"Even a cursory reading of contemporary moral philosophy and theological ethics reveals that discussions in these disciplines are often far removed from the actual experiences of individuals struggling to live morally. One reason for this is the general silence in most modern ethical theory about the place of emotions in the moral life. In this study of the possibility of emotional/moral transformation through religious belief and practice, Paul Lauritzen breaks this silence and attempts to explain both why emotions have been ignored and why they must be reclaimed." "Drawing on work in philosophical psychology, cultural anthropology, and religious studies, Lauritzen develops an account of emotions and of the self that allows us to see how a system of religious belief and practice may dramatically transform the emotional life of the believer. He argues that emotions are not biologically basic experiences, invariant from culture to culture, but rather are culturally mediated artifacts that are inescapably tied to communities of belief and practice that sustain particular understandings of the self and its world." "To this end, Lauritzen sketches a "social-constructivist" account of human emotions and analyzes the emotion of anger in detail. By comparing anger as it is found in our culture with accounts of "anger" in certain non-Western societies, the author demonstrates that emotions are crucially shaped in communities of belief and practice and are thus open to transformation with a change in belief and practice." "This possibility is explored at length by examining the way in which a framework of retributive justice structures the experience of anger in our culture. According to Lauritzen, this framework presupposes that the human condition is characterized by limited resources, on the one hand, and by limited generosity, on the other. Against this background, anger will appear to be a natural retributive response to violations of individuals' rights." "The author concludes the study by showing how, given particular religious views about human life and history, the framework of retributive justice may be transformed or transcended in ways that dramatically affect the emotional life of the believer."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

A Christian Handbook For Emotional Transformation Emotions are a very important part of the Christian life. Emotional intelligence (EQ) is especially important when it comes to leadership and ministry skills. Biblical EQ uses the Bible and the character of Jesus to show how we can grow both spiritually and emotionally into mature human beings. Biblical EQ uses the life and character of Jesus as the model to emulate. Jesus Christ shows us what it is like to be a perfect person, whose emotions are both well-expressed and well-managed in love. The Holy Spirit is God resident in human personality, with the power to change us into the image of Jesus Christ. We are not left alone to change ourselves! God the Holy Spirit will help us! So Biblical EQ will take you on a bible-based journey through the world of emotional growth and emotional intelligence. You will learn how to change your perspectives, your beliefs, thoughts and intents of the heart, manage your physical reactions to emotions, control stress, have faith and mastery in life and how to grow in love, social skills and Christian leadership.

This book is about the dramatic experience of religious conver sion. The phenomenon of religious conversion lies at the crossroad of several disciplines. As the title of this book indicates, my own interest in religious conversion is not sociological, historical, nor anthropolog ical. My primary interest is not even in the domain of the psychology of religion. That is, this book is not a comprehensive review of the social psychological factors that shape religious beliefs in general and religious conversions in particular. Rather, my primary interest is in the experience of conversion as an instance of a meaningful, sudden change in the course of individu al lives. Religious conversion is examined in this book prinwrily from the point of view of the psychology of the self. My aim is to elucidate the experience of religious conversion as a change in the self and to raise suggestions for the study of the self that derive from the data on religious conversion. This interest dictated the scope as well as the methods of the present investigation. Namely, I have chosen to study individuals who have indeed changed visibly as a result of their conversion. My inquiry was based on self-report, assuming the importance of the person's own point of view. Finally, my inquiry was semi-clinical, vii viii PREFACE based on the assumption of an underlying structure to the varieties of conversion experiences.

