Since its founding by Jacques Waardenburg in 1971, Religion and Reason has been a leading forum for contributions on theories, theoretical issues and agendas related to the phenomenon and the study of religion. Topics include (among others) category formation, comparison, ethnophilosophy, hermeneutics, methodology, myth, phenomenology, philosophy of science, scientific atheism, structuralism, and theories of religion. From time to time the series publishes volumes that map the state of the art and the history of the discipline.

In his late teens and early twenties Erik H. Erikson, the widely acclaimed psychoanalyst and developmental theorist, aspired to be an artist. In Erik Erikson's Verbal Portraits: Luther, Gandhi, Einstein, Jesus, Donald Capps contends that Erikson's portraits of respective historical figures not only reflect his artistic gifts but also make a highly creative contribution to psychoanalytic discourse. Moreover, his verbal portraits are vivid and compelling representations of his multifaceted conception of identity. His emphasis on the formative role of the mutual recognition of mother and infant in human portraiture, the importance he attaches to the Self and the sense of "I," and his use of psychoanalysis as a means to experience the living presence of noteworthy historical figures are especially noted. In addition to his portraits of the four men, his brief verbal portrait of Ruth Benedict is presented, and his personal identification with a fifteenth century painting of Mary, the mother of Jesus, is also explored.

The emotional separation of boys from their mothers in early childhood enables them to connect with their fathers and their fathers' world. But this separation also produces a melancholic reaction of sadness and sense of loss. Certain religious sensibilities develop out of this melancholic reaction, including a sense of honor, a sense of hope, and a sense of humor. Realizing that they cannot return to their original maternal environment, men, whether knowingly or not, embark on a lifelong search for a sense of being at home in the world. 'At Home in the World' focuses on works of art as a means to explore the formation and continuing expression of men's melancholy selves and their religious sensibilities. These explorations include such topics as male viewers' mixed feelings toward the maternal figure, physical settings that offer alternatives to the maternal environment, and the maternal resonances of the world of nature. By presenting images of the natural world as the locus of peace and contentment, 'At Home in the World' especially reflects of the religious sensibility of hope.

Erik Erikson, best known for his life-cycle theory and concept of the identity crisis, proposed that we are comprised of a number of selves. In several earlier books, including 'At Home in the World', Donald Capps has suggested that the emotional separation of young children - especially boys - from their mothers results in the development of a melancholy self. In this book, Capps employs Erikson's assignment of an inherent strength to each stage of the life cycle and proposes that the life-enhancing strengths of the childhood years (hope, will, purpose, and competence) are central to the development of a resourceful self, and that this self counters the life-diminishing qualities of the melancholy self. Focusing on Erikson's own writings, Capps identifies the four primordial resources that Erikson associates with childhood - humor, play, dreams, and hope - and shows how these resources assist children in confronting life's difficulties and challenges. Capps further suggests that the resourceful self that develops in childhood is central to Jesus' own vision of what we as adults may become if we follow the lead of little children.

William James called his classic work, The Varieties of Religious Experience, 'a study in human nature'. For James, it is a fundamental feature of human nature that we have a conscious and a subconscious mind, and that the subconscious mind is deeply implicated in the religious life, especially in conversion and other experiences of spiritual enlightenment. In The Religious Life, Donald Capps addresses religious melancholy, the div ided self and discordant personality, religious conversion, the saintly character, and the prayerful consciousness. He contrasts the cases of two clergymen - one deeply troubled, the other exemplary of the spiritual person. Aimed at general readers, Capps' work makes William James, a popular author in his own day, accessible to a modern audience.

Today, diversity of gender and sexuality is beginning to be recognized and celebrated, even while many religious denominations still resist these cultural changes. The Gift of Sublimation offers pastoral interpretations of these social shifts in the light of psychological principles, and argues that there is, historically, not only one view of masculinity but multiple conceptions. This discussion covers topics as diverse as the moral disapproval of masturbation; the efforts of some churches to convince homosexual men to adopt a heterosexual orientation; the dynamics of male envy of female longevity; the homosexual tendencies of King James I of England and VI of Scotland; and biblical portraits of God's body, gender, and sexuality. Nathan Carlin and Donald Capps make special use of the psychoanalytic concept of sublimation: the redirection of sexual desires that are considered unacceptable or unworthy towards interests and aspirations that are considered acceptable and worthy. While the use of psychoanalytic hermeneutics here is likely to raise various red flags for potential religious readers, especially for those who have been informed that Sigmund Freud was hostile towards religion, this book presents a rather different view, focussing on religious sublimation.

