The Intersection of Faith and Neurodiversity: Unraveling Religiosity in Autistic Adolescents-A Critical Review Analysis.

This literature review aims to explore religiosity, faith, and related beliefs in autistic adolescents. The term religiosity was used interchangeably with various related concepts such as faith, spirituality, and religious beliefs, and a broader, multifaceted approach encompassing the cognitive, subjective, social, cultural, and emotional domains of religiosity is analyzed in this population subgroup. In alignment with the neurodiversity paradigm, this review endeavors to adopt an inclusive lens toward autism spectrum conditions, appreciating the spectrum of cognitive and behavioral differences and highlighting the importance of recognizing strengths and challenges alike, reflecting the nuanced discourse surrounding neurodiversity and autism spectrum conditions. However, terms such as "high-functioning autism" and "disorder" were used where needed to reflect the journals included in the review. A systematic search was conducted by accessing academic search engines such as APA PsycInfo, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycTests, and PubMed. Only peer-reviewed articles written in English and performed on human subjects were included using strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Several recurring themes were identified from the 13 articles selected after review for relevance and quality. The most important finding was the association of different terminologies and features while exploring "religiosity in autism." Thirty-nine key themes were identified, which were grouped into six major themes. These were religious faith, spirituality, and its expression in autistic adolescents; religious behaviors and practices of autistic adolescents; cognition and religion in autistic teens; social and cultural influences on religiosity in autistic young ones; parents' and carers' influence, perspectives, and experiences about faith and spirituality on autistic adolescents; and perceived benefits of faith to autistic teens: parents and adolescent perspectives. Looking at the concept of religiosity and spirituality as a whole, it can be inferred from the available research included in this review that religiosity (cognitive abilities, behaviors, and experiences) in a subset of autistic adolescents (high-functioning autism) might not be significantly subdued as compared to neurotypical adolescents. However, there is not enough research to conclude the same or the opposite for autistic adolescents in general. When found, reserved religiosity could be attributed to a plethora of factors, and decreased mental ability or mentalization, empathy, or imagination did not seem to be the sole or primary predictors or contributors to religiosity. The role of culture, parents, carers, and religious affiliations was significant and might be a stronger contributor to religiosity and its expression than other previously argued predictors like mentalization. Many autistic teens and their carers regard religiosity and spirituality as essential domains in their and their children's lives, want their children to be given opportunities to be a part of religious groups and affiliations, and look forward to government, religious, and healthcare authorities actively supporting them in this domain. The findings call for policymakers, religious leaders, and stakeholders to devise strategies for inclusion and support for autistic adolescents. The possible role of religion as a resource and coping strategy for these children and their families is worth exploring.

Effects of expectations and sensory unreliability on voice detection - A preregistered study.

The phenomenon of "hearing voices" can be found not only in psychotic disorders, but also in the general population, with individuals across cultures reporting auditory perceptions of supernatural beings. In our preregistered study, we investigated a possible mechanism of such experiences, grounded in the predictive processing model of agency detection. We predicted that in a signal detection task, expecting less or more voices than actually present would drive the response bias toward a more conservative and liberal response strategy, respectively. Moreover, we hypothesized that including sensory noise would enhance these expectancy effects. In line with our predictions, the findings show that detection of voices relies on expectations and that this effect is especially pronounced in the case of unreliable sensory data. As such, the study contributes to our understanding of the predictive processes in hearing and the building blocks of voice hearing experiences.

When Faith and Health Collide: Expressions of Faith Over the Dangers of COVID-19 by Selected Flagellants in the Philippines.

For almost three years, the COVID-19 pandemic seriously affected society. Mass gatherings were restricted during the surge, including religious activities and other public practices. However, some Filipinos opted to continue their panata (sacred vow) of self-flagellation during this health crisis, thus putting themselves at risk of being inflicted with the virus or being a spreader. This article explores the experience of selected flagellants who continued to fulfill their religious practice amid the pandemic. It draws inspiration from their narratives about their personal experiences of how they faced, struggled, and hoped to battle the "unseen" virus and the criticisms of others for what they did. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), their interview transcripts elicit three recurrent themes: Suffering leads to finding God for support, sacred vow as unity to Christ's suffering, and spiritual reward over physical pain. These themes can contribute to future research on how opposing parties should negotiate when faith and health conflict.

Clarifying and measuring the characteristics of experiences that involve a loss of self or a dissolution of its boundaries.

