Mature Religion Research Articles

Kedewasaan Beragama Pada Anak Usia Dasar

ABSTRACT
 Mature religion on children who are in elementary or primary phase plays an important rule for their psychology development. This paper found out in theory that children have the ability to recognize what is called “religion” in their heart through their mind by having imagination and thinking logically. The needs of having religion for children are constracted internally by themselves and externally by their nvironment, family and culture. Children develop their religion maturity by three stages based on their age. It is started from age 0-12 year old which explains different development they have. Those stage of developments are related with their ability to be critical and with three kind of intellengences (IQ-SQ-EQ). Keywords: Mature Religion, Children, Development

Healthy Religiosity and Salutary Faith: Clarification of Concepts from the Perspectives of Psychology, Psychiatry and of Theology

The object of this research is to clarify the concepts 'healthy religiosity' and 'salutary faith' in order to provide criteria for the assessment of a person's faith both in (mental) health care and in pastoral care. Based on the scientific literature, a questionnaire composed according to the Delphi method was presented in several rounds to a panel of psychologists/psychiatrists and theologians. The preferred 'translation' of the English term 'mature religion', chosen as an encompassing term, into Dutch was 'integrated faith'; another favoured term was 'adult faith'. Six core elements achieved consensus: sincerity, amazement, inspiration, identity, integrity, openness. Twenty-one (21) criteria could be clustered into three factors: 'Orientation to higher values out of a sense of inner freedom', 'Trust in God pervades the entire life', 'Responsibility for fellow humans and creation'. After due reflection on the outcomes, it is proposed that justice should be done to all relevant dimensions of human existence by extending the biopsychosocial model to a biopsychosocial-spiritual model, abbreviated to BPSS.

Die nie al te wyse Salomo

The not-so-wise SolomonIn this article it is argued that although the mere existence of Solomon is in contention in contemporary Old Testament scholarship, a historical Solomon can be accepted. However, this Solomon differs widely from the positive image of him that abounds not only in the Bible itself, but also in general Christian thought. In this article the relevant issues concerning the historical Solomon are put on the table and it is argued that a critical stance towards Biblical and other hero figures, which searches for a balance between individual and collective interests, befits more the attitude of a mature and responsible religion (and therefore spells wisdom).

Maturing Religious Experience and the Postmodern Self

Past attempts to define “mature religion” have been rooted in a modernist theological anthropology which assumes an atomistic, universal, rational, and stable human self. Yet postmodernists resist universal statements about humanity and understand the “self” as an ever-changing social construct. This paper suggests a theological anthropology more adequate to the postmodern world, examines “maturing religious experience” from this perspective, and considers ways pastoral care/counseling can nurture healthy, integrative, and maturing Christian faith in postmodern culture.

“MATURE REFLECTIONS ON MATURE RELIGION”

“MATURE REFLECTIONS ON MATURE RELIGION”

Emotion and spirit: questioning the claims of psychoanalysis and religion

Psychoanalysis, with Freud as its founder, has vehemently denied the value of religious belief. In this radical book, re-issued with a new preface by the author and a foreword by Jon Stokes, Neville Symington makes the case that both traditional religion and psychoanalysis are failing because they exist apart and do not incorporate each other's values. The controversial conclusion of this fascinating study is that psychoanalysis is a spirituality-in-the-world, or a mature religion, and inseparable from acts of virtue.

Measuring Religious Maturity: A Proposed Scale

Gordon Allport offered a rich and complex description of mature religion. More recently, Batson and Ventis have proposed that the scales constructed to measure Allport's intrinsic orientation actually capture only part of the concept of maturity that he had in mind-religion as master motive. They have offered the quest orientation to account for the qualities of complexity, humility, and tentativeness. But quest seems as one-sided as intrinsic. In an attempt to construct a scale that would reflect the religious maturity Allport originally envisioned, a pool of items were written; combined with intrinsic, extrinsic, and quest items into the Personal Religion Inventory, and administered to 491 subjects. The resulting factor analyses produced the 11-item Religious Maturity Scale. It is offered as a further tool with which to test theory and conduct new research on personal orientations to religion.