Emotion is a basic phenomenon of human functioning, most of the time having an adaptive value enhancing our effectiveness in pursuing our goals in the broadest sense. Regulation of these emotions, however, is essential for adaptive functioning, and suboptimal or dysfunctional emotion regulation may even be counterproductive and result in adverse consequences, including a poor well-being and ill health. This volume provides a state-of-the art overview of issues related to the association between emotion regulation and both mental and physical well-being. It covers various areas of research highly relevant to both researchers in the field and clinicians working with emotion regulation issues in their practice. Included topics are arranged along four major areas: • (Neuro-)biological processes involved in the generation and regulation of emotions • Psychological processes and mechanisms related to the link between emotion regulation and psychological well-being as well as physical health • Social perspective on emotion regulation pertaining to well-being and social functioning across the life span • Clinical aspects of emotion regulation and specific mental and physical health problems This broad scope offers the possibility to include research findings and thought-provoking views of leading experts from different fields of research, such as cognitive neuroscience, clinical psychology, psychophysiology, social psychology, and psychiatry on specific topics such as nonconscious emotion regulation, emotional body language, self-control, rumination, mindfulness, social sharing, positive emotions, intergroup emotions, and attachment in their relation to well-being and health. Chapters are based on the “Fourth International Conference on the (Non) Expression of Emotions in Health and Disease” held at Tilburg University in October 2007. In 2007 Springer published “Emotion Regulation: Conceptual and Clinical Issues” based on the Third International Conference on the (Non) Expression of Emotion in Health and Disease,” held at Tilburg University in October 2003. It is anticipated that, depending on sales, we may continue to publish the advances deriving from this conference.

The Power of Transformation shows you how to create true balance and serenity in every area of your life by applying biblical principles and trusting in Jesus as your instrument of change. By learning how to recognize the differences between the spirit and the flesh, good and evil, and how these things are in constant conflict, you will be inspired to find hope in every situation, to foster and embrace total transformation Pauline E. Lewinson draws upon her own experience in finding spiritual fulfillment to guide you on this wondrous path. With warm and honest candor, Lewinson shows believers and unbelievers alike the powerful potential for the kind of change you will have if you fully surrender your life to Jesus Christ. She discusses such important topics as: Life Purpose and change Relationship between prayer and faith Prophecies, healings and miracles Christian marriages and families Importance of worship and Team Building And much more! If youre ready to restore and renew your life, then let The Power of Transformation be your guide. Turn to the Lord in all that you do and you will soon discover peace, fulfillment and joy!

Brings together twelve essays in the field of emotion studies. This book examines attitudes toward and expressions of emotion in a range of religious traditions and periods. It provides insights to students of comparative religion, anthropology and psychology.

The Oxford Handbook of Religious Conversion offers a comprehensive exploration of the dynamics of religious conversion, which for centuries has profoundly shaped societies, cultures, and individuals throughout the world. Scholars from a wide array of religions and disciplines interpret both the varieties of conversion experiences and the processes that inform this personal and communal phenomenon. This volume examines the experiences of individuals and communities who change religions, those who experience an intensification of their religion of origin, and those who encounter new religions through colonial intrusion, missionary work, and charismatic and revitalization movements. The thirty-two innovative essays provide overviews of the history of particular religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, indigenous religions, and new religious movements. The essays also offer a wide range of disciplinary perspectives-psychological, sociological, anthropological, legal, political, feminist, and geographical-on methods and theories deployed in understanding conversion, and insight into various forms of deconversion.

How we feel is as vital to our survival as how we think. This claim, based on the premise that emotions are largely adaptive, serves as the organizing theme of Why We Need Religion. This book is a novel pathway in a well-trodden field of religious studies and philosophy of religion. Stephen Asma argues that, like art, religion has direct access to our emotional lives in ways that science does not. Yes, science can give us emotional feelings of wonder and the sublime--we can feel the sacred depths of nature--but there are many forms of human suffering and vulnerability that are beyond the reach of help from science. Different emotional stresses require different kinds of rescue. Unlike secular authors who praise religion's ethical and civilizing function, Asma argues that its core value lies in its emotionally therapeutic power. No theorist of religion has failed to notice the importance of emotions in spiritual and ritual life, but truly systematic research has only recently delivered concrete data on the neurology, psychology, and anthropology of the emotional systems. This very recent "affective turn" has begun to map out a powerful territory of embodied cognition. Why We Need Religion incorporates new data from these affective sciences into the philosophy of religion. It goes on to describe the way in which religion manages those systems--rage, play, lust, care, grief, and so on. Finally, it argues that religion is still the best cultural apparatus for doing this adaptive work. In short, the book is a Darwinian defense of religious emotions and the cultural systems that manage them.