Mystical experience, non-dual awareness, selflessness, self-transcendent experience, and ego-dissolution have become increasingly prominent constructs in meditation and psychedelic research. However, these constructs and their measures tend to be highly overlapping, imprecise, and poorly integrated with similar pathological experiences. The present study seeks to clarify the common factors involved in the characteristics of these experiences using precise distinctions across an array of experience contexts (including meditation, psychedelics, and psychopathology). Participants (N = 386) completed an online survey about an experience that involved either a dissolution of self-boundaries or a loss of selfhood. Confirmatory factor analyses resulted in 16 experience characteristics, including multiple types of changes in sense of self, co-occurring phenomenology, and cognitive and affective responses. Qualitative thematic analysis provided rich descriptions of experience characteristics. Taken together, results lead to a more specific measurement model and descriptive account of experiences involving a loss of self or self-boundary.

El trasfondo romántico del concepto de religión de Max Scheler

En la modernidad, la reflexión moral ha estado influida por orientaciones fundamentadas en la razón y en el sentimiento. Dos ejemplares de estas orientaciones son la Ilustración y el Romanticismo, respectivamente. El desarrollo de estos movimientos culturales e intelectuales está asociado a las demandas por los derechos políticos y sociales, junto a la insistencia en la importancia de la solidaridad y la hermandad en el desarrollo de las comunidades. Este artículo de reflexión presenta una perspectiva interpretativa del concepto de religión de Max Scheler La reflexión está enfocada en las raíces románticas de la propuesta Scheleriana, derivadas de la discusión moderna entre el Racionalismo y el Romanticismo. Adicionalmente, se presenta el contexto político y social al que responde la conceptualización de Scheler: Como resultado de esta reflexión, se concluye que el concepto de religión de Scheler reivindica la importancia de los valores y el compromiso moral frente a las crisis políticas que sufrió Europa a inicios del siglo XX.

In modernity moral reflection has been influenced by orientations grounded in reason and in feeling. Two exemplars of these orientations are the Enlightenment and Romanticism, respectively The development of these cultural and intellectual movements is associated with demands for social and political rights, together with the insistence in the importance of solidarity and brotherhood in the development of communities. This reflection paper presents an interpretative perspective of Max Scheler's concept of religion. The reflection is focused on the romantic roots of the Schelerian proposal, derived from the modern discussion between Rationalism and Romanticism. Additionally the political and social context to which Scheler's conceptualization responds is presented. As a result of this reflection, it is concluded that Scheler's concept of religion claims the importance of values and moral commitment against Europe's political crises at the beginning of the 20th century.

Na modernidade, a reflexão moral foi influenciada por orientações baseadas na razão e no sentimento. Dois exemplos dessas orientações são o Iluminismo e o Romantismo, respectivamente. O desenvolvimento desses movimentos culturais e intelectuais está associado a demandas por direitos políticos e sociais, juntamente com a insistência na importância da solidariedade e da fraternidade no desenvolvimento das comunidades. Este artigo de reflexão apresenta uma perspectiva interpretativa sobre o conceito de religião de Max Scheler O foco da reflexão são as raízes românticas da abordagem scheleriana, derivadas da discussão moderna entre racionalismo e romantismo. Além disso, é apresentado o contexto político e social ao qual a conceitualização de Scheler responde. Como resultado dessa reflexão, conclui-se que o conceito de religião de Scheler reivindica a importância dos valores e do compromisso moral diante das crises políticas sofridas pela Europa no início do século XX.

The Virus and the Famous: Narratives of Religious Experience by Selected Filipino Celebrities Who had COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed our lives, whether that be for ordinary citizens or those occupying higher social status. The experience of sickness and suffering however, can give meaning and can pose a challenge to our religious beliefs and practices. This article explores in depth the experience of battling COVID-19 by selected Filipino celebrities who are a significant part of the Filipino culture and are admired by the general public. This article draws inspiration from their narratives about how they faced, struggled, and recovered from the dreaded COVID-19 disease. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the transcripts of their interview revealled three major themes: total dependence on the Divine, therapeutic social support, and sickness as purposeful and transformative. These themes may contribute to future research in the discussion of how valuable are the life lessons during such a crisis, most especially from popular personalities who are considered "models" by the public.

Religious Experience as a Predictor of the Meaning in Life and Life Satisfaction in the Lives of Polish Women after a Stillbirth.

