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Literature review

The Psychological Roots of Religious Belief:
Searching for Angels and the Parent-God

By M. D. Faber, (Prometheus Books, 2004)

Reviewed by Daniel Liechty

Faber has written a number of books on psychology and faith, religion, and New Age spirituality, each one coming at the subject from a slightly different angle. This book is, in my view, his best so far, and is situated right on the edge of the emerging field called "neurotheology."

Neurotheology is the meeting point between religious studies and brain research, and has been spurred forward in recent years especially by the new technologies, such as CT- and MRI-scanning. Used initially to diagnose and locate tumors in the brain, its was soon recognized that this technology also provides "pictures" of the brain engaged in induced and natural mental states, including states of deep meditation and religious transcendence. Although it is not apparent why anyone would have thought otherwise, meditative mystical mental states also show relatively consistent patterns of blood flow and synaptic activity in the brain. More sensationalist reports of these findings have touted it as "proof" that we are "hardwired" for communication with God. Not to be outdone, genetics enthusiasts have recently scored best-selling books interpreting these and similar findings as indicating the presence of a “God Gene.” The central weakness in much of neurotheology to date is its highly speculative nature. While white-coated authors, poring over brain-imaging printouts may evoke an aura of science,’ the fact is that such imaging is nothing more than an uninterpreted snapshot of brain activity at a specific moment in time. As interpretation moves away from more concrete diagnosis of brain functioning, and into existential areas of life, science wanes while speculation waxes. The theo-scanners claim their work as proof of God, while those assuming the mantle of the new synthesis of Darwinism and genetics, in equally ahistorical fashion, claim that since religious behavior is so widespread, this capacity must have been genetically coded during the many millennia of pre-historic evolution of our species. Yet to most with a less sensationalistic interest in neurotheological material, all of this amounts to textbook examples of circular reasoning. In such company, a sensible and sober book like Faber's is very welcome.

Faber’s contribution is a cut above the crowd for at least three specific reasons. First of all, his presentation draws heavily on developmental psychology. His summary chapters intermingle data on brain, mind and personality development across the lifespan, always with an eye on what kinds of God images are appropriate to differing levels of development. This makes clear in a way that much of the other neurotheological literature does not that there are many different images of God at play in the human mind. Secondly, having pointed this out, Faber's approach allows one to be generous, yet critical, recognizing that while all images of God are products of the interplay between brain, environment and psycho-emotional development, not all images of God are equally valid in all situations. This draws attention to the specific social situations in which an image of God is profferred, something sorely lacking in much neurotheological literature. And finally, Faber clearly recognizes the limits of what this type of research can and cannot "prove" in terms of ultimate truth and reality. In short, there is a scientific humility exhibited here that one looks for in vain in some of the more heady writings in the field.

Faber has written a terse introduction to the key ideas emerging in current psychology of religion, especially as it is being influenced by progressive brain research. It deserves a wide audience among specialists and others with an interest in this area of knowledge.