Spiritual Transformation and Healing: Anthropological, Theological, Neuroscientific, and Clinical Perspectives

by Joan D. Koss-Chioino (Contributor), Philip J. Hefner (Editor)

Joan D. Koss-Chioino and Philip Hefner's new volume is unique in exploring the meaning of spiritual transformation and healing with new research from a scientific perspective. An interdisciplinary group of contributors-anthropological, psychological, medical, theological, and biological scientists-investigate the role of religious communities and healing practitioners, with spiritual transformation as their medium of healing. Individual authors evaluate the meaning of spiritual transformations and the consequences for those who experience it; the contributions of indigenous healing systems; new frameworks for neurological and physiological correlates of transformative religious experiences; the support from neuroscience for the radical empathy and intersubjective exchange that takes place in healing practices; and evidence for universal elements of the healing process. This exciting new book will be an invaluable resource for those generally interested in the role of religion in society, across the sciences, social sciences, and all religious traditions. With a foreword by Solomon H. Katz.

318 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Christopher Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Few of the arguments in this book were particularly bold or original, and I was a bit put off by the New Agey feel of it. It does, however, illustrate that there are good reasons to think spirituality can play a positive role in coping with and recovering from illness.

The strongest chapters were probably Hufford and Bucklin's "The Spirit of Spiritual Healing in the United States," and Ironson, et. al.'s chapter on "Spirituality, Spiritual Experiences, and Spiritual Transformations in the Face of HIV." The former argues that belief in divine healing can be rationally warranted by people's personal experiences. It is boldly argued and surprisingly well-researched. The latter shows that spiritual experiences are surprisingly common and constructive among people with HIV, despite the religious stigma attached to the disease. The authors show that spirituality can play an important role in helping patients cope and survive.

The anthropological chapters are also worth reading-- especially the one on "Radical Empathy". The neuroscience and theology chapters, however, are fairly unremarkable.