Many researchers have demonstrated the relationship of religiosity with dimensions of mental health such as searching for meaning in life, the presence of meaning in life, and life satisfaction. Hence, this study attempts to link such aspects of religiosity with the experience of the presence and/or absence of God with the search for and presence of meaning in life and satisfaction with life among a group of Polish women who have experienced a stillbirth in the past five years. The study included 64 women who lost a baby through stillbirth after the 22nd week of gestation. All the women were born into Christian families and declared themselves to be Christians and actively practicing their faith. Women's ages ranged from 29 to 47 years. The research results showed that the experience of God's presence and absence have a positive and significant relationship with the search for meaning in life and the presence of meaning in life, as well as with the satisfaction with life in the lives of women after stillbirth. The strongest relationship was between the presence of meaning in life and life satisfaction (r = .72; p < .01), God's presence and life satisfaction (r = .66; p < .01), as well as the presence of meaning in life and the search for meaning in life (r = .57; p < .01). The structural equation model showed that the experience of God's presence and God's absence have a significant, direct impact on the search for meaning in life and the presence of meaning in life, and the satisfaction with life. These also have an indirect impact on the satisfaction with life in the lives of women who have lost a child to stillbirth.

The Relationship Between Meaning in Life, Life Satisfaction and Job Satisfaction with Religious Experience in the Life of Polish Nurses.

This article examines the relationship between mental health dimensions such as meaning in life, life satisfaction, and job satisfaction, and the religious experience of God's presence and God's absence in the lives of Polish nurses with a bachelor and master's degree. The research was carried out in the city of Kraków, Poland. All nurses were brought up in Catholic families and declared themselves believing and practicing. The following research tools were used: the Meaning in Life Questionnaire, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Satisfaction with Job Scale, and the Intensity of Religious Experience Scale. Data analysis showed that the education level of Polish nurses does not significantly differentiate the analyzed variables. The correlation analysis showed that the strongest relationship was between satisfaction with life and satisfaction with job in the group of nurses with a bachelor's degree and nurses with a master's degree. The regression analysis showed that the strongest predictor of God's presence in the group of nurses with a bachelor's degree was satisfaction with job, and in the group of nurses with a master's degree it was satisfaction with life. The structural equation analysis revealed that the satisfaction with life plays an important and positive mediation role between the presence of the meaning in life and the search for the meaning in life, and the experience of God's presence and the experience of God's absence in the life of nurses.

Neural network involvement for religious experiences in worship measured by EEG microstate analysis.

Not much is known about large-scale brain activation patterns in religious states of mind and previous studies have not set an emphasis on experience. The present study investigated the phenomenon of religious experiences through microstate analysis, and it was the first neurocognitive research to tackle the dimension of experience directly. Hence, a total of 60 evangelical Christians participated in an experiment where they were asked to engage in worship and try to connect with God. With a bar slider, people were able to continuously rate how strongly they sensed God's presence at any given moment. A selection of songs was used to help in the induction of the desired experience. With 64 electroencephalography (EEG) electrodes, the brain activity was assessed and analyzed with five clusters of microstate classes. First, we hypothesized that the neural network for multisensory integration was involved in the religious experience. Second, we hypothesized that the same was true for the Default Mode Network (DMN). Our results suggested an association between the auditory network and the religious experience, and an association with the salience network as well as with the DMN. No associations with the network thought to be involved with multisensory integration was detected.

On Mystery: explorations on the experience of the numinous.

The present work aims to present ideas about the notion of 'Mystery', based on the contributions of various thinkers from different areas of knowledge. It will focus especially on the experience itself, that is, on the human possibility of generating the mystical experience and conceptualizing the dimension from contact with it. Concepts such as 'Homo Mysticus' (Erich Neumann), 'Numinous' (Rudolf Otto), 'Synchronicity' and 'Self' (Carl G. Jung) will be developed, approaching them from a psychological perspective. A distinction between two different categories of contact is proposed in the article: violent experiences and subtle experiences. The referential framework of analytical psychology enables the possibility of a transcendent and immaterial realm creatively linked to psychic reality, as well as an attempt to understand it. The conceptualization of the symbolic from the Jungian worldview allows us to understand the experience of Mystery from a psychological point of view in relation to the surrounding world. The idea is even raised that the ultimate (and implicit) purpose of the analysis is the manifestation of Mystery, a general name that could encompass the different phenomenological experiences. Is it possible that such experiences occur in the cultural circumstances of the present? What place does Mystery occupy in these times? What forms could it take? By observing dreams, imaginations and synchronicities, experiences of the mysterious will be explored in the context of contemporary Jungian analysis.

