Entheogens: Psychedelic religion in the United States, part one
Religion Compass August 17, 2023 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1111/rec3.12474 via OpenAlex
Summary
The article examines the historical connections between psychoactive substances and religiosity in the United States, focusing on the period from the 1800s to the 1980s. It highlights the increasing popularity of psychedelic churches and the belief that psychedelics can facilitate religious or mystical experiences. This exploration is situated within the broader context of the renewed interest in psychedelics, known as the Psychedelic Renaissance.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | The article explores the historiography of associations between psychoactive substances and religiosity in the United States from the 1800s to the 1980s. |
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Abstract
Abstract Scholars across the academic spectrum have written about the renewed interest in psychedelics that is commonly called the Psychedelic Renaissance (PR). Psychedelic religion is a major component of the PR, as psychedelic churches are growing exponentially and as people who consume and who research psychedelics routinely contend that these substances induce or occasion religious, spiritual, or mystical experiences. Scholars have noticed the growing association of psychoactive substances and religiosity, and they have addressed this association from a variety of academic fields, methods, and methodologies. This article explores the historiography of associations of psychoactive substances and religiosity in the United States from the 1800s to the 1980s.