Serpent Handling: A Photojournalist's Reflections

Through covering Pastor Randy "Mack" Wolford's ministry, Washington Post photojournalist Lauren Pond had become friends with him. She was there when he died from handling a rattlesnake at a service. Wolford was a serpent handler who tried to spread that form of worship throughout Appalachia. You can read Pond's brief essay reflecting on her encounters with Wolford, as well as view photos documenting her experience.

For a scholarly examination of serpent handling, read Ralph W. Hood's work. I've inserted links to his two books on the subject. He has published many excellent journal articles on it as well. They are well worth reading. You might supplement Professor Hood's work with that of Dennis Covington, the journalist who wrote Salvation on Sand Mountain, documenting his experience with serpent handling.

Psychology of Religion, from Persian to Russian

If you speak Persian or Russian, you may be interested to know that Psychology of Religion by Masoud Azerbaijani and Seyyed Mahdi Mousavi, has now been translated from Persian to Russian by Dmitry Biyayev. This book is published in Moscow, according to Ahlul Bayt News Agency. If a reader in Russia or Iran happens to obtain a copy, please pass along to me a summary of the book. It would be most interesting to see its chapter titles, or to have a synopsis of the approach taken by the authors.

Haidt, Religion & Morality (brief)

Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist at the University of Virginia, has been i the news quite a lot lately about his views of morality. This article from UVA Today offers a good summary of his latest book, in which he describes different types of morality and connects them to politics and religion. The story is worth a look, especially if you don't have time to read his book.

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality for Clinicians

If you are interested in clinical issues, consider reading The Psychology of Religion and Spirituality for Clinicians, edited by Jamie Aten, Kari O'Grady, and Everett Worthington Jr. They have assembled a useful collection of chapters devoted to research on especially relevant for clinicians as they work with clients. Chapters focus on developmental, motivational and personality concerns; meaning-making, religious coping, and forgiveness; psychopathology, couples & families, mental health, and physical health.

Religion and Psychiatry

A new book developed by the backing of the Religion, Spirituality and Psychiatry section of the World Psychiatric Association is worth your consideration. Religion and Psychiatry: Beyond Boundaries offers in-depth chapters on a very broad range of topics dealing with religion and mental health, from science and religion to issues of countertransference, and more. It is well-suited for professionals or advanced graduate students. Read more details on my Featured Books page.

Insight Turkey

The editor of Insight Turkey seeks people interested in reviewing books relevant to social and religious aspects of life in Turkey. as well as article manuscripts. If your research investigates Islam, religion and politics, or related topics, you may wish to consider Insight Turkey. This peer-reviewed journal publishes articles that address a broader range of topics than the title might seem to imply. The current issue includes such articles as:

• A Research Note on Islam, Democracy, and Secularism
  
• Democracy in Muslim Contexts: What Africa Can Bring to the Discussion?
  
• Islam and Democracy in Indonesia
  
• and Peacemaking between America and the Muslim World: A New Beginning?

More from Mario Aletti

Earlier this year Professor Mario Aletti kindly sent me three books he and his colleagues edited. I posted a summary of the first of those books in March, but it has taken some time to finish work on the other two. They now are available on my website, where you can read abstracts of the chapters.

Religious Identity, Pluralism and Fundamentalism is a compilation of 36 articles on this common theme. Religion: Culture, Mind and Brain includes a wide range of pespectives on religion, from neuroscience to psychoanalysis. Particularly noteworthy articles by Belzen, Antonietti, Reich, Aletti, and De Paiva appear in both English and Italian translations. It is well worth reading, as these abstracts show.

Darwin for Creationists

Inside Higher Ed reports that an anti-evolution group plans to distribute 100,000 copies of Darwin's Origin of Species, with an introduction intended to undercut the book's thesis. Given news that conservative Christians are at work framing the Bible itself so that it conforms more clearly with their beliefs, it seems a small leap to do similar work on Darwin's classic.

If you enjoy the topic, take a look at this cartoon from Dan Piraro. His version of The Ascent of Snow Man will give you a smile.

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.

Psychology of Religion in Italy

A series edited by Mario Aletti, Germano Rossi, Daniella Fagnani, and Fabio De Nardi

You may not be aware that there is a very active group of scholars studying the psychology of religion in Italy. Some of their work has been documented in a series edited by Mario Aletti and his colleagues, and published by the Centro Scientifico Editore. The books grew from conferences of the Italian Society for the Psychology of Religion. Nearly all of the chapters (papers) begin with an abstract written in English. Many of them have several chapters written entirely in English, as well, so that they can reach a broader audience. During the coming few days I will offer some highlights from each of the books.

