Men, Religion, and Melancholia
Author | : Donald Capps |
Publisher | : Yale University Press |
Total Pages | : 260 |
Release | : 1997-01-01 |
ISBN-10 | : 0300146507 |
ISBN-13 | : 9780300146509 |
Rating | : 4/5 (509 Downloads) |
Download or read book Men, Religion, and Melancholia written by Donald Capps and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 1997-01-01 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is not by coincidence that the key figures in the psychology of religion - William James, Rudolf Otto, Carl Jung, and Erik Erikson - each fought a lifelong battle with melancholia, argues Donald Capps in this engrossing book. These four men experienced similar traumas in early childhood: each perceived a loss of mother's unconditional love. In the deep melancholy that resulted, they turned to religion. Capps contends that the main impetus for men to become religious lies in such melancholia, and that these four authors were typical, although their losses were especially severe because of complicating personal circumstances. Offering a new way of viewing the major classics in the psychology of religion, Capps explores the psychological origins of these authors' own religious visions through a sensitive examination of their writings.