A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis of the Means, End and Quest Dimensions

Allport's distinction between intrinsic and religious orientations is well known. The first two studies designed to empirically examine this paradigm were implemented by Feagin (1964) and Allport and Ross (1967). The investigators proposed intrinsic and scales representing opposite ends of a unidimensional continuum. This paradigm has been the subject of considerable empirical research since that time (see Donahue [1985] for a comprehensive review). Batson's (1976) assessment of the I-E literature resulted in a recommendation to improve the original theory. His recommendation was based on recognition of a change in tone from Allport's earlier description of religion (1950) to his operational definition of intrinsic religion (Allport & Ross, 1967), which replaced mature religion in this typology (even as extrinsic religion replaced immature religion). Batson and Ventis point out: In contrast to the concept of religion, there seems to be less emphasis in the notion of intrinsic religion on flexibility, skepticism, and resistance as a master motive that is internalized and followed fully (Batson & Ventis, 1982: 144). Therefore, Batson and Ventis recommend a third orientation named Quest, which they describe as

Religious Orientation and Complexity of Thought about Existential Concerns

Three aspects of Allport's original concept of mature religion appear to be omitted from his later, highly-popular concept of religion as an intrinsic end in itself. These aspects are (a) readiness to face existential questions without reducing their complexity, (b) perception of religious doubts as positive, and (c) openness to future change in one's religious views. Batson and Ventis claim that these three aspects are included in Batson's concept of religion as a quest. Consistent with this claim, evidence is presented which indicates that the quest orientation correlates positively with greater cognitive complexity in dealing with existential concerns, while the intrinsic, end orientation does not.

Mature and Immature Religion

Mature and Immature Religion

Toward a task-centered christianity

The concepts of task-centered (intrinsic) and self-centered (extrinsic) religion have been found useful in a psychological understanding of Christianity. The task-centered dimension is related to a healthy, mature religion, and the self-centered dimension is related to much that has been found to be unhealthy about religion. Theologically the former concept implies a turning to God and His work and away from self. Implications are discussed in terms of the pastor as a model of a task-centered and not a self-centered Christian. In the pastor's role of promoting task-centered religion, special attention is given to worship and to implications for ministering to people's hurts and troubles.

Religion and bureaucracy: A spiritual dialogue

How strange that the current quest for spirituality evidenced by some aspects of growing religious fundamentalism, use of mind-altering drugs in attempts at mysticism, and religio/secular pronouncements of the counter culture should be offset by declining health of the church/synagogue institution! Though I realize that there is a spiritual component in all of human illness and well-being, I question the effectiveness of the institution in providing the sought-after healthy psychological set for its religious client. Throughout history, religious ideas have furnished men with the energy needed for life. The contemporary phenomenon of exotic searching for spirituality is fur ther indication of the continuing need, as well as evidence of the ineffectiveness of current institutional forms. I believe that "mature religion" has now, as in the past, a distinctive contribu tion to make to the well-being of individual man, but has been diverted from its task by the effects of the mechanics of administrative functioning. "Mature re ligion" as I conceive of it is succinctly described by Abraham N. Franzblau as man-fostering rather than man-flagellating; concerned with man's ultimate worth and self-actualization; deed-centered rather than creed-centered; insisting that guilt be related to behavior rather than to ecclesiastic considerations; avoiding the use of fear or the promise of reward as a motivation; this-worldly in major emphasis rather than other-worldly; progressivistic rather than perfectionistic in its social and personal goals; centrifugal rather than centripetal in the direction of its concerns (moving outward rather than inward into the individual soul and its salvation alone); less mystery-centered and messianic and more reality-centered and melioristic with regard to the future of man; leaning more on reason than on revelation as the source of its authority; being more God-seeking than God-fawn ing, more universal than parochial, more democratic than sacerdotal, and more dynamic than static.1 The characteristics of a mature religion provide a proper psychological set wherein one can continue to grow and mature and integrate functionally into one's personality all aspects of the life that faces him. Mental and spiritual health are inseparable. One's relationship with self and others has to do with

