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The Psychology of Religious Fundamentalism

The Psychology of Religious Fundamentalism
By Ralph W. Hood Jr. PhD, Peter C. Hill PhD, W. Paul Williamson Phd

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Product Description

This book presents a new psychological framework for understanding religious fundamentalism, one that distinguishes fundamentalist traditions from other faith-based groups and helps explain the thinking and behavior of believers. Steering clear of stereotypes, the highly regarded authors offer respectful, historically informed examinations of several major fundamentalist groups. Focusing primarily on Protestant sects, including the Church of God (a Pentecostal denomination), the serpent handling sects of Appalachia, and the Amish, the book also discusses Islamic fundamentalism. Addressed are such key themes as the role of the sacred text within fundamentalism; how beliefs and practices that many find difficult to comprehend actually fit into coherent meaning systems; and how these meaning systems help meet individuals' needs for purpose, value, and self-worth.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #1054308 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-03-31
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 247 pages

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A highly readable and informative book that moves scholarship on fundamentalism forward. The authors present fundamentalist thought as a meaning system that is embedded within sociocultural, historical, and theological contexts. I highly recommend this creative and well-researched work to all students of fundamentalism seeking a better understanding of an often-misunderstood phenomenon."--Margaret M. Poloma, PhD, Department of Sociology (Emeritus), University of Akron; author of Main Street Mystics

"Hood, Hill, and Williamson have produced a remarkable book outlining a social psychological theory of fundamentalism, and applying this theory to historical and contemporary religious movements. Their work is much more sociologically informed and culturally grounded than prior psychological research focusing on Adorno’s authoritarian personality model. Indeed, their theory of fundamentalism is rooted in human needs for cognitive coherence, showing how fundamentalist religion provides accessible belief systems with comprehensive explanations for meaning and purpose....This is an important work, and it is easily the best work in the psychology of religion in a decade."/m-/Darren E. Sherkat, PhD, Department of Sociology, Southern Illinois University

"This book represents a major advance in our understanding of fundamentalism, a subject ever more urgent in our post-9/11 world. The authors examine fundamentalism through solid psychological theory, and illustrate this theoretical perspective by examining a variety of specific religious fundamentalisms. Essential reading for students of religion, psychology, and sociology."--Crystal L. Park, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut

"This is a very important contribution to the psychology of religion literature and, more broadly, to religious scholarship. There have been very few treatments of Protestant fundamentalism that are more than merely a perpetuation of stereotypes. The authors provide a unique and vital perspective on the forms and functions of fundamentalism and its relevance in the world today. Any course on religion from a social science perspective should consider this text."--Robert A. Emmons, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis

"This is superior-quality scholarship that beautifully accomplishes two difficult goals under the same cover. First, the volume presents psychological concepts that are ideal for understanding the personal, social-psychological, and behavioral aspects of religious fundamentalism. Second, it provides rich, instructive, and very interesting information about a range of fundamentalist Christian and Muslim groups. This material is revealing and will be new to most readers. The skillful application of the psychological concepts to the cases both increases one's sense of their depth and reach, and enriches one's understanding of the cases themselves. Highly recommended for courses in the psychology of religion or applied social psychology."--Raymond F. Paloutzian, PhD, Department of Psychology, Westmont College


"A work of disciplined scholarship that not only examines the reality of religious fundamentalism from a psychological perspective but also provides richly detailed histories of the development of a number of fundamentalist religious traditions....Great value not only for students of religion and the social sciences but for anyone who is trying to gain a better understanding of the worldview driving some of the terrorist actions in the Middle East."--Psychiatric Services

"The authors provide a scholarly and well-researched approach to the understanding of fundamentalism as a system of meaning....The scholarship in The Psychology of Religious Fundamentalism is exceptional....The definition and model of fundamentalism are unique, and within the bounds of what the authors state that they propose to do, the results are exceptional....The book is a rich source of information and ideas, and it provides grounding for further theoretical and empirical research in this profoundly important area for the modern world."--APA PsycCRITIQUES

"This book usefully corrects loosely held prejudices about fundamentalism....and contains a substantial bibliography that encourages further exploration. Institutions and individuals with an interest in the interface of religion and the social sciences would do well to include this volume in their collections."--Science and Theology News
"At every step, the authors treat the subject of fundamentalism in a highly respectful manner....The reader is gently drawn into the world of fundamentalism and with the passing of each chapter the subtle process of the dismantling of stereotypes progresses....Not only did I take away from this book a greater respect for individuals from a religious fundamentalist background but as a clinician I became more intensely aware of the need to monitor my own values and how they might impact on my interpretation and understanding of fundamentalism. While I was intellectually intrigued by the socio-historical information provided in this book, more importantly I experienced a shift in my personal views of religious fundamentalism--a valuable experience."--Counselling and Spirituality
 
"This is a significant contribution toward religious scholarship in that it does much to dispel stereotypes and intolerant attitudes toward fundamentalist groups. Reading through this book is quite likely to be a mind-broadening experience for all....Most of the information on particular fundamentalist groups will likely be known to theologians and seminary professors; however, the manner in which this information is examined makes it new and insightful. Those teaching courses in religion, theology and pastoral care will find this an interesting addition to their recommended reading list. Sociology, Psychology and Religion professors and their students will find this book to be a gem, and pastors and pastoral care workers will also benefit from the material covered in broadening their knowledge in this area....This book will be a useful tool for those who have struggled with understanding the behaviours of religious fundamentalists, those who have bought into common stereotypes surrounding fundamentalist groups, and will help all to appreciate the fact that all behaviour has meaning to the individual displaying the behaviour....The authors are beyond reproach in their treatment of this potentially delicate subject matter."--Counselling and Spirituality
 