Le travail ci-dessous vise à présenter des idées autour de la notion de Mystère, fondées sur l'apport de divers penseurs venant de différents domaines de savoir. L'article se concentre particulièrement sur l'expérience elle-même, à savoir sur la possibilité pour l'être humain de générer cette expérience et de conceptualiser cette dimension à partir du contact avec elle. Des concepts tels « Homo Mysticus ¼ (Erich Neumann), le « Numineux ¼ (Rudolf Otto), « Synchronicité ¼ et « Soi ¼ (Carl G. Jung) seront abordés, du point de vue de la perspective psychologique. L'article propose une distinction entre deux catégories différentes: les expériences violentes et les expériences subtiles. Le cadre de référence de la psychologie analytique permet la possibilité d'un domaine transcendant et immatériel relié de manière créative à la réalité psychique. Ce cadre permet aussi de tenter de comprendre ce domaine. Nous allons jusqu'à envisager l'idée que le but ultime (et implicite) de l'analyse serait la manifestation du Mystère, un nom générique qui peut englober les différentes expériences phénoménologiques. Est-il possible que de telles expériences se produisent actuellement dans les circonstances culturelles? Quelle place le Mystère occupe-t-il dans la période actuelle? Quelles formes peut-il prendre? Par l'étude de rêves, d'imaginations et de synchronicités, des expériences du mystérieux seront examinées dans le contexte de l'analyse Jungienne contemporaine.

El presente trabajo tiene por objetivo exponer ciertas ideas acerca de la noción de "Misterio", a partir de las contribuciones de diversos pensadores provenientes de distintas áreas del conocimiento. Se focalizará especialmente en la experiencia misma, es decir, en la posibilidad humana de generar dicha vivencia y conceptualizar esa dimensión a partir del contacto con la misma. Se desarrollarán conceptos tales como el de "Homo Mysticus" (Erich Neumann), "Numinoso" (Rudolf Otto), "Sincronicidad" y "Self" (Carl G. Jung), aproximándose a los mismos desde una perspectiva psicológica. Se propone en el artículo una distinción entre dos categorías diferentes de contacto: las experiencias violentas y las experiencias sutiles. El marco referencial de la psicología analítica habilita la posibilidad de un reino trascendente e inmaterial vinculado creativamente con la realidad psíquica, así como una tentativa de compresión del mismo. Se plantea que la finalidad última (e implícita) del análisis es la manifestación del Misterio, denominación general que podría abarcar las diferentes experiencias fenomenológicas. ¿Es posible que se den dichas vivencias en las circunstancias culturales del presente? ¿Qué lugar ocupa el Misterio en los tiempos que corren? ¿Qué formas podría tomar?, A partir de ejemplos clínicos que involucran sueños, imaginaciones y sincronicidades, se explorarán las vivencias de lo misterioso en el contexto del análisis junguiano en la contemporaneidad.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar ideias sobre a noção de "Mistério", com base nas contribuições de vários pensadores de diferentes áreas do conhecimento. Ele se concentrará especialmente na própria experiência, ou seja, na possibilidade humana de gerar essa experiência e conceituar essa dimensão a partir do contato com ela Conceitos como 'Homo Mysticus' (Erich Neumann), 'Numinous' (Rudolf Otto), 'Synchronicity' e 'Self' (Carl G. Jung) serão desenvolvidos, abordando-os de uma perspectiva psicológica. Uma distinção entre duas categorias diferentes de contato é proposta no artigo: experiências violentas e experiências sutis. O referencial da psicologia analítica possibilita a possibilidade de um reino transcendente e imaterial criativamente ligado à realidade psíquica, bem como uma tentativa de compreendê-la. Lança-se até a hipótese de que o propósito final (e implícito) da análise seria a manifestação do Mistério, um nome geral que poderia abranger as diferentes experiências fenomenológicas. É possível que tais experiências ocorram nas circunstâncias culturais do presente? Que lugar o Mistério ocupa nestes tempos? Que formas poderia assumir? Ao observar sonhos, imaginações e sincronicidades, as experiências do mistério serão exploradas no contexto da análise junguiana contemporânea.

Physiological Foundations for Religious Experiences in Devotional Worship Practices with Music Using Heart Rate and Respiration Rate Analyses.

