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Spiritual attachment in Islam and Christianity: similarities and differences.
- Source :
-
Mental Health, Religion & Culture . Jan2014, Vol. 17 Issue 1, p79-93. 15p. 1 Chart. - Publication Year :
- 2014
-
Abstract
- Theory and measurement of attachment to God have largely been developed from a western Christian perspective. However, the relevance of the attachment construct for Muslims should be examined if it is to contribute to a greater understanding of Islamic spirituality and psychological health. In this paper, we explore similarities and differences between Islamic and Christian understandings of human-divine relationships. We consider evidence of a common core of attachment themes of relevance to both religions, and whether different dimensions are emphasised in religious writings of the two traditions. This theoretical work is foundational for cross-cultural/cross-religious research. We argue that a core difference between the two faiths is that Muslims approach God in a less direct, more mediated fashion than Christians. Such differences have important implications for the wording of self-report assessment items and approaches to interventions designed to increase the security of Christians' and Muslims' attachment to God and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 13674676
- Volume :
- 17
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Mental Health, Religion & Culture
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 91949196
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1080/13674676.2012.749452