The later-adult years are commonly viewed as a period in which one struggles to maintain a vestige of the physical, mental, and emotional vitality of one's earlier years. In 'Still Growing', however, Donald Capps shows that older adulthood is actually a period of growth and development, and that a central feature of this growth and development is the remarkable creativity of older adults. This creativity is the consequence of the wisdom gained through years of experience but is also due to a newly developed capacity to adapt to unprecedented challenges integral to the aging process. In Part 1, Capps illustrates the challenges of transitioning to older adulthood from the author's own experiences, while in Part 2 he draws on material from Erik H. Erikson, Sigmund Freud, and Paul W. Pruyser to account for longevity, adaptability, and creativity in older adults. Finally, in part 3 he focusses on the work of both William James and Walt Disney to fashion a model of creative aging.

Five historic ministersfive formative career pathswhich path are you on? According to Daniel Levinson's developmental theory, each person's professional career path forms at the same time in their life, in their 20s and 30s. Young Clergy: A Biographical and Developmental Study applies Levinson's study to ministerial practice, mapping the career patterns of five historical ministers during that time period in each life. The author clearly presents deep psychological insightssupported by solid biographical information on each minister's actions and reactions to challengesillustrating how the theory holds relevance for young professional clergy even today. Young Clergy: A Biographical and Developmental Study reviews each minister's Novice Phase, where the major tasks of forming a dream, forming mentor relationships, and forming an occupation are presentedand stringently supported by concrete biographical events. The book then shows how this phase leads each from their early adult transition through their entrance into the adult world, and then on to the life-altering events in the Age 25 Shift and the Age 30 Transition. From there the text reveals the formative Settling Down Period through events that unfold between the ages of 33-40. The author discusses how this period determines the subsequent course of each one's career and, more importantly, shapes each one's attitudes, values, and convictions of a life as a minister. Using fascinating biographical information from multiple sources, the author builds a well-reasoned case that no matter how long ago these important men lived, their career patterns and lives hold a wealth of insightful information to help you maximize strengths and minimize liabilities in your own career and life today. Young Clergy: A Biographical and Developmental Study closely examines these five historical figure's biographies, and reviews each applicable theoretical career path: Phillips Brooksadvancement within a stable life structure Jonathan Edwardsdecline or failure within a stable structure John Henry Newmanbreaking outtrying for a new structure John Wesleyadvancement produces change in life structure Orestes Brownsonunstable life structure Young Clergy: A Biographical and Developmental Study is an in-depth historical and psychological exploration of the lives of ministers and their relevance for present day clergy, perfect for professors, seminary deans of students, field education directors and their staffs, hospital chaplains involved in vocation issues, young pastors and their pastoral supervisors, and teachers of church history.

You've Got to Be Kidding!: How Jokes Can Help You Think is a thoughtful and accessible analysis of the ways in which jokes illustrate how we think critically, and how the thinking process goes awry in everyday human situations Uses jokes to illustrate the various mistakes or fallacies that are typically identified and discussed in courses on critical reasoning Provides an effective way to learn critical thinking skills since jokes often describe real-life situations where it really matters whether a person thinks well or not Demonstrates how philosophy is actually very practical and clearly related to real- life human experiences Explains how developing good reasoning habits can make a real difference in all aspects of one's life

"You've Got to Be Kidding : How Jokes Can Help You Think" is a thoughtful and accessible analysis of the ways in which jokes illustrate how we think critically, and how the thinking process goes awry in everyday human situations Uses jokes to illustrate the various mistakes or fallacies that are typically identified and discussed in courses on critical reasoningProvides an effective way to learn critical thinking skills since jokes often describe real-life situations where it really matters whether a person thinks well or notDemonstrates how philosophy is actually very practical and clearly related to real- life human experiencesExplains how developing good reasoning habits can make a real difference in all aspects of one's life

Drawing on research and case studies, three pastoral care experts argue that one of the primary contexts in which the faith formation of teenage boys takes place is in their relationships with other adolescent males. Written by the authors of "Losers, Loners, and Rebels: The Spiritual Struggles of Boys," this book is an important resource for anyone interested in helping adolescent males navigate years often marked by isolation and loneliness to develop a meaningful spiritual identity.

Although narcissism may appear dormant in the 1990s, clinical research on narcissism shows that behind a grandiose, exhibitionistic side lies a shame-ridden half of self-loathing, unworthiness, and depression. Capps says that traditional theologies of guilt are unable to address those gripped by shame and makes a case for a different pastoral approach in counseling and ministry.