Psychology of Religion

Psychology of Religion PROFESSOR INFORMATION RELG 360  Dr. William P. Kiblinger Spring 2010  Office: Kinard 326 WF 11:00-12:15  Office Hours: W 1:00-4:00; F 1:00-2:00  Office Phone/Voicemail: 803-323-4598 Kinard 312 (email preferred)  Email: [email protected]

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The primary purpose of this course is to expose students to some of the major questions in the field of psychology of religion. For the purpose of organizing what is undeniably and irremediably a “messy” field, I have divided the topics of the course into three groups: first, the psychoanalytic approach, orienting it around Freud’s work and his legacy in the 20th century; second, the neuroscientific approach, sampling a range of works dealing with religious imagination; and third, studies of faith development, focusing on Gordon Allport and James Fowler. In this gathering of disparate texts, numerous intertextual connections will emerge and undoubtedly cross the arbitrary boundaries set up between the topics. While every student will be responsible for the basics in each topic, the goal of the course includes a research project in an area of the student’s choosing. These projects will culminate in a paper and presentation to the class. This course is worth 3 credit hours.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES AND METHODS

Outcome 1: Students will engage in reasoned inquiry and self-reflection regarding the various values, beliefs, attitudes, and habits that define the nature and quality of life.

Method: Read material thoroughly and think critically in order to make connections between the material and your own understanding of the ultimacies of life.

Outcome 2: Students will model reflective participation in a learning community by learning to communicate with others effectively in speech and writing.

Method: Share your reactions and understanding of religious and psychological issues with your classmates and learn to understand other perspectives by listening carefully and communicating clearly in class discussion and written assignments.

Outcome 3: Students will recognize the constructed nature of knowledge, i.e., the way in which knowledge arises from a diversity of perspectives.

Method: Learn to identify multiple perspectives on life issues and then engage this diversity of perspectives by dialectically taking ownership of them as possible viewpoints within yourself.

1 TEXTS In Bookstore: 1. A. R. Fuller, Psychology and Religion: Classical Theorists and Contemporary Developments 2. Arnold H. Modell, Imagination and the Meaningful Brain 3. Carlos Castaneda, A Separate Reality

Electronic Reserve (Dacus Library electronic reserve): 1. Sigmund Freud, “One of the Difficulties of Psychoanalysis” 2. Sigmund Freud, “Obsessive Actions and Religious Practices” 3. Calvin Hall et al., “Sigmund Freud’s Classical Psychoanalytical Theory,” Theories of Personality 4. More to come…

ATTENDANCE, MAKE-UP POLICY AND TESTS: More than two (2) absences will diminish your grade, while fewer than two will improve it. If you miss a quiz or exam due to illness or a death in the family, appropriate documentation will allow you to take a make-up.

EXPECTATIONS OF THE STUDENT

1. Class Participation: Class participation is worth 200 points. What counts as participation? First and foremost, good participation means being present in class, displaying the “ready poise” of an engaged thinker, and actively questioning and thinking out loud during class. I will judge your contribution with the following indicators in mind:  Can you answer questions about the current readings?  Can you integrate the material with previous classes?  Do you have written notes on your reading assignment?  Do you ask good questions? Do you listen carefully to your peers?  Do you demonstrate intellectual curiosity?  Do you arrive on time with a positive attitude? 2. Assignments: Periodic assignments (e.g., quizzes, summaries, short presentations, written homework) on the reading will be used to keep you on your toes. These assignments will be given in conjunction with the readings according to the timing and pace of our progress over the semester. Cumulatively they will be worth 400 points. 3. Term Paper: Students will write a term paper worth 300 points. 4. Presentation: Students will present their term paper research, which is worth 100 points.

GRADING Participation: 200 points Grading scale: Assignments: 400 points 930-1000: A 900-929: A- Term Paper: 300 points 870-899: B+ 830-869: B 800-829: B- Presentation: 100 points 770-799: C+ 730-769: C 700-729: C- TOTAL 1000 points 670-699: D+ 630-669: D 600-629: D- 0-599: F

STATEMENT OF TOLERANCE: Regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, religion, age and ability, you will be treated and respected as a human being. Your continued presence in this course signals your commitment to act likewise.

