Neurotheology Research Articles

SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE: PARTICIPATING WITH HEART, MIND, AND BODY

AbstractThis introductory article to the thematic section on “Spiritual Intelligence” sets out the ways in which spiritual intelligence is currently conceptualized. Most prominently, spiritual intelligence is understood as an adaptive intelligence which enables people to develop their values, vision, and capacity for meaning. Questions arise as to whether spiritual intelligence is a distinct form of intelligence, and how to frame it if it is. It is questionable whether psychometric approaches justify concluding there is a distinct spiritual intelligence, and the authors reject any notion of a God spot in the brain specifically dedicated to spiritual intelligence, which is a much more broadly embodied phenomenon. The authors suggest that spiritual intelligence most likely makes use of existing cognitive architecture, though applied in a distinctive way. This article finishes with a brief introduction to the four main articles in this thematic section, which present spiritual intelligence as a kind of participation in transcendent being. The four articles approach the cognitive, embodied, meditative, and ritual aspects of spiritual intelligence as participation.

Shifting paradigm: from Intellectual Quotient, Emotional Quotient, and Spiritual Quotient toward Ruhani Quotient in ruhiology perspectives

There are three theories of human intelligence, namely Intellectual Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Spiritual Quotient (SQ). In its subsequent development, following the SQ era that considered the God Spot in the human brain as a source of intelligence, the concept of the Heart’s Code (HC) indicates that the source of intelligence lies in the heart, not the brain. The SQ model proposed by Zohar-Marshall and the HC model suggested by Pearsall only touched the biological and psychological realms, namely the material brain and the material heart. Both have yet to touch upon the transcendental level of divinity i.e. the spiritual brain and the spiritual heart. Using Thomas Kuhn’s scientific revolution approach, the current article intends to prove that the source of intelligence is not the brain but the ruh (the soul). When God has perfected the creation of man by blowing ruh in him, the sense of hearing subsequently radiates through the ears, sight through the eyes, smell through the nose, speech through the mouth, taste through the tongue, and intelligence through the brain. As a consequence, the brain is but a tool; it is not a source of intelligence. If IQ, EQ, and SQ are regarded as intelligence models originating from the human mind, which is certainly artificial in nature, then Ruhani Quotient (RQ) is an intelligence model originally created by God. Ruhani Quotient (RQ), which is based on ruh, has implications on new studies pertaining to ‘ruhiology.’

Pembangunan Masyarakat Berbasis Pengembangan Ekonomi Pesantren

This research focuses on the three main functions of boarding schools by revealing how Pondok Pesantren Rubat Mbalong Ell Firdaus conducts economic activities in pesantren and community development, and how islamic economic analysis related to community development based on economic development. This research is a type of field research through a qualitative descriptive approach. Data collection techniques use observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of the study illustrate that Pondok Pesantren Rubat Mbalong Ell Firdaus is a boarding school that implements economic activities and participates in community development by applying the educational format of tafaqquh and tadayyun. The concept of islamic education that is equipped with religious understanding while practising religious values, creating and applying the concept of Islam in view of the world. For the philosophical foundation of development in the Islamic perspective applied in Pondok Pesantren Rubat Mbalong Ell Firdaus namely tauheed uluhiyah, tauheed rububbiyah, khilafah, tazkiyyah an-nas and al-falah (optimizing human resources, applying god spot management, taking good care of nature, applying the Islamic mindset of rahmatallil religion and islam easy religion).

God Spots in the Brain: Nine Categories of Unasked, Unanswered Questions

Neurotheology is an emerging academic discipline that examines mind-brain relationships in terms of the inter-relatedness of neuroscience, spirituality, and religion. Neurotheology originated from brain-scan studies that revealed specific correlations between certain religious thoughts and localized activated brain areas known as “God Spots.” This relatively young scholarly discipline lacks clear consensus on its definition, ideology, purpose, or prospects for future research. Of special interest is the consideration of the next steps using brain scans to develop this field of research. This review proposes nine categories of future research that could build on the foundation laid by the prior discoveries of God Spots. Specifically, this analysis identifies some sparsely addressed issues that could be usefully explored with new kinds of brain-scan studies: neural network operations, the cognitive neuroscience of prayer, biology of belief, measures of religiosity, role of the self, learning and memory, religious and secular cognitive commonalities, static and functional anatomy, and recruitment of neural processing circuitry. God Spot research is poised to move beyond observation to robust hypothesis generation and testing.

