William James' The Varieties of Religious Experience revisited.
Journal of religion and health December 1, 2008 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1007/s10943-008-9200-3 via PubMed
Summary
William James' classic work The Varieties of Religious Experience was shaped by his familial and religious background, especially the influence of his father, Henry James, Senior, and by James' own severe cardiac condition. The essay examines how these factors motivated James to explore religious experience and concludes that his use of narrative remains important for the study of mind-body medicine.
Study at a glance
| Design | historical analysis |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The familial and religious context, particularly the influence of Henry James, Senior, and James' cardiac condition, motivated his writing of The Varieties of Religious Experience, and his use of narrative is significant for mind-body medicine. |
Abstract
This essay addresses the familial, religious, and cultural context for the writing and presentation of William James' classic work The Varieties of Religious Experience. The essay emphasizes the importance of the impact of Henry James, Senior, upon his son. This relationship along with a severe cardiac condition contributed to James' taking on and carrying through with his exploration of religious experience. The article explores The Varieties and concludes with a discussion of the importance of James' use of narrative to the study of mind-body medicine. This paper was originally presented at the Richardson Research Seminar in the History of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College.