vassilis.saroglou [at] uclouvain.be by June 15. (Use the same email address for more information).

Faculty Position, Lausanne

The University of Lausanne is conducting a search for a full professor or tenure track position in the social science of contemporary religion. Click here for details.

SPSP - Psych of Religion Pre-Conference Events

2011 SPSP Pre-conference on Psychology of Religion-Spirituality

8am-4:30pm, Thursday, January 27, 2011, Room 213 Concourse Level, San Antonio Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA

Final Call for Posters: We have space for only about 15 more posters that present psychology of religion research, preferably from a social-personality perspective. The next 15 reasonable submissions will likely be accepted. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis. To submit a poster for consideration, please send a pdf file containing title, 250 word abstract, author(s), affiliation(s), and email address of presenter to Kevin L. Ladd (kladd@iusb.edu). Data must be collected and analyzed before submission; we will not consider abstracts for incomplete studies. If the first or sole author is a student, please indicate whether or not you would like to be considered for the student poster award.

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM (presenter order may change) (updated September 15, 2010)

8:00 - 8:55: Continental breakfast (coffee, juice, fruit, pastries)
9:00 – 9:30: Ian Hansen (John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY)
9:30 – 10:00: Eric Hill (Arizona State University)
10:00 - 10:30: Michael Inzlicht (University of Toronto-Scarborough)
10:30 - 11:00: Break with snack/drinks
11:00 - 11:30: Larisa Heiphetz (Harvard University)
11:30 – 12:00: Margaret Evans (University of Michigan)
12:00 – 2:00: Box lunch and poster session
1:00 – 2:00: Assigned SPSP check-in time
2:00 – 2:30: Ariel Malka (Yeshiva University)
2:30 – 3:00: Karina Schumann (University of Waterloo)
3:00 – 3:30: David Rosmarin (McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School)
3:30 – 4:00: Christopher Ellison (University of Texas - San Antonio, Sociology)
4:00 - 4:30: Edward Slingerland (University of British Columbia, Asian Studies)

Introduction to Psychology, with Psych. of Religion

An announcement from Doug Krull, posted with his permission:




I'm writing an introductory psychology text and the publisher with whom I've been talking would like me to identify some likely adopters to reduce the risk of launching a new textbook. I have emailed a number of colleagues and have found some who are interested, but because I hope to include a psychology of religion chapter I thought that some members of division 36 might be interested as well.

I would be happy to share any of the chapters I've completed (Intro/Methods, Biopsychology, Perception, Cognition, Learning, Motivation/Emotion, Personality, Health), but if you can spare a few minutes, I'd like to describe my approach briefly.

1. Perhaps the most obvious feature is that I have a playful writing style. I think science should be fun and I think this fosters learning. As one outstanding student commented to me, "What good is a textbook if students don't read it?" I hope to encourage textbook reading by adding a dose of goofiness here and there.

2. Pedagogy
A. I try to use good examples. I suppose all textbook writers do, but I think this is one of my strong points.
B. Greater depth. I think students can handle more content, especially if it's interesting and/or important (e.g., genes and
Huntington's disease, classical conditioning and drug tolerance, Own Race Bias, conditional reasoning, Theory of Planned Behavior).
C. Short sections within chapters. I think both chapters and modules are too long. I prefer short sections followed by review questions within traditional chapters.
D. Critical thinking. I try to emphasize it throughout the text.

3. Psychology of Religion chapter. As you know well, psychology of religion is growing in popularity (e.g., new division 36 APA journal, special issues in Journal of Clinical Psychology and Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin) and it makes a good capstone for intro psych because it has many of the same topics (e.g., methods, biopsychology, development, health, social).

4. Different perspective on controversial issues. I realize that many of you will disagree with me on this, but I want to be open about my goals. This aspect comes up rarely because most topics in psychology are not controversial (e.g., experiments, agonists, color vision, shaping, object permanence, Diathesis-Stress Model). However, I think that most intro psychology texts have secular Humanist overtones in certain areas, which doesn¹t thrill me. So, to illustrate, I don't refer to humans as animals or
say that sex outside of marriage is ok. I do point out factors that protect against teen sexual behavior and research that suggests that cohabitation is accompanied by many negative characteristics.

Perhaps I should also mention that they are tending toward an etext. Although personally I prefer to hold books in my hands, it seems like the way of the future.

If you think you might possibly be interested or if you would like more information or would like to see a sample chapter, please contact me off-list by email or phone. Either way, thanks very much for your consideration and best wishes.