The present study investigates the psychophysiological activation patterns of religious experiences in worship practices using Heart Rate (HR) and Respiratory Rate (RR) analyses. For this, 60 evangelical individuals participated in an experiment where they worshipped to six selected conditions and continuously indicated how strongly they sensed what they believed to be the presence of God. These ratings were correlated with the biometric data to indicate whether the experience has an activating effect on the believer's vegetative system (activation hypothesis) or a soothing effect thereupon (pacification hypothesis). Statistical analyses showed that the psychological disposition during the religious worship experience speeds up the physiological responses, which was indicated by increases in HR and RR. Hence, the activation hypothesis was accepted, and the pacification hypothesis was rejected.

The psychological role of music and attentional control for religious experiences in worship.

This study investigated the psychological dynamics during worship experiences under the influence of different music conditions. In total, 60 believers were recruited to participate in experiments where they were asked to engage in worship and to connect with God while continuously ranking how strongly they sensed the presence of the divine. After each condition, they were asked to rate how well they were able to focus on God during the worship procedure. Based on a previously published Feedback Loop Model that portrays global psychological mechanisms in worship, we deduced two hypotheses: (1) the ability to focus on God is positively associated with how strong the subjective religious experience becomes, and (2) the different musical conditions yield varying degrees in the intensity of the felt presence of God. Our statistical analyses on the current sample demonstrate that both alternative hypotheses can be accepted. For the latter thesis, two further assumptions were at play: (1) we speculated that religious worship songs were associated with stronger divine experiences than with secular ones, and (2) it was assumed that if they could worship to their own selection of songs, the experience would be more powerful than with the ones that were provided by the research team. Whereas upon our investigation the former assumption can be deemed correct, the latter shows a positive but insignificant association.

Psychological Analysis of Religious Experience: The Construction of the Intensity of Religious Experience Scale (IRES).

The aim of this article is to present the issues of religious experience, and the associated experience of God's presence and God's absence, and then its operationalization, as well as to construct the Intensity of Religious Experience Scale, IRES (Skala Intensywnosci Doswiadczenia Religijnego, SIDR). The value of psychometric tool, the reliability and validity, were assessed. The study was conducted in three steps. Study 1 concerned the generalization of statements related to conception of Catholic religious experience; i.e., the subjective feeling whether one experiences God's presence and God's absence, and how such beliefs affect certain aspects of a person's life. Study 2 was carried out on the sample of 217 people and was designed to perform Exploratory Factor Analysis and to assess three-week test-retest reliability of the IRES. Study 3 was based on the sample of 368 people and was aimed to perform Confirmatory Factor Analysis and concurrent validation of the IRES. The analysis of the religious experience showed that this kind of human experience has its own structure. The explication of the subject has confirmed the existence of two positive factors of religious experience; i.e., a subjective sense of experience of God's presence and God's absence that can influence on life of people living in the Catholic religion environment.

From "The Depleted Self" to "The Will to Believe": Excavating the Hermeneutics of Donald Capps.

The concept of "reframing" lies at the heart of the pastoral psychology of Donald Capps. In previous articles I have argued that the process of reframing follows a circular hermeneutics. An excavation of Capps' hermeneutics reveals foundations in the fields of philosophy and psychology. This article focuses on the legacy of Johann Gottfried von Herder, Friedrich Schleiermacher, William James and Paul Ricoeur. It explores the differences and commonalities between William James and Friedrich Schleiermacher's understanding of religious experience as well as Paul Ricoeur's understanding of narrativity and traces these strains to Capps' pastoral psychology. As illustration of his pastoral approach to healing and wholeness the problem of "the depleted self," so prevalent in "our narcissistic age," encounters the healing narrative of Jesus that appeals to "the will to believe."

High spirituality may be associated with right hemispheric lateralization in Korean adults living with epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Although it is known that epilepsy and spirituality are related, spirituality in epilepsy has received relatively little clinical and scientific attention. Therefore, we investigated which epilepsy-related factors are associated with high spirituality in Korean adults living with epilepsy. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in two university hospitals in Korea. Spirituality was assessed using the 6-item Spirituality Self-Rating Scale (SSRS). The participants were categorized into high and low spirituality groups according to the median SSRS score. The presumptive seizure onset zone was determined based on the clinical semiology, electroencephalography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings. RESULTS: Of the 180 participants, 61.7% declared that they had a religious affiliation. The median SSRS score was 15 (interquartile range: 7, 22). The high spirituality subgroup consisted of 92 (51.1%) participants. In the univariate analyses, the high spirituality group was significantly associated with female sex (p<0.05), older age (p<0.01), longer epilepsy duration (p<0.05), polytherapy (p<0.05), complex partial seizure (p<0.05), levetiracetam or topiramate usage (p<0.05), and a right-lateralized seizure onset zone. The multiple logistic regression analysis identified right hemispheric lateralization as the only independent factor associated with high spirituality (odds ratio: 2.410, 95% confidence interval: 1.051-5.528, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: High spirituality may be associated with right hemispheric lateralization but not with the temporal localization of the seizure onset zone in Korean adults with epilepsy.