2 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: If you have a disability and need classroom accommodations, please contact Gena Smith, Coordinator, Services for Students with Disabilities, at 323-2233, as soon as possible. Once you have your professor notification letter, please notify me so that I am aware of your accommodations well before the first test.

STUDENT CONDUCT: Students are expected to cultivate personal and academic integrity. Academic misconduct will be addressed in accordance with the Student Conduct Code and the University Undergraduate Catalog. Students will submit all major written assignments through Turnitin. Students in this course should be aware of the strong sanctions against plagiarism (misrepresentation of another person’s work as one’s own) stated in the Student Conduct Code. (See section V. Student Academic Misconduct of the Student Conduct Code in the Student Handbook.) If proven, a charge of plagiarism could result in an automatic "F" in the course and possible expulsion. If you have any questions or doubts about what plagiarism entails or how to properly acknowledge source materials and the works of others, be sure to consult the instructor. Proper citation procedures are provided in all standard writing manuals. For more information, see the Student Handbook at www.winthrop.edu/studentaffairs.

TURNITIN: We will use the Turnitin website, so please register with the site if you have not previously done so. The URL is http://www.turnitin.com.

FINAL EXAM: Monday, May 3 11:30 AM (Term Paper Due)

READINGS

The following set of readings is divided into three groups. We will read the “basics” in each group during the first nine weeks of the course (until Spring Break). The precise schedule will be determined according to our pace and needs as they manifest themselves over this period of time. Students will always know the reading and associated assignments at least two weeks in advance. After the break, we will spend some time collectively exploring the more advanced elements of each group. Students will then choose a research topic and pursue further readings in preparation for the term paper and presentation. These readings will be selected in consultation with the professor.

1. Depth Psychology: Freud and His Legacy a. The Basics i. “A Difficulty in the Path of Psychoanalysis” ii. “Sigmund Freud’s Classical Psychoanalytical Theory,” Theories of Personality (ed. by Calvin Hall, Gardner Lindzey, & John Campbell). b. Early Writing on Religion: i. “Obsessive Actions and Religious Practices” c. Later Works on Religion i. Andrew Fuller, “Sigmund Freud” (chapter 2) d. Carl Jung and Archetypal Theories i. Andrew Fuller, “Carl Jung” (chapter 3) ii. Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces (selections) e. Nietzschean Freudian Thought and Counterpoint

3 i. Norman O. Brown, “The Resurrection of the Body,” Life Against Death: The Psychoanalytical Meaning of History ii. Norman O. Brown, Love’s Body (selections) iii. Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death (selections) iv. Andrew Fuller, “Erich Fromm” (chapter 7) f. Lacan i. Jacques Lacan, “The Freudian Thing,” Écrits ii. Mark C. Taylor, “Real: Jacques Lacan,” (Altarity) iii. Clayton Crockett, Interstices of the Sublime: Theology and Psychoanalytic Theory (selections) iv. Lacan and Theological Discourse, ed. by Edith Wyschogrod et al. (selections)

2. Religious Imagination and Neuroscience a. Literary Illustration i. Carlos Castaneda, A Separate Reality b. Theoretical Background i. Andrew Fuller, “William James” (chapter 1) ii. Arnold H. Modell, Imagination and the Meaningful Brain iii. Andrew Fuller, “Neuroscience and Religion” (chapter 11) c. Religion and Evolutionary Psychology i. Andrew Fuller, “Evolutionary Psychology of Religion” (chapter 12) d. Case Studies i. A. B. Newberg and J. Iversen, “The neural basis of the complex mental task of meditation: neurotransmitter and neurochemical considerations,” Medical Hypotheses August 2003; 61 (2): 282-291. ii. Pierre Rainville and Joshua Grant, “Pain sensitivity and analgesic effects of mindful states in Zen meditators: a cross-sectional study,” Psychosomatic Medicine January 2009; 71 (1): 106-14.

3. Faith-Formation and Religious Maturity a. Allport and Religious Maturity i. Andrew Fuller, “Gordon Allport” (chapter 4) b. Stages of Faith i. James W. Fowler, Stages of Faith (selections) c. Film Jesus Camp (selected scenes)