Psychology of Religion: Web Resources

From Michael Nielsen Ph.D. "Hello, and welcome to my Psychology of Religion pages! I have developed these pages to serve as a resource for people interested in psychological aspects of religious belief and behavior. My general philosophy is that you should find the information you need quickly and easily. For that reason, I have kept graphics to a minimum. These pages were begun in 1994, and have been updated periodically ever since. Please check back from time to time for future updates. Unless otherwise indicated, these pages are copyrighted. You may link to the pages if you wish, but you may not post them on another website."

Though we can't prove the existence of one (or many) god(s), we can provide evidence for the power of religion. For good or for evil, faith factors into our everyday functioning: We've evolved to believe. Religion can help us make sense of our world, provide motivation, and bind us together. Nevertheless, structured belief has its drawbacks. So keep your mind open when dealing with dogma.

David's contribution to dialogue between psychology and religion reflects his perspective as a participant in mainstream psychological science and as a person of faith. He has danced on the science-faith boundary by:explaining to people of faith the value of psychological science documenting for social scientists some interesting links between faith and personal and social well-being comparing big ideas about human nature found in both psychological research and biblical and theological literatures.

The Society for the Scientific Study of Religion stimulates, promotes, and communicates social scientific research about religious institutions and experiences. Founded in 1949, SSSR fosters interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration among scholars from sociology, religious studies, psychology, political science, economics, international studies, gender studies, and many other fields. Its flagship publication, the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, is the most cited resource in the field.

Since 1943, the Conference has gathered on Memorial Day Weekend to provide a respite for individuals of all spiritual and religious backgrounds who wish to delve more deeply into their inner world. FCRP is one of the oldest conferences in the U.S. dedicated to individual spiritual exploration with a focus on in-depth psychology, specifically Jungian psychology.