A critique from within: some important research issues that psychologists of religion and spirituality should further work on. Issue 6 (3rd July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Abu-Raiya, Hisham
• Is Part Of: Mental health, religion & culture. Volume 20:Issue 6(2017)
• Page Start: 544
• Page End: 551
• Publication Date: 2017-07-03
• Subjects: Psychology of religion -- critique -- Christian bias; Mental health -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Religion and culture -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Religious aspects -- Periodicals; Mentally ill -- Pastoral counseling of -- Periodicals; 306.461
• DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2017.1377945
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-4676

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Operating from a perspective of an empirical psychologist of religion and spirituality, in this paper, I point to some areas of improvement in our field. Specifically, I (1) briefly target the lack of consensus in defining religion and spirituality; (2) point to the need for answering the crucial question: How unique is religion? (3) tackle the Western/Christian bias of the field; and (4) address three fundamental methodological issues (generalisability, self-report, and cross-sectional design) and their implications for research.