L'illusione religiosa: rive e derive

a cura di Mario Aletti & Germano Rossi, 2001

One of the highlights of this book is "Vicissitudes of Self, Object, and God Representations During Psychoanalysis," by Ana-Maria Rizzuto. I found her descriptions of Mr. T, "the man who wanted to be God", and Ms. O, "the atheist in the hands of 'the powers'" to be fascinating. I am not a psychoanalyst, but I understand the psychoanalytic framework better through this chapter.

Another chapter I found interesting was that by Marta Ferrero, "The Idea of God among Psychology Faculty Students." Ferrero reports on a survey about belief in God among psychology students. Whereas most of the students (70%) did not deny the existence of a Superior Being, Ferrero found that only 5% shared a Christian concept of God. The vast majority of students also reported that psychology and faith are not in conflict with each other, but only if the two are separated. The abstract paints a picture of psychology students who are less inclined toward religion than are other students in Italy, a finding that mirrors data I have seen concerning psychology in the US.

Antoine Vergote's chapter "A Key Conflict Questioning Religion and its Psychology" is another worth your attention. He addresses issues related to religious identity and pluralism. What happens to identity when a religion encounters pluralistic trends? Vergote suggests that conflicts are inevitable, perhaps even desirable, and that "... we wish the dead person, not ourselves, to rest in peace." With sources ranging from Plato to Rokeach, he concludes that psychological factors are present when we encounter dogmatism in religion. Vergote favors an "inner sectarian retirement", in which conflict is dealt with by affiliating with other dogmatic religious people who can act as a form of support network, but who do not promote interlant, exclusivistic commitments. Dogmatism goes askew when it features an "intolerant commitment to promote one's belief or to even repress the expressiosn of other beliefs and ideas" (p. 288).

Although many of the papers in this book are psychoanalytic in their orientation toward religion, Germano Rossi's paper, "Religious Knowledge on 15-18 Year Old Italian Catholic Students: A comparison after 10 years," presents a statistical comparison of teenagers' knowledge of religion. The comparisons are too extensive to fully cover here, but among the findings is a reduction in the difference between male and female students in terms of their knowledge of religion. This occurs in the context of an overall decline in religious knowledge among the teens he sampled. The decline appears to be mitigated by religious involvement; those who prayed or attended Sunday mass knew more about religion than those who did not. Males whose parents were more educated also had greater knowledge of religion.

Finally, Mario Aletti's paper on "Teaching Psychology of Religion in Italy" offered great insight to psychologists interested in religion. Aletti began by trying to survey Spain, Greece and Italy, but encountered difficulty extending the investigation to Spain and Greece. (As a result, he concludes that the psychology of religion does not have much of a presence in those countries.) In Italy there are more courses taught, and the problems he cites may resonate with faculty in other countries. In state universities, the psychology of religion is considered a very new course -- if it is offered at all. When it appears, it is more likely to be in seminar form, often in the context of other courses such as social or developmental psychology. In Pontifical Universities and Faculties, there is a somewhat better situation, with the psychology of religion or pastoral psychology more likely to be offered. Still, it is a discipline on the margins of academia. He characterizes the courses as leaning toward psychodynamic, developmental, or social-cognitive, depending on the faculty teaching them. He also notes the importance of the Italian Society of Psychology of Religion in facilitating scholarship, including student research. Aletti concludes with words that many psychologists in other countries could voice: "The real difficulty, however, lies in convincing the institutions -- both academic and ecclesiastical -- that the Psychology of religion is essentially a psychological discipline, and that its object is psychological in nature, not primarily religious" (p. 317).

These books are worth adding to your library if you are a serious researcher in the area. You can find them directly on the Centro Scientifico Editore website (search "religiosa"), or you might be able to find them through Fetchbook, which aggregates new and used books in North America. (Supplies at Fetchbook vary, of course, as inventories at book sellers change.)

In the coming days I will summarize more books from this series. Thanks to Prof. Aletti for offering them to me so that I can relay the highlights to you.

