Psychology and religion in secular society

• Author / Creator

  Bakker, Colin

• Charles Taylor writes that identity emerges from the reflection upon, and articulation of one’s lived experience. This account of identity precludes psychology from taking a natural science approach to the study of ‘identity’, or ‘the self’. Psychology has emerged within secular society, and the relation between psychology and religion is examined here. This examination clarifies the role of psychology as an authority on identity. This thesis proposes that the role of psychology is to promote articulacy about the ideal of authenticity. In this way, psychology can address problems arising from individualism in modernity, and can serve as an authority on identity, complementing the other possible authorities on identity present in secular society, including religion.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Identity
  • Secular
  • Religion
  • Psychology
  • Charles Taylor

• Graduation date

  Spring 2011

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Arts

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3B067

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.