"The first real strength of the book is that all three authors have understood the Christian tradition from the inside....The second real strength of the book is expressed in its aim to help non-fundamentalists to begin to understand fundamentalists in terms of the fundamentalists' own worldview....Here is a sympathetic handling of religious fundamentalism by three professional psychologists which should encourage religious fundamentalist believers to take psychology more seriously."--The Journal of the Society for Pentecostal Studies

"Sheds important light on the thought processes of fundamentalists."--Skeptic

About the Author

Ralph W. Hood, Jr., is a social psychologist with a long-standing interest in the psychology of religion. He is currently a professor of psychology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Although not a fundamentalist, Dr. Hood believes that fundamentalism has been poorly portrayed in the psychology of religion by researchers and scholars who are so distant from the assumptions and worldview of fundamentalists that they offer explanations for a phenomenon they have not adequately or fairly described.

Peter C. Hill was raised an evangelical in a family strongly committed to the church. He is currently a professor of psychology at Biola University's Rosemead School of Psychology. Biola University played a significant role in the early days of the Protestant fundamentalist movement and today identifies itself as an "interdenominational and yet theologically conservative" institution. The Rosemead School of Psychology seeks to advance a psychologically and Christian theologically integrated understanding of human nature.

W. Paul Williamson was born the son of a Church of God (of Prophecy) minister. He followed in his father's footsteps and became an ordained minister in the denomination, serving 17 years of full-time ministry. During his doctoral studies, he felt the need to resign from the clergy and from his affiliation with the church to pursue a career in academic psychology. He is currently an assistant professor of psychology at Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Dr. Williamson draws upon a wealth of experience in a Pentecostal tradition, both as a former member and as clergy, allowing him unique insights into its fundamentalist worldview.

Customer Reviews

Psychology is a social SCIENCE1
Two major notions dominate this book:
1) meaning systems
2) the principle of intratextuality

The idea of meaning systems seems to add practically nothing to the lay understanding of "meaning", as when I might say "This gives meaning to my life". If I were to ask myself just how it gave meaning to my life, I might note some behavior or behaviors of mine that indicated the meaning. Lay people like you and I can do this: psychologists add little if anything by elaborating on such understandings via the notion of "meaning systems". If someone comes to your door holding a Bible and wanting to share with you their feelings of being saved, you can assume without resort to psychologists that your visitor feels they have found something meaningful.

The principle of intratextuality is a fancy term. The authors "assume that fundamentialists are correct when they argue that a reader must go into the text and allow the text to speak for itself". They take this remarkable assumption very seriously, adding that "no discussion of fundamentalism can proceed meaningfully if it refuses to enter into the text and be obedient to the imperatives of the text". Covering Christian and Islamic fundamentalism, it seems amazing that the authors were able to be "obedient to the imperatives" of both the Bible and the Koran. Did some of the authors refuse to obey the imperatives of one text while the other authors refused to obey the imperatives of the other. Or did they find a way to obey both simultaneously. Or did they obey one, then renounce it so they could obey the other? Do they assume any imperatives of science that they remained obedient to during this process?

What you won't find in this book are interviews with fundamentalists or survey results gathered from fundamentalists. What you'll find here are speculation (some of it identified as "model-building") and assertion. The authors deliberately do not try to explain how a person becomes a fundamentalist: they assume that one has and then "describe" the effects. They don't offer any methodology for this describing, although description can be quite selective and, hence, biased. They don't describe problems fundamentalists have maintaining their faith. They don't describe people who leave fundamentalism; they don't describe people who go to Fundamentalists Anonymous. With some much emphasis given to the sacred text as "speaking", the role of leaders, the impacts of conformity or collusion, and consideration of possible manipulation go unaddressed. At times, it is not clear from the voice of this book whether the authors are speaking or whether they are describing what they think fundamentalists would say, as on page 36: "The text does not contradict itself". Perhaps this is the voice of a fundamentalist but, the authors having opened the book with an "About the Authors" that associates them with fundamentalist backgrounds and sympathies, it's hard to tell. For one of the authors, Ralph Hood, it states in this opening "About the Authors" section that he believes fundamentalist religion has been poorly portrayed in the psychology of religion ... " and the book's concluding paragraph states "Our purpose in this book has not been to defend fundamentalism as much as to critique the efforts of some scholars outside fundamentalism who are quick to assume nothing good can come of it". So is this book research or polemic? Is it held that if one picks any book as sacred and follows its dictates, that some good will come of it? Or does this just apply to the Bible and the Quran? If so, why? Perhaps the advice is to wait and see if some good comes of it and then sanction that book. Must just some good come of it or must it be on balance good. Who judges and how that when one picks up snakes enough good comes of it? If the authors can determine whether some good comes of fundamentalism, presumably they can determine whether more good comes of Christian fundamentalism or Islamic fundamentalism.

If we want to understand fundamentalists, perhaps we should just speak more with our fundamentalist neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And be skeptical of experts.