In its etymology, the word ’psychology’ literally means the study of the spirit or soul. Yet through much of the 20th century, psychology remained oddly divorced from spirituality and religion. While religion is an important, even central aspect of experience and identity for many people, very little has been done to incorporate this dimension of human nature into mainstream psychological theory and research. While spiritual aspects of health are familiar to many medical practitioners and in the treatment of substance use disorders, psychology as a discipline still has some catching up to do. Most mainstream psychology textbooks contain no reference to this major aspect of human life, and psychologists often maintain suspicious distance from anything religious. Similarly, some U.S. Christian groups have demonized the discipline of psychology, and actively discourage believers from seeking the services of psychologists.
The dialogue that Judeo-Christian Perspectives On Psychology represen