Doug Krull
krull@nku.edu
(859) 572-6653
Department of Psychological Science
Northern Kentucky University

Research Methods Workshop

A workshop on methods in the study of non-religion and secularity will be offered in December at the University of Cambridge. The announcement follows:

Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network.s Methods Series

Tuesday 14 December 2010 | PPSIS, University of Cambridge

It can reasonably be said that what is most glaringly absent from current studies of those who are not traditionally religious is a qualitative understanding of the ways in which different types of .nones. construct their moral frameworks and meaning systems. . Creativity and determination is (sic) needed in order to study non-traditionally religious people in a more qualitative manner.
O.Brian Baker & Smith, Dec 2009, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion

The study of nonreligion poses particular challenges to qualitative researchers. Whatever its form (nonreligion can be any position or practice defined primarily by its relationship of difference to religion; examples are atheism, agnosticism and secularity), nonreligion is less easy to spot than formalised religious practice or affiliation and tends to have very few dedicated institutional or associational manifestations. Without qualitative research, however, the burgeoning nonreligion and
secularity studies will soon hit a glass ceiling. Qualitative research in this area is urgently needed. The first of a series of methodology-focused events, this NSRN workshop will begin to explore these challenges and opportunities.

DISCUSSION TOPICS will include:
. Achievements of qualitative nonreligion research to date
. Conceptual issues facing qualitative nonreligious studies
. Nonreligious populations and sampling methods
. Ethnographic approaches to non-institutional or associational cultures
. Researching institutional nonreligion (e.g. atheist meet-ups, secularist campaign groups)
. Cultural and media studies approaches to New Atheism and other nonreligion discourses
. New methods and nonreligious .objects.: can visual methods, video diaries, walkabouts., social network analysis and other innovative research methods be used to research nonreligion?
. The relationship between qualitative nonreligious research and quantitative work: past, present and future

QUALITATIVE METHODS WORKSHOP

Methods for Nonreligion and Secularity Studies Series
THE WORKSHOP is open to anyone with an interest in qualitative approaches to nonreligiosity and secularity, but applications from social science researchers (including those from history and religious studies) are especially encouraged. It will enable researchers at the planning stages of a project to scrutinise and develop their research designs, and for those who are currently working in the field or have completed research into nonreligiosity to reflect on these methodologies, their successes and shortcomings.

The workshop will also be of interest to those approaching nonreligion, secularity or related topics using quantitative methodologies, to consider how qualitative projects and/or findings might enrich that work and vice versa. It may also be of interest to those not specifically working in the subject area but interested in innovative approaches to the study of Modernity.

We hope that the workshop will provide a friendly and supportive environment for researchers to discuss and develop qualitative approaches to nonreligion and secularity, and to inspire new lines of enquiry and research designs. Participants will be asked to give an informal 10 minute summary of their research or research interests in the area of qualitative nonreligion studies. To apply to participate, please email us at conference@nsrn.co.uk with a short summary of your interest and/or research activity in this area.

All applications to be received by Friday 24 September 2010
Location: Faculty of Politics, Psychology, Sociology and International
Studies
Free School Lane site
University of Cambridge
Date: Tuesday 14 December 2010
10am . 5pm (TBC)
Fees: FREE
Lunch and other refreshments will be available for a small charge

Please email us at conference@nsrn.co.uk if you have any questions about
this event.
Best wishes
Lois Lee and Stacey Gutkowski
Workshop conveners
Co-directors, Nonreligion and Secularity Research Network

Obituary of William W. Meissner

Dr. Ana-Maria Rizzuto has kindly permitted me to post this obituary of W. W. Meissner, a prolific writer who worked to understand religious experience through the tools of psychoanalysis.

In Memoriam: Tribute to William W. Meissner, S.J., M.D.
1931 - 2010
by Ana-Maria Rizzuto, M.D.
The Psychoanalytic Institute of New England, East

It is a great honor to be asked to celebrate the life and the scholarly contributions of William W. Meissner. He was a very prominent psychoanalytic theoretician and clinician and a member of the Society of Jesus, a priest and scholar in several fields. His commitment to these two vocations as a Jesuit and as a psychoanalyst converged in his love of knowledge, his dedication to investigate every aspect of the mind and all varieties of human experience. He left few of those experiences untouched. Dr. Meissner contributed a significant literature to the interface between religion, religious experience, and psychoanalysis expanding and clarifying Freud’s understanding of the field. His book Psychoanalysis an Religious Experience (1984) is a classic in the filed. As a psychoanalyst, he also explored the historical perspectives of the origin of Christianity, cultic elements, Messianism and Sabbatianism, the Messiah and the Millennium and many other related issues. He wrote about the psychology of grace and contributed many papers to theological and philosophical journals. His Ignatius of Loyola:The Psychology of a Saint" (1992), focusing on the psychological understanding of the dynamic factors involved in the religious experiences of a remarkable man and saint, is a masterpiece.

His contributions to psychoanalytic theory are as numerous as they are significant. He investigated and clarified many issues of theory and technique. No one knows exactly how many papers he published, but I managed to count over three hundred. The same is true about his books. I believe he wrote 25 books.

Dr. Meissner’s clarity of thought in addressing anew so many theoretical and technical issues in psychoanalysis and the psychology of religion brought him to the rank of one of the greatest theoreticians of contemporary psychoanalysis, a "true luminary," as Drs. Massicote and Bursztajn said in their obituary for the Public Information Committee of the International Psychoanalytic Association.

