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Methodological Exclusion of the Transcendent? Implications for Theory and Research in Religion, Spirituality and Health

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Abstract

Early in the founding of psychology of religion, a debated issue was the methodological exclusion of the transcendent (MET). While cautiously endorsed by Theodore Flournoy, others, notable William James and Frederic Myers, refused to be limited by this principle. This paper discusses (a) what is MET as proposed by Flournoy and the reasons he provided to adopt it, (b) problems with MET, implications for research and theory in religion/spirituality and health, and why the transcendent should be included in psychological, medical and other academic research and theory on spiritual experiences (SE), and (c) some methodological guidelines perform it fruitfully.

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Notes

  1. all English translations by authors.

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  1. Research Center in Spirituality and Health (NUPES), School of Medicine, Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), Av. Eugênio Do Nascimento S/nº - Dom Bosco, Juiz de Fora, MG, 36038-330, Brazil

    Alexander Moreira-Almeida

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, USA

    Ralph W. Hood Jr.

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Moreira-Almeida, A., Hood, R.W. Methodological Exclusion of the Transcendent? Implications for Theory and Research in Religion, Spirituality and Health. J Relig Health 63, 1554–1566 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-023-01896-3

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