David Myers' Friendly Letter

A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Musings on why God is good and faith isn't evil
by David G. Myers
David Myers may be the most successful textbook author in psychology today. Many students' first exposure to psychology comes through one of his introduction to psychology texts, and for years my students have benefited from the clear writing in his social psychology text. In his Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists, Myers now addresses the question of religious belief, and what the benefits and costs of belief are. Myers writes this book as a sort of open response to the several books published recently decrying religious belief by authors such as Dawkins and Harris. As they point out, religious belief is associated with many ills that plague the world. Their books are worth adding to your library, but until Myers' book, there has been little from people of faith to counter the skeptics' arguments. In his Friendly Letter, Myers acknowledges the harm that can accompany religious belief, but also notes that religious belief can bring benefits to people and society. He thoroughly grounds his book in psychological research, and frames his argument in terms that skeptics appreciate. This is because, as Michael Shermer notes, Myers "is both a skeptic and a theist, a world-class debunker of all things nonsense, and yet a man of faith." Myers' Friendly Letter is a thoughtful addition to the ongoing science-religion dialogue and, regardless of your position on the issues, it is well-worth your time to read this book. Whether you find yourself siding more with the skeptics or with the "faith-heads" (Myers' term), you will come away with a greater appreciation for the evidence on both sides.

Interview with Andrew McCarthy

Andrew McCarthy was the main prosecutor in the US government's case against Sheik Omar Abdel Rahmen, the "blind sheikh" who was convicted for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. You can view a fascinating interview with McCarthy on the Book TV website. The longer the interview goes, the more interesting it is. You may or may not agree with interviewer Hugh Hewitt, who is a polarizing figure in American politics, but McCarthy's perspective is worth paying attention to if you are interested in radical Islam.

Letter to Skeptics & Atheists

David Myers has a new book soon to be published. His A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Musings on Why God is Good and Faith Isn't Evil presents a Christian perspective on the benefits of belief in God. As you would expect from a book by one of psychology's most successful textbook writers, Myers bases much of his book on psychological research, but he presents it in a way thoroughly accessible to non-psychologists. Keep your eyes open for this book when it is released later this year. Until then, visit his site for a preview.

Implications of Genetic Testing of Polygamous Parents

A book is planned regarding the ramifications of genetic testing being done by Texas authorities on the FLDS parents and children. The issue seems timely, and there are many social-psychological aspects that would seem relevant, such as stereotyping, ingroup-outgroup dynamics, and many others. Having done some research on people's views of polygamy, and written an op-ed commentary published in the Salt Lake Tribune on a related issue, I would like to write an essay for this book. Sadly, I'm overcommitted right now, and it isn't realistic for me to meet their deadline. Please, if you have thoughts on the issues, consider submitting it for inclusion in this volume. I would love to see some good psychological and social-scientific perspectives be included in this book.

- - -

GENETIC TESTING OF THE MORMON CHILDREN OF POLYGAMOUS PARENTS:
The Legal, Psychological, Anthropological, and Journalistic Ramifications
edited by Herbert Richardson
978-0-7734-5028-8
$39.95 soft cover
Order direct from publisher
716.754.2788
www.mellenpress.com

Call for Essays

Texas state officials take 400 children from the parents of a fundamentalist Mormon group into "protective custody." A Texas court orders DNA testing of all the children to determine their biological parents before bussing them to destinations which, says the state, cannot be revealed.

These events are described in detail by the media but without background analysis or editorial comment. One might have anticipated an expression of outrage or at least a request for explanation. But, apparently these events are felt to be self-explanatory and morally tolerable (since they are perpetrated on people unlike ourselves).

Over the years, The Edwin Mellen Press, has published dozens of books which explain and defend new religions. Our goal is to stem the tide of thoughtlessness that pervades public opinion and dominates the news.

Therefore, we invite scholars to send us their essays on any aspect of the this Mormon issue: political, psychological, anthropological, journalistic, historical, and religious (3000-7500 words, before July 31). We will publish a selection of these essays in summer 2008.

Send your essay and CV to:
Herbert Richardson, Editor
The Edwin Mellen Press
415 Ridge Street,
Lewiston, NY, 14092-0450

National Academy of Sciences and Creationism

The National Academy of Sciences has published a new book on evolution and creatonism. Science, Evolution, and Creationism is their newest addition to the ongoing discussion. A one-line summary for the book might read that science and faith are compatible, and that creationism is not suited for the science classroom. It has received good reviews, and is worth adding to your library if you are interested in the science-religion dialogue.

New from Thomas Plante

Thomas Plante and Carl Thoresen have recently published a new book that will be of interest to you. It is titled "Science, Spirit and Health: How the Spiritual Mind Fuels Physical Wellness". It garners high praise from such luminaries as Kenneth Pargament and Albert Bandura, so it should probably be on your "must read" list! And I see that Plante will be chairing session 2039 of the American Psychological Association convention in San Francisco in two weeks. Thoresen will serve as discussant of that session, so add that to your list of things to do Saturday morning, August 18th. Join me there ... after all, what better thing do you have happening at 8:00 on a fine Saturday?