The Genesis of William James’s Psychology of Religion: From ‘The Principles of Psychology’ to ‘The Varieties of Religious Experience’
John R. Snarey, Eunil David Cho, Shelby L. Hall
Religions November 26, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.3390/rel16111404 via DOAJ
Summary
William James's two classic works, The Principles of Psychology and The Varieties of Religious Experience, are rarely connected by scholars, but this article argues that The Principles serves as the foundation for James's psychology of religion in The Varieties. Ten conceptual connections are highlighted, showing that James's theories on the brain, habit, stream of consciousness, subconscious, self, attention, association, and emotions anticipate themes such as conversion experiences, mysticism, and saintliness. James's psychological principles were also broadened through their interaction with religious data, offering a deeper understanding of his psychology of religion.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | James's psychological theories in The Principles of Psychology serve as the foundation for his psychology of religion in The Varieties of Religious Experience. |
Abstract
William James’s two psychological classics—The Principles of Psychology (1890) and The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature (1902)—are widely read but rarely connected. How are James’s psychological theories in The Principles applied in The Varieties? Most scholars say they are not. Our thesis is that, throughout The Varieties, James uses The Principles as the foundation for his psychology of religion. His chapters in The Principles on the brain, habit, the stream of consciousness, the subconscious, the self, attention, association, and emotions all contain passages that anticipate the main themes of The Varieties. These include the psychological roots of a sense of unseen reality, conversion experiences, mystical experiences, saintliness as a character type, and other religious topics. This article highlights ten conceptual connections between the two classic texts. We show that James’s original and core psychological principles guided his approach to studying personal religious experience in The Varieties. In addition, some of James’s psychological principles were broadened and enriched through their interaction with religious data. By placing the two texts in conversation, a more precise and deeper understanding of James’s psychology of religion emerges.