Psychosis or Mystical Religious Experience?

Includes cutting-edge original research undertaken by the author into pastoral conceptions of mystical religious experience and how it differs from psychosis Provides comparative analysis of current theological beliefs and practices and psychological theories and practices around psychosis and mystical religious experience Outlines provisional guidelines for clinical and counselling professionals that distinguish mystical religious experience in relation to psychosis

Susan L. DeHoff is Visiting Scholar in the School of Theology at Boston University, USA. She holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology and Religion from Boston University, USA and a M.Div. from Emory University, USA. DeHoff is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and is a Fellow of the American Association of Pastoral Counselors.

1.Mystical Religious Experience and Psychosis: Contours of the Problem .- 2.Reformed Theology: Historical Perspectives on Mystical Experience .- 3. Psychoanalytic Views of Mystical Religious Experience.- 4. Post-Freudian Psychological Theories.- 5. Research: Presbyterian Church (USA) Views on MRE.- 6. Theology and Psychology: An Interdisciplinary Discussion.- 7. Proposing A New Paradigm.- 8. Conclusion