Gordon Allport and the quest for selfhood

Among the growing body of literature about selfhood and identity, writings of the late Gordon Allport provide a set of notable definitions that are es pecially relevant to the relationships of psychology and religion. While All port's perspective is distinctive in several ways, which we shall summarize at the end of this paper, probably his best-known and most important contribu tion is that of a methodological polarity. In terms of modern psychology, this was exemplified in his contrast between the Lockean and Leibnitzian tradi tions. The former is characterized by a view of the mind as essentially passive, while in the latter it is regarded as active or dynamic.1 This contrast is paral lelled by one in the study of religious behavior and experience?that of ex trinsic and intrinsic or immature and mature religion.

Family Planning Counsel

THE greatest psychological blessing that can be conferred upon a child at birth is to be wanted by his parents. Conversely, an enviable asset for new parents is to be in a position to welcome wholeheartedly the new addition to the family. This is not to say that all unplanned pregnancies are unwanted or that they turn out badly, but that there is an optimum readiness for parenthood and this readiness is too often neglected in our society at present. This neglect is in part an indictment of medical and public health practice. There is a striking contradiction-rarely noted-in the way our society regards readiness for the responsibilities of parenthood. There is virtually no interference or even cautionary suggestion against parenthood for married couples who are biologically able to reproduce. Even for the unmarried, social sanctions aginst pregnancy act chiefly as punishments or threats, without supporting prevention: the prospect of punishment often fails as a deterrent. Even couples who decide that they are unable to rear a child properly have been-and are still being-denied full information and necessary implements to practice birth control. There still exists a medical-social bias that favors pregnancy as the inevitable outcome of sexual intercourse, especially for the deprived segments of our population. In this circumstance of effective, albeit unconscious bias, no attention is paid to the quality of parenthood in store for the child-to-be, or of the wishes of the parents-to-be in regard to their own future, except perhaps to deny the right of conjugal love unless they wish to procreate. By way of contrast we note the plight of an infertile couple (especially one of mature years, mixed religion or race, or low income) who wish to be parents. For an approved adoption procedure they must be thoroughly evaluated as to their qualifications as parents, and many adoptive couples will testify to the emotional stress involved in presenting oneself for this

Book Review: Mature Religion. Psychological Insights for Religious Growth and Daily Living.

Book Review: Mature Religion. Psychological Insights for Religious Growth and Daily Living.

Book Review: III. Practical Studies: Mature Religion: Psychological in Sights for Religious Growth and Daily Living

Book Review: III. Practical Studies: Mature Religion: Psychological in Sights for Religious Growth and Daily Living

Value judgments in psychiatry and religion

The thesis of this presentation is that the value judgments of a mature psychiatry and those of a mature religion are similar; they may even be congruous. This statement is not to be misconstrued as an assumption that religion and psychiatry are congruous. I am speaking of the value judgments that form the potential for maturity in each field. Both religion and psychiatry deal with the understanding of man? religion with man in his macrocosm, and psychiatry with man in his microcosm. Man in relation to eternity, to infinity, to the universe, to the ultimate is the concern of religion. Man in relation to his inner structure and conflicts, to his personal sensitivities and yearnings is the concern of psychiatry. Mature religious discipline and inquiry lead to humility, awe, won der, and joy with regard to the cosmos, whereas dedicated and honest application of carefully conceptualized psychiatric principles leads to an awareness of the transcendental in intrapsychic and interpersonal rela tionships. Mature psychiatry and mature religion may be viewed as resting upon four basic value judgments: the importance of the thou-I en counter; the irrefutable presence of an unconscious; the importance of continuing, timely observation; and the necessity of a conceptual theoretical framework upon which to project observations.