Religious experiences of Iranian transgenders: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Gender identity disorder and its treatment with sex reassignment surgery is a profound experience, which can affect the mental, interpersonal, social and religious aspects of one's life. METHODS: This was a qualitative content analysis study focusing on the various dimensions of the experiences of seven patients suffering from gender identity disorder in a female-to-male subgroup. This study presents a report concerning the religious aspects of their experience. RESULTS: The findings of this study were categorized into the four following conceptual categories: sense of guilt; accomplishing a sense of submission to God's will as well as God's pleasing; practical commitment to religion; and rejection by the religious communities. CONCLUSION: Diminishing religion to spirituality comprised the core experiences of these patients having intimate relations with such concepts as secularism, stigma, and technocracy.

Processes of social flourishing and their liminal collapse: elements to a genealogy of globalization.

This article aims at exploring a long-term historical perspective on which contemporary globalization can be more meaningfully situated. A central problem with established approaches to globalization is that they are even more presentist than the literature on modernization was. Presentism not only means the ignoring of history, but also the unreflective application to history of concepts taken from the study of the modern world. In contrast, it is argued that contemporary globalization is not a unique development, but rather is a concrete case of a historical type. Taking as its point of departure the spirit, rather than the word, of Max Weber, this article extends the scope of sociological investigation into archaeological evidence. Having a genealogical design and introducing the concept of 'liminality', the article approaches the modern process of globalization through reconstructing the internal dynamics of another type of historical change called 'social flourishing'. Taking up the Weberian approach continued by Eisenstadt in his writings on 'axial age', it moves away from situations of crisis as reference point, shifting attention to periods of revival by introducing the term 'epiphany'. Through the case of early Mesopotamia, it shows how social flourishing can be transmogrified into globalizing growth, gaining a new perspective concerning the kind of 'animating spirit' that might have driven the shift from Renaissance to Reformation, the rise of modern colonialism, or contemporary globalization. More generally, it will retrieve the long-term historical background of the axial age and demonstrate the usefulness and importance of archaeological evidence for sociology.

Values as Predictors of Religious Experience in the Lives of Seminary Students of Philosophy and Students of Physics.

The aim of this study was to show the preferences of terminal values of personal and social character and the level of religious experience: God's presence and God's absence, as well as to examine the relationship between the two variables in the groups of seminary students of philosophy and students of physics. The following methods were applied in the study: Rokeach Value Survey and Glaz's Scale of Religious Experience. The study was conducted amongst university students in Kraków (Poland). The results of 100 correctly completed sets of questionnaires were analysed. The results analysis proves that seminary students of philosophy have a higher level of religious experience: God's presence and God's absence than students of physics. Seminary students of philosophy most preferred terminal values in personal and in social character. In the group of seminary students of philosophy, from amongst the four most preferred terminal values, two have a significant relation with the experience of God's presence and God's absence, whereas in the group of students of physics only one of them has a significant relation with the experience of God's absence.

Carl Gustav Jung and Granville Stanley Hall on Religious Experience.

Granville Stanley Hall (1844-1924) with William James (1842-1910) is the key founder of psychology of religion movement and the first American experimental or genetic psychologist, and Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) is the founder of the analytical psychology concerned sympathetically about the religious dimension rooted in the human subject. Their fundamental works are mutually connected. Among other things, both Hall and Jung were deeply interested in how the study of religious experience is indispensable for the depth understanding of human subject. Nevertheless, except for the slight indication, this common interest between them has not yet been examined in academic research paper. So this paper aims to articulate preliminary evidence of affinities focusing on the locus and its function of the inner deep psychic dimension as the religious in the work of Hall and Jung.

Ramakrishna and the Clinic of Paradox.

This study presents a clinical conception of the human being as the paradox between immanence and transcendence. Through an exposition of the clinical conceptions of Brazilian author Gilberto Safra, we search for an integral manner in which to understand mystical experience as a way to rethink the ontological conceptions inherent to clinical practice. In such perspective, we elaborate a critique of both the psychological-only approach to mystical experience as well as the spiritual-only approach. We present it through the life of Indian mystic Ramakrishna, by comparing the interpretation different authors make of his experiences and placing our own perspective.