Neurotheology—The Triad of Religion, Spirituality, and Neuroscience

Religion and spirituality are fundamental to the human condition and play a role in our mental health and wellbeing. Initially, religion and science thrived in a complimentary relationship, only to be polarized with the aggressive secularization of science. Neurotheology is an exciting new approach that may help bridge our understandings of religion, health and the overall human condition. However, we need to recognize the limitations of this approach and, hence, cautiously interpret any findings.

The portrait of spiritual intelligence and aggressiveness of university students

Aggression is interpreted as a behavior that aims to hurt others physically and verbally. This study used quantitative approach through correlational method to find out the influence of spiritual intelligence (SQ) to the aggressiveness in university students. Students’ aggressiveness was measured using adapted aggression questionnaire, while SQ was measured using the adapted spiritual intelligence scale. The sample technique used proportional random sampling technique and data analysis used regression test through SPSS 22. The findings of the research suggest that spiritual intelligence has a positive and significant effect on students’ aggressiveness. The research results point out that SQ among the students encourages God spot activation. God spot leads students to show ideal behavior and find peaceful solution for every problem. God spot makes students crave on the transcendence; as the consequence, the deep love, peaceful, unity of existence arise in students’ mind and behavior. The peaceful behavior significantly decreases students’ aggressiveness

POLA PENGEMBANGAN POTENSI KECERDASAN EMOSIONAL DAN SPIRITUAL ANAK PENYANDANG AUTISME

This research is a qualitative field research which attempts to analyze the development of emotional and spiritual intelligence of Autism Persons at Autism Service Center (PLA) Metro. This study seeks to answer the question of how the pattern of developing emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence of children with autism inpla Metro. To make it easier to answer and find the research question, in this study using several methods including direct observation, in-depth interviews, and studying documentation based on data obtained in the field. The results of this study indicate that the pattern of development of emotional intelligence and spiritual intelligence of children with autism is indeed somewhat different from normal children, even between autistic one with autism, because it turns out there are differences in the types of autism itself. In general, the pattern of intelligence development of autistic children requires special handling, by combining it with several well-known therapeutic methods in the handling of autism such as the ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) method, physiotherapy, speech therapy, out door therapy, and others. The therapy method is combined with a religious approach to get emotional and spiritual intelligence, by getting used to autism and at the same time the therapist always prays in starting his therapeutic activities. This habituation is a reflection of the awareness of the God Spot, in each of their activities, and is an application of spiritual quality, dzikir and thought, as well as an application of harmony, and harmony in an integrated manner, in the process of therapy for persons autism.

Manajer Pendidik Profetik dalam Konstruksi Kesalehan Makrifat

Similar to other graduates of the Faculty of Islamic Education and Teaching, those graduated from the Islamic Education Management study program are also educators, prophetic super-leader based on cognizance intelligence (ma’rifat)- which is an empirical form of the sense of God presence when the God Spot – an analysis by Zohar and Marshall- works. Prophetic super-leaders are professional managers encouraging learning motivation and organizing education in more civilized way within national framework. Whereas, the Islamic Education Management learning process is based on the Islamic Education Management Technique and built upon Islamic Education Management Science, that is derived from the Islamic Education Management Philosophy. Meanwhile, this philosophical aspect is rooted on the philosophy of Tarbiya which in fact is an applied Islamic philosophy. Therefore, the Faculty of Islamic Education and Teaching urgently needs to arrange Tarbiya philosophy as vision accomplishment of being “Excellent and Outstanding in Integrating and Developing Islamic Education and Science for Civilization” since the Tarbiya philosophy and its derivation are foundation of the mission implementation of “Developing Education Based on Islamic, Sciencetific, Tehcnological, Art, and Indonesian context.” Without such an independent theory, the practice of Islamic Education will only be a kind of follower instead of leader or superleader. At least, there shuld be an obvious statement that the adopted theory is not against the concept of Ma’rifah in Islam.

How Theology Looks at Neurotheology

How Theology Looks at Neurotheology

Are We Wired for God

The developing discipline of neurotheology looks to the structures of the human brain to understand our religious experience. It sheds new light on the integral relationship between both mind and body, and spirit and matter, and contributes to an appreciation of the human person as one truly made for participation in Mystery.

