Unsettled Minds : Psychology and the American Search for Spiritual Assurance, 1830-1940

This book examines how nineteenth- and twentieth-century American believers rejected older, often evangelical, theological traditions and turned to scientific psychologies to formulate new ideas about mind and spirit and new practices for spiritual growth. Christopher G. White looks in particular at how a group of liberal believers—including William James and G. Stanley Hall—turned away from traditional Christian orthodoxies and built a revised religious identity based on new psychological motifs and therapies. __Unsettled Minds__ is the first book to explain the dramatic rise of new spiritualities of the mind, spiritualities that, by the early twenty-first century, were turning eagerly to scientific and clinical psychological studies to reimagine religion and the problems of religious uncertainty. This Book Examines How Nineteenth- And Twentieth-century American Believers Rejected Older, Often Evangelical, Theological Traditions And Turned To Scientific Psychologies To Help Them Formulate New Ideas About Mind And Spirit And New Practices For Spiritual Growth. Christopher G. White Looks In Particular At How A Group Of Liberal Protestants, Including William James And G. Stanley Hall, Turned Away From Traditional Christian Orthodoxies And Built A Revised Religious Identity Based On New Psychological Motifs And Therapies. Whereas The Conventional Wisdom About These Religious Positions And Abetted Secularization. White Points Out That They Did Not Minimize Or Obliterate Belief But Aided And Reshaped It In Unexpected Ways. Unsettled Minds Is The First Book To Explain The Dramatic Rise Of New Spiritualities Of The Mind, Spiritualities That, But The Early Twentieth Century, Were Turning Eagerly To Scientific And Clinical Psychological Studies To Reimagine Religion And The Problems Of Religious Uncertainty.--book Jacket. Minds Intensely Unsettled -- Fragments Of Truth -- Nervous Energies -- Neuromuscular Christians -- A Multitude Of Superstitions And Crudities -- Suggestive Explanations. Christopher G. White. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 213-248) And Index. This book examines how nineteenth- and twentieth-century American believers rejected older, often evangelical, theological traditions and turned to scientific psychologies to formulate new ideas about mind and spirit and new practices for spiritual growth. Christopher G. White looks in particular at how a group of liberal believers—including William James and G. Stanley Hall—turned away from traditional Christian orthodoxies and built a revised religious identity based on new psychological motifs and therapies. Unsettled Minds is the first book to explain the dramatic rise of new spiritualities of the mind, spiritualities that, by the early twenty-first century, were turning eagerly to scientific and clinical psychological studies to reimagine religion and the problems of religious uncertainty. Contents Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Minds Intensely Unsettled 2. Fragments of Truth 3. Nervous Energies 4. Neuromuscular Christians 5. “A Multitude of Superstitions and Crudities” 6. Suggestive Explanations Epilogue: Intensely Unsettled—Again Notes Index 'Unsettled Minds' examines how 19th- and 20th-century American beleivers rejected older, often evangelical theological traditions and turned to scientific psychologies to formulate new ideas about mind and spirit and new practices for spiritual growth