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David M. Black is a Fellow of the Institute of Psychoanalysis, London, works as a psychoanalyst in private practice, and teaches on a number of professional courses. He has published widely on psychoanalysis in relation to religion, consciousness and values.
Contributors: David M. Black, Rachel B. Blass, Rodney Bomford, Ronald Britton, Malcom Cunningham, M. Fakhry Davids, Mark Epstein, Stephen Frosh, Francis Grier, David Millar, Michael Parsons, Jeffrey Rubin, Neville Symington, Kenneth Wright.
What can be gained from a dialogue between psychoanalysis and religion?
Freud described religion as the universal obsessional neurosis, and uncompromisingly rejected it in favour of “science.” Ever since, there has been an assumption that psychoanalysts are hostile to religion. Yet, from the beginning, individual analysts have questioned Freud's blanket rejection of religion.
In this book, David Black brings together contributors from a wide range of schools and movements to discuss the issues. They bring a fresh perspective to the subject of religion and psychoanalysis, answering vital questions such as:
How do religious stories carry (or distort) psychological truth?
How do religions “work,” psychologically?
What is the nature of religious experience?
Are there parallels between psychoanalysis and particular religious traditions?