Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Can Joy And Reverence Coexist? A Look At Worship And Culture, Lilianne Douhkan

Faculty Publications

"What is the right form of worship? Is there only one correct form or style of worship? Have worship forms changed over time? Who is to decide which form or format is appropriate for worship? Almost everyone involved in the organization of worship has been confronted with such questions.

"Within the ensuing discussions there is an abundance of good intent, but also a plethora of personal opinions, and very often little understanding of what worship really is. I would like to suggest that when we inquire about forms and formats of worship, we are asking the wrong questions. Rather than …

The Spiritual Self: Toward A Conceptualization Of Spiritual Identity Development, Timothy B. Smith, Justin B. Poll

Faculty Publications

Both researchers and practitioners have demonstrated considerable interest in identity development, and positive personal identities have been associated with numerous positive mental health outcomes. However, major theories of identity development have neglected the salience of spiritual identity, even though the early work of William James placed this as a central component of personality. This article reviews four major theories of identity development (cognitive, psychodynamic, systems, and narrative) and suggests spiritual identity parallels to these theories. A tentative model of spiritual identity development is presented. Implications for therapy and future research concerning spiritual identity development are discussed.

Religiousness And Depression: Evidence For A Main Effect And The Moderating Influence Of Stressful Life Events, Timothy B. Smith, Michael E. Mccullough, Justin Poll

Faculty Publications

The association between religiousness and depressive symptoms was examined with meta-analytic methods across 147 independent investigations (N = 98,975). Across all studies, the correlation between religiousness and depressive symptoms was –.096, indicating that greater religiousness is mildly associated with fewer symptoms. The results were not moderated by gender, age, or ethnicity, but the religiousness–depression association was stronger in studies involving people who were undergoing stress due to recent life events. The results were also moderated by the type of measure of religiousness used in the study, with extrinsic religious orientation and negative religious coping (e.g., avoiding difficulties through religious activities, …

Marriage On Tv, Mary E. Hess

Faculty Publications

While it is important for teachers of religion to consider how television portrays marriage, it may be even more important to consider how we use television and how we help people engage the media with critical perception. People of faith need to do a cultural intervention, providing a deep and sustaining vision of what marriage can be over time and in connection with community.

The Confessional Basis Of Lutheran Thinking On Church-State Issues, Mary Jane Haemig

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Toward A Lutheran "Delight In The Law Of The Lord": Church And State In The Context Of Civil Society, Gary M. Simpson

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Practicing Attention In Media Culture, Mary E. Hess

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Scientific Empathy, American Buddhism, And The Ethnography Of Religion, Daniel S. Capper

Faculty Publications

The expansion of the use of ethnography in the study of religion has led to substantial methodological confusion. The reflexive ethnographic efforts which exist commonly appeal to the need for ethnographer empathy for field subjects, although the nature and ethical ramifications of this empathy remain poorly explored. This essay offers a model of ethnographic empathy in terms of the methodological observations of Weber, Homans, and Kohut. Using a model of empathy in terms of a reflexive “evenly hovering attention” for data collection, possible gains in the field from this model are explored. These gains include overcoming obstacles to data collection …

From The Individual To Individualism: A Critique Of The Helping Professions, Timothy B. Smith, Matthew R. Draper

Faculty Publications

Individualistic values characterize contemporary society and many popular approaches to mental health treatment. This paper critiques the individualistic values embedded in the helping professions that implicitly contradict the teachings ofJesus Christ, the surest foundation for mental health interventions. Members of AMCAP are encouraged to search out and replace problematic values that contradict gospel teachings which have been integrated into contemporary mental health practice.