Abstract
The secure feelings that religious faith instills can help strengthen people against the anxieties experienced in life. They can strengthen people against anxiety in a mature and immature way. When religion makes people feel secure by providing an image of God that magically removes anxiety, rather than that stimulates the strength to make people feel confident enough to manage anxiety, then religion is of the latter type. However, even religion of this type can lead gradually to growth, rather then permanently to immaturity. It can temporarily free people of their anxieties in order to make them feel secure enough to confront the fears and manage the conflicts which, when they were anxious, they were unable to do. A clinical case is provided to demonstrate this process.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Freud, S.,Some Psychical Consequences of the Anatomical Difference Between the Sexes, Standard Edition. London, Hogarth Press, 1925, p. 28.
Dostoevski, F.,The Brothers Karamazov. New York, Modern Library, 1933.
Allport, G.,The Nature of Prejudice. Boston, Beacon Press, 1964, p. 149.
—,The Individual and His Religion. New York, MacMillan, 1950, p. 59.
Freud, S.,Inhibition, Symptoms and Anxiety, Standard Edition. London, Hogarth Press, 1924, p. 167.
—,The Future of an Illusion. New York, Norton, 1961, p. 49.
Erikson, E.,Childhood and Society. New York, Norton, 1963.
Freud,The Future of an Illusion, op. cit..
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fauteux, K. Religion's encouragement and inhibition of psychological maturity. J Relig Health 29, 309–316 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992986
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00992986