American Protestantism in the age of psychology

Many have worried that the ubiquitous practice of psychology and psychotherapy in America has corrupted religious faith, eroded civic virtue, and weakened community life. But an examination of the history of three major psycho-spiritual movements since World War II - Alcoholics Anonymous, The Salvation Army's outreach to homeless men, and the "clinical pastoral education" movement - reveals the opposite. These groups developed a practical religious psychology that nurtured faith, fellowship, and personal responsibility. They achieved this by including religious traditions and spiritual activities in their definition of therapy and by putting clergy and lay believers to work as therapists. Under such care, spiritual and emotional growth reinforced each other. Thanks to these innovations, the three movements succeeded in reaching millions of socially alienated and religiously disenchanted Americans. They demonstrated that religion and psychology, although antithetical in some eyes, could be blended effectively to foster community, individual responsibility, and happier lives The Social History Of Three Major Psycho-spiritual Movements Since World War Ii Shows That These Groups Innovated A Practical Religious Psychology That Nurtured Participants' Faith, Fellowship, And Responsibility--provided By Publisher. Many Have Worried That Psychology Has Corrupted American Faith, Eroded Citizens' Virtue, And Weakened Its Community Life. But The Social History Of Three Major Psycho-spiritual Movements Since World War Ii--alcoholics Anonymous, The Salvation Army's Outreach To Homeless Men, And The Clinical Pastoral Education Movement Finds The Opposite. These Groups Innovated A Practical Religious Psychology That Nurtured Participants' Faith, Fellowship, And Personal Responsibility. This Is One Of The First Works To Have Found A Positive Role For Psychology In Bolstering American Religious And Democratic Life. It Is Also Perhaps The Only Book In The History Of Religion And Psychology To Base Its Arguments On The Effect Of Psycho-spiritual Programs On Its Subjects' Actual Lives Over Time--provided By Publisher. Machine Generated Contents Note: Introduction: 1. The Fall And Rise Of Psychoreligious Cooperation; Part I. Therapy As Ministry In Clinical Pastoral Education: 2. The Priest Must Drink At The Scientific Well; 3. Being The Love Of God; Part Ii. Therapy As Fellowship In Alcoholics Anonymous: 4. Democracy Is A Therapy; 5. Came To Believe; Part Iii. Therapy As Evangelism In The Salvation Army: 6. Freud Is Not A Suitable Psychologist; 7. New Creatures In Christ; Conclusion: 8. American Psychology In An Age Of Faiths. Stephanie Muravchik. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Content: 1. The fall and rise of psychoreligious cooperation -- Part I. Therapy as Ministry in Clinical Pastoral Education: 2. The priest must drink at the scientific well 3. Being the love of God -- Part II. Therapy as Fellowship in Alcoholics Anonymous: 4. Democracy is a therapy 5. Came to believe -- Part III. Therapy as Evangelism in the Salvation Army: 6. Freud is not a suitable psychologist 7. New creatures in Christ -- 8. Conclusion: American psychology in an age of faiths. The social history of three major psycho-spiritual movements since World War II – Alcoholics Anonymous, The Salvation Army's outreach to homeless men, and the 'clinical pastoral education' movement – reveals that, counter to popular belief, the ubiquitous practice of psychology has not corrupted American faith, eroded civic virtue and weakened community life.