153 - Psychology of Religion: Personalities, Problems, Possibilities

Psychology of Religion:
Personalities, Problems, Possibilities
Edited by H. Newton Malony
Grand Rapids, MI, Baker Book House, 1991. 628 pp. $29.98.

Over two decades ago, commenting on the impact of humanistic psychology on the psychology of religion, I wrote, "The psychology of

154 - Psychology of Religion: Personalities, Problems, Possibilities

religion has manifested a fascinating and strangely persistent style of survival." This collection of nearly fifty previously published articles and chapters from books is an impressive illustration of that "persistent style of survival."

A considerable number of the chapters making up this volume come from the Journal of Psychology and Christianity and the Journal of Psychology and Theology, although other periodicals in both psychology and religion provide content.

Topically, the hefty volume covers most of the traditional themes of this field of inquiry: historical developments, religious experience, personality theory and religion, psychopathology of religion, research in the psychology of religion, the social psychology of religion, the integration of psychology and theology, general psychology and the psychology of religion, and clinical psychology of religion.

The twenty-two authors represent a somewhat limited profile of scholars in the field, many of them associated with the Christian Association for Psychological Studies and with Division 36 of the American Psychological Association (Psychologists Interested in Religious Issues). The international dimension of the psychology of religion-always present in its development-is expressed by the inclusion of pieces written by Laurence Brown of Australia, JeanPierre Deconchy of France, Andre Godin of Belgium, Nils Holm of Finland, and Jan van der Lans of the Netherlands.

The editor of the volume, H. Newton Malony-director of programs in the integration of psychology and theology at the School of Psychology, Fuller Theological Seminary, in Pasadena, California-is perhaps the leading contemporary author, editor, teacher, and researcher in the field of the psychology of religion. In this particular publication, his intention to stress the persons who make the field (by providing brief biographical sketches introducing the articles) is an especially valuable addition to a good selection of topics.

Although it may be argued-and I would so argue-that the psychology of religion is a much richer and much deeper project than this volume demonstrates (e.g., the depth psychological approaches to religion are not well represented) the book does illustrate some of the reasons why the psychology of religion has had such a very difficult time being accepted by either psychology proper or theology/religious studies.

In fact-as some in the past have argued-it is difficult to envision with clarity a psychology of religion at all. After all, there is no such thing as a unified psychology; and certainly to think of religion generically strains credibility. What we have, of course, are psychologies of religions. And that is partly what makes these readings difficult to fit into the traditional rubrics of either psychology proper or theology proper. At the same time, it is this very ambiguity and these integration attempts which make this field such a fascinating and stimulating one. This volume only adds to that intellectual caldron.

156 - Psychology of Religion: Personalities, Problems, Possibilities

Equally fascinating is the reality that the psychology of religiondespite the obvious bias of this volume to appeal to "scientific" psychology and to the "empirical data" (read numbers)-remains especially attractive to religious practitioners. The fact is that, after all these years it is still difficult to find courses in the psychology of religion being offered in the psychology departments of our colleges and universities. But theological schools and seminaries still do offer such courses; and even the so-called "practical" areas of theological education, such as pastoral care, pastoral counseling, clinical pastoral education, frequently urge, even require, courses in the psychology of religion as part of their educational curricula.

It may well be, then, that Psychology of Religion: Personalities, Problems, Possibilities, will find a welcome home in theological and religious studies, despite this volume's slant toward the psychology side of the equation we call the psychology of religion.

Orlo Strunk, Jr.
Emeritus Professor, Boston University
Boston, MA