He received the Oskar Pfister Award from the American Psychiatric Association in 1989 and the William C. Bier Award from the American Psychological Association in 2001 as a recognition of his outstanding contributions to the psychology of religion.

His many contributions to psychoanalysis will remain a source of significant learning for new generations of psychoanalysts, for the scholars of psychoanalytic theory, and for those interested in understanding of the psychodynamics of religious processes in the future.

Ana-Maria Rizzuto, M.D.
10 Rogers Street # 321
Cambridge, MA 02142 1248

---

I would like to thank Dr. Rizzuto for providing this obituary of Dr. Meissner, who was a prolific writer and important psychoanalytic theorist. His most recent book was Time, Self, and Psychoanalysis but an important theme in his work focused on the psychology of religion. The following is a list of some of the books addressing religion.

To the Greater Glory: A Psychological Study of Ignatian Spirituality (Marquette Studies in Theology)


The Cultic Origins of Christianity: The Dynamics of Religious Development (Theology)


Thy Kingdom Come


Vincent's Religion: The Search for Meaning (Reshaping of Psychoanalysis)


Life and Faith: Psychological Perspectives on Religious Experience


Ignatius of Loyola: The Psychology of a Saint


Psychoanalysis and Religious Experience

Don Browning, 1934 - 2010

Don Browning, the Alexander Campbell Professor Emeritus of Religious Ethics and the Social Sciences at the Divinity School of the University of Chicago, has died. He was a driving force in pastoral psychology, teaching at the University of Chicago from 1977 - 2002. He directed the Lily Project on Religion, Culture and the Family, and published
Fundamental Practical Theology.

You can view the University of Chicago announcement, his faculty profile, or his essay Critical Familism, Civil Society, and the Law. If I learn of more information, I will share it here as well. I offer my condolences to all who miss Professor Browning.

Clinical Post-Doc, Loma Linda University

This announcement comes from Carlos Fayard:

Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry is currently accepting applications for a postdoctoral position in Clinical Psychology. Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist educational health-sciences institution; the mission of Loma Linda University is to alleviate human suffering through a wholistic approach, seeking to bring about healing and growth by attending to the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of the persons and communities that we serve. The Department of Psychiatry supports the mission of Loma Linda University through service, training, teaching, and research at the interface of psychology and the spiritual life.

We are seeking an individual with a strong clinical and research interest in the interface of psychology and the spiritual life, and in particular, knowledgeable and supportive of the Adventist worldview. As we endeavor to engage all dimensions of a patient's personhood, including spirituality and religious faith should the patient so desire, the ideal candidate for this position would be one who demonstrates competence (or is actively seeking the development of competence) in theoretical, clinical, and personal aspects of psychotherapy and the spiritual life. In addition to clinical work, the postdoctoral resident will be involved in interdisciplinary dialogues and scholarly activities such as symposia, theoretical writings, and the development and implementation of research projects aimed to teaching and training medical professionals and lay persons to contextualize and apply mental health programs in international communities.

The successful candidate will provide outpatient individual psychotherapy and psychological testing, inpatient group therapy and testing, training and peer supervision to practicum students, consultation to medical providers, and will participate in multidisciplinary treatment teams. Regarding involvement in scholarly activities, the postdoctoral resident is expected to contribute to ongoing quantitative and qualitative research projects; therefore familiarity with both methodologies is required. Qualified candidates should submit a CV, letter of interest (including a statement describing your thoughts on the relationship between clinical psychology and the spiritual life), and three letters of recommendation by e-mail to:

Carlos Fayard, Ph.D. at cfayard @ llu. edu (Note: delete the spaces in the email address)
Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Training Director, Clinical Psychology Internship
Loma Linda University Behavioral Health Institute

International Meaning Conference

The 6th Biennial International Meaning Conference will be held in Vancouver, BC, August 5-8, 2010. The conference theme will be "Creating a Psychologically Healthy Workplace: Meaning, Engagement, & Spirituality". The conference is organized by The International Network on Personal Meaning. Abstracts must be submitted by June 15; early registration discounts are available until June 15. Of special interest to psychologists interested in religion is a focus on the role of spirituality in in the workplace and the mental health of workers. Click for more information.

Cambridge Visiting Professorship

There is a visiting professorship at Cambridge University that is suitable for psychologists or sociologists who study religion and other aspects of social life, and who have a sabbatical and can travel. Contact Nicholas Gibson for details.

Lectureship in Psych of Religion: Heythrop College

Heythrop College of the University of London is advertising for the position of Lecturer in the Psychology of Religion. The position (Reference: ACA18-PSYR) is a full-time, permanent lectureship, and carries a salary of £34,754 to £36,741. More information is available here, and at the Heythrop Vacancies site, where you may find application forms.

Clergy Sexual Abuse Update

Professor Thomas Plante has updated his essay on clergy sexual abuse to reflect developments in research and charges alleging abuse in the world.