The Bible as Transformational Object: The Psychoanalytic Theories of Christopher Bollas and Their Relevance for Religious Educators

This article examines the psychoanalytic concepts of object-relations theorist Christopher Bollas, applying them to a view of the Bible as "transformational object." Emphasizing the connection between psychological process and religious experience, this article suggests that each person�...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: DeGear, Elizabeth Berne (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group [2016]
In: Religious education
Year: 2016, Volume: 111, Issue: 5, Pages: 470-486
IxTheo Classification:HA Bible
RF Christian education; catechetics
ZD Psychology
Online Access: Volltext (Resolving-System)
Description
Summary:This article examines the psychoanalytic concepts of object-relations theorist Christopher Bollas, applying them to a view of the Bible as "transformational object." Emphasizing the connection between psychological process and religious experience, this article suggests that each person's innate ability to choose and use objects is a key factor in their ability to appropriate the Bible for constructive use. By offering religious objects with psychological awareness, religious educators may come to appreciate that silence, empathy, and open-ended lesson plans are important incubators of transformation; and that aggression has a potentially positive role in the healthy development of worship communities.
ISSN:1547-3201
Contains:Enthalten in: Religious education
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/00344087.2015.1080582