Vormt moderne antropologie een probleem voor het Christelijk geloof?

Does modern anthropology pose a problem to the Christian faith? Contemporary scientific anthropology proposes a naturalistic conception of human personhood because of humankind’s place somewhere in the larger evolutionary process of life. Some authors use the theory of biological evolution to explain phenomena in other areas as well, and due to its success suggest it has universal application in cultural and religious studies too, as if it were a theory of everything. Darwin’s idea of a common origin of all life undermined a supposed superiority of humankind. It signalled the end of an Aristotelian metaphysical notion of classification and constituted a real blow for classical individualistic anthropology. Dawkins explains religion in terms of empirical immanent biological processes in the human brain. He views religious ideas as ‘memes’ that act like an infectious virus in mental processes. His hypothesis seems to be a relapse into the old Aristotelian pattern. Michael Persinger interprets religion as an internal physiological state of an individual brain and reduces the language of mental concepts to physiological states of a material brain. Persinger’s, and also Dennett’s, materialistic view presupposes a God’s Eye Point of View as an Archimedian perspective outside the world. If a God exists, the neurologists Newberg and d’Aquili argue that he needs a point of contact within our brain: the God spot. Sociobiologists Edward Wilson and David Wilson consider religion a form of group adaptation, because cooperating individuals show the primary benefits of cooperation and altruistic behaviour, just as social insects. Religion is an evolutionary support of altruistic instincts and creates a social infrastructure to benefit a cooperative society. However, social insects merely act on their instincts whereas human beings can act intentionally even against their primary instincts, because of motives for altruist practices inspired, for example, by the narratives and concepts of a Christian tradition. The communion of saints does not take place merely because of a social instinct, but because of the shared motive of the community as a whole, that is, the body of Christ, which acts altruistically irrespective of persons, including outsiders!

Principles of Neurotheology. By Andrew B. Newberg

Principles of Neurotheology. By Andrew B. Newberg

Motivational and neural systems of religion

Inzlicht, Tullett, and Good (IT&G) have provided a new and valuable insight into the neuroscience of religion, demonstrating that religious people show less activity in the anterior cingulate corte...

Toward an evolutionary social neuroscience of religion

We prefer an alternative functional model to the “motivated-meaning hypothesis.” To explain its appeal, we work through the implications of three observations. The authors find that religious zeal ...

Principles of Neurotheology by Andrew B. Newberg

<i>Principles of Neurotheology</i> by Andrew B. Newberg

Principles of neurotheology

Principles of neurotheology

Principles of Neurotheology

Principles of Neurotheology

MUST YOU REALLY HAVE YOUR HEAD EXAMINED? – NEUROIMAGING AND ITS PLACE IN MODERN-DAY PSYCHIATRY

If recent reports in the media are anything to go by, we now know why some people crave chocolate, why teenagers tend to be moody and – most impressively of all, perhaps – which parties voters will opt for in elections. Findings like these, we are assured, have the backing of science. We owe them to advances in brain-scanning technology that have enabled researchers to pinpoint the brain's ‘pleasure centre’ or ‘thinking area’, and so to achieve mind-reading powers that have hitherto been the stuff of fantasy. There is even some site in the brain that might be called a ‘God spot’.

The spiritual brain: a neuroscientist's case for the existence of the soul, By Mario Beauregard and Denyse O'Leary, New York: HarperOne, 2007, ISBN 978‐0‐06‐085883‐4, 368 pages

The spiritual brain: a neuroscientist's case for the existence of the soul, By Mario Beauregard and Denyse O'Leary, New York: HarperOne, 2007, ISBN 978‐0‐06‐085883‐4, 368 pages

Kunnen wij religieuze ervaring ijken? Dupliek aan René van Woudenberg en Martijn Blaauw

It is argued that, though the discovery of the ‘God spot’ adds to the analogy between sensory perception and religious experience, it is of no avail in establishing the reliability of religious experience, because the main difference between sensory perception and religious experience (i.e., that sensory perception can be ‘calibrated’ while religious experience cannot) remains unchanged. He also argues that religious experience is much more central to Reformed Epistemology than Van Woudenberg and Blaauw admit, because – as Alvin Plantinga has shown – religious propositions that are properly basic in a strict sense mostly are reports of religious experiences.