Victor Counted - The Psychology of Religion and Place: Emerging Perspectives

Editors

Victor Counted and Fraser Watts

The Psychology of Religion and Place

Emerging Perspectives

It is fitting that one of the first books to take up a serious psychological consideration of religion, spaces, and places should push against multiple intellectual boundaries. Particularly useful is the fact that the expert chapter authors do not all press in identical directions; instead, they explore multiple theoretical frontiers. Likewise, as opposed to advocating for a theoretically or practically narrow field of vision, the contributions highlighting potential applications open up a wide, interdisciplinary landscape of possibilities. This is precisely the type of book I value the most. Rather than telling readers how they ought to think, it provides theoretical tools for navigation and invites them to chart their own courses into these fresh territories.

Kevin L. Ladd, Former President of the Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (APA, Division 36); Board of Directors, International Association for the Psychology of Religion; Editor-in-Chief, Archive for the Psychology of Religion; Professor of Psychology, Indiana University South Bend, USA

This book successfully examines a fascinating area of growing interest and relevance yet hardly addressed from geographical and psychological perspectives: spirituality and place. The reader will find compelling ideas, clear arguments, state-of-the art scholarship, and a wide number of entries that explore and advance the embodied dimensions of religion.

Julio Bermudez, Director, Sacred Space and Cultural Studies Program, School of Architecture and Planning, The Catholic University of America, USA, and President, The Architecture, Culture, and Spirituality Forum

This is a pioneering and deeply interesting study of the psychological aspects of religion and place - for example exploring the fascination of the idea of holy places. I have long felt that attachment theory provides a powerful lens for the study of religion, and this book is a great demonstration of how attachment theory helps to illuminate the psychology of religion and place, while also offering other perspectives.

Kate Miriam Loewenthal, Professor Emeritus, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK; Professor of Abnormal Psychology, New York University in London, UK; Visiting Professor, Glyndwr University, Wales; Editor , Mental Health, Religion & Culture

Diverse and even controversial points of view are intelligently brought to bear in this volume on the important but long-neglected phenomenon of place as it figures into religious experience and practice.

David Wulff, Professor of Psychology, Emeritus, Wheaton College Norton, USA