Questioning psychological health: Contextualizing contemporary psychological theory through historical dialogue between theologians and psychologists, 1940–1960

The thesis explores a dialogue between psychology and religion around the large question of what constitutes psychological health and well-being. It does so by examining three historical---but virtually unknown---illustrations of interdisciplinary dialogue between theologians and psychologists that took place in the United States from 1940--1960 and then by looking at two more contemporary theoretical voices within the discipline of psychology. The thesis contends that the questions and concerns raised by mid-twentieth century psychologists and theologians continue to resonate deeply within contemporary debate about care (both of ourselves and others), psychological health and fulfillment, and the well-being of society generally.

The three historical illustrations used in the thesis are the minutes of and paper presentations at the New York Psychology Group (1941-1945), the lecture series of existential psychoanalyst Viktor Frankl at Harvard Divinity School in 1957 and the Harvard Project on Religion and Mental Health directed by Hans Hofmann from 1957--1961. In all three cases, proponents challenged the social sciences, criticized what they saw as psychological scientism, and desired to enlarge psychology's view of human existence and make it one of relationality, social context and ethics. They saw the individual as both a receptive and responsive agent in particular cultural, economic, political and religious contexts, ethically drawn to contribute to, and shape, those contexts.

In light of these historical dialogues, the thesis then addresses similar issues in the post-modern reflections of critical psychology and introduces the contemporary theory and therapy of Existential Analysis and suggests its potential role in linking historical and contemporary dialogue between psychology and religion.