Religion, Spirituality, and Positive Psychology: Understanding the Psychological Fruits of Faith

by Thomas G. Plante Ph.D.

Overview

A multidisciplinary team of scholars shows how spiritual and religious practices actually do power psychological, physical, and social benefits, producing stronger individuals and healthier societies.

In recent years, scholars from an array of disciplines applied cutting-edge research techniques to determining the effects of faith. Religion, Spirituality, and Positive Psychology: Understanding the Psychological Fruits of Faith brings those scholars together to share what they learned. Through their thoughtful, evidence-based reflections, this insightful book demonstrates the positive benefits of spiritual and religious engagement, both for individual practitioners and for society as a whole.

The book covers Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism and other major traditions across culture in two sections. The first focuses on ways in which religious and spiritual engagement improves psychological and behavioral health. The second highlights the application of this knowledge to physical, psychological, and social problems. Each chapter focuses on a spiritual "fruit," among them humility, hope, tolerance, gratitude, forgiveness, better health, and recovery from disease or addiction, explaining how the fruit is "planted" and why faith helps it flourish.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780313398452
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	07/19/2012
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	312
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	1 - 17 Years

About the Author

Thomas G. Plante, PhD, ABPP, is professor of psychology and director of the Spirituality and Health Institute at Santa Clara University, CA, and adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA.

Table of Contents

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xiii

Foreword Doug Oman xv

Section I The Fruit of the Spirit 1

Chapter 1 Fruit of Faith, Fruit of the Spirit Thomas G. Plante 3

Chapter 2 Gratitude Robert A. Emmons Anjali Mishra 9

Chapter 3 Humility Richard A. Bollinger Peter C. Hill 31

Chapter 4 Hope David B. Feldman Maximilian M. Kubota 49

Chapter 5 Forgiveness Everett L. Worthington Don E. Davis Joshua N. Hook Jon R. Webb Loren Toussaint Steven J. Sandage Aubrey L. Gartner Daryl R. Van Tongeren 63

Chapter 6 Goodness Thomas G. Plante 79

Chapter 7 Tolerance Richard L. Gorsuch Aubyn Fulton 91

Chapter 8 Loving-Kindness Shauna L. Shapiro Megha Sahgal 109

Chapter 9 Vocation: Finding Joy and Meaning in Our Work Diane E. Dreher 127

Section II Cultivating the Fruit 143

Chapter 10 Psychotherapy and Virtue: Positive Psychology and Spiritual Weil-Being Len Sperry Jonathan J. Sperry 145

Chapter 11 Ordinary Mind: Meditation-Initiated Integrative Therapy (MET) Caifang Jeremy Zhu 159

Chapter 12 Life Contingencies and the Psychosocial Fruits of Faith in Late Adulthood Michele Dillon Paul Wink 177

Section III Harvesting the Fruit 193

Chapter 13 Temperance and Addiction Michelle J. Pearce Amy Wachholtz 195

Chapter 14 Educational and Health Disparities: How Faith-Based Organizations Can Address Inequities among Latinos/as John E. Pérez Leyla M. Pérez-Gualdrón 213

Chapter 15 Reaping Fruits of Spirituality through Psycho-Spiritual Integrative Therapy during Cancer Recovery Kathleen Wall Diana Corwin Cheryl Koopman 233

Section IV Reflections on the Fruit 247

Chapter 16 The Men's Spirituality Group: A Leader's Personal Narrative Carl E. Thoresen 249

Chapter 17 Fruit of the Spirit: Next Steps Thomas G. Plante 269

About the Editor and Contributors 273

Index 277

What People are Saying About This

Harold G. Koenig

"In Religion, Spirituality, and Positive Psychology: Understanding the Psychological Fruits of Faith, Professor Thomas Plante has brought together an all star team of leading experts who provide the reader with a readable, compelling, and evidence based understanding of the psychological benefits of spiritual and religious practice and engagement. The book is likely to become a classic in the field of positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality and thus should be on the shelves of those who conduct research and practice in this area."

Kenneth I. Pargament

"Uplifting and illuminating—the chapters in this volume will be of tremendous value to researchers, practitioners, and anyone else interested in the religious and spiritual dimension of positive psychology. These fruits of the spirit are ripe for the plucking."

David G. Myers

"Does religion do more harm or good? Kudos to Thomas Plante for inviting these diverse and distinguished scholars to offer evidence-based answers. Those interested in the roots of virtue and the fruits of faith need look no further than this splendid volume."