The Gospel of Happiness: Rediscover Your Faith Through Spiritual Practice and Positive Psychology

by Christopher Kaczor

What is true happiness? How can you experience it? And can you live it wholeheartedly in your day-to-day life? Every thoughtful person asks such questions. Thoughtful Christians ask a few more questions such as, Can Christian practices enhance happiness? If so, how? And does Christianity provide happiness in a way that other paths, like psychology, cannot?

Christopher Kaczor suggests answers to these and other questions about how to be happier. In The Gospel of Happiness , the bestselling author of The Seven Big Myths of the Catholic Church highlights seven ways in which positive psychology and Christian practice can lead to personal and spiritual transformation. Focusing on empirical findings in positive psychology that point to the wisdom of many Christian practices and teachings, the author provides not only practical suggestions on how to become happier in everyday life but provides insight on how to deepen Christian practice and increase love of God and neighbor in new and bold ways.

“Part of the Christian message is that authentic happiness is to be found not in selfishness, but self-giving,” writes Dr. Kaczor. “In this book, I highlight the many ways in which positive psychology and Christian practice overlap. All of this points us toward deeper fulfillment in this life, and in the life to come.”

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Religion, Christianity, Christian

208 pages, Hardcover

First published September 8, 2015

About the author

Dr. Christopher Kaczor (Born 1969 ) is Professor of Philosophy at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He graduated from the Honors Program of Boston College earned a Ph.D. four years later from the University of Notre Dame. He did post-doctoral work in Germany at the University of Cologne as an Alexander von Humbolt Foundation, Federal Chancellor Fellow and returned as a Fulbright Scholar.

Dr. Kaczor's research on issues of ethics, philosophy, and religion has been in The Wall Street Journal, the Huffington Post, National Review, NPR, BBC, EWTN, ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, MSNBC, and The Today Show.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in the ease of conversational style, "The Gospel of Happiness: Rediscover Your Faith Through Spiritual Practice and Positive Psychology" (2015) is a deeply meaningful and inspirational read authored by Dr. Christopher Kaczor, the professor of philosophy at Layla Marymount University in Los Angeles, and popular and acclaimed speaker on radio and television. His research has been featured in many notable publications: the NYT, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal and the National Review.

It was the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) who believed that following Christian principles would tax and burden people: "drain(ing) them of love, life and happiness." As the study of positive psychology has increased since the 1960's; combined with traditional religious practice, greatly benefiting not only Christians and people of faith, but society overall. Dr. Kaczor outlines the PERMA principle which stands for Positive, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement which enhances and promotes the quality of life in loving relationships vital for happiness and well being. This is also supported by Martin E.P. Seligman (1942-) who is recognized as the founder of positive psychology.

Throughout the book, Dr. Kaczor presents Christian teaching and principles without preaching: the Gospel is called the "Good News" which in essence is based on positive psychological teachings, as the commandment of Christ "to love one another" is observed.
Many other books, non-religious teachings and quotes by various individuals are included. Combined with PERMA principles other chapters are titled: The Way of Faith, Hope, and Love ~ The Way of Prayer ~ The Way of Gratitude ~ The Way of Forgiveness ~ The Way of Virtue ~ The Way of Willpower ~ are surprisingly helpful, inspirational, faith based. A brief story is shared, of gratitude related to Dr. Kaczor's own medical emergency.

Pointing out the difference between genuine happiness and fleeting happiness, Dr. Kaczor cites the "Pursuit of Perfect" (2009) when author Tal-Ben-Shahar won Israel's national squash championship: his happiness lasted 3 hours before he realized his achievement wasn't that great after all. Robin Williams said his joy over winning an Academy Award lasted a week. The Mega-success of the best selling album of all time "Thriller" (1983) was short lived, Michael Jackson unsatisfied, only pushed to achieve more with his next album. Research indicates that status, fame, wealth doesn't equal happiness. David Meyers notes that American's have increased their material wealth in the last 50 years, yet they are no more happier for it. Lotto winners after the initial shock of winning are no more happier then before their new wealth. Fortune 500 CEO's report less happiness than the average citizen.

This book is also encouraging for those from all walks of life, going beyond the "feel good" approach. Dr. Kaczor is also the bestselling author of "The Seven Big Myths About The Catholic Church" (2012) and several other books related to the Catholic faith. Many thanks and much appreciation to Image New York for the ARC of this book for the purpose of review.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaczor takes on a brave and admirable task with this book - to identify parallels and practical wisdom within the context of positive psychology as it relates to Catholicism. To be clear, this book is an extremely elementary introduction to the theory of positive psychology; very few direct studies are cited (most references involve extensive quotations from similar books), and I found the material to be sporadic and nonspecific at times. The complexity of Christianity and positive psychology is so vast that I often found certain parts reductive, and subsequently wondered whether Kaczor bit off more than he could chew in the subject. His writing is clearly that of a philosopher rather than a psychologist. Nonetheless, there are many redeeming qualities in this work, including practical strategies for growing in holiness and psychological flexibility, and the marriage that Kaczor describes between the theological and psychological sciences may very well positively impact Christians’ views of the often-relativistic and liberal field.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a summary that outlines where we can find happiness can be found in our lives. Using references within both modern day christianity and psychology readers are provided with strategies and recommendations about how to locate and recognize happiness that can be discovered within our lives. This book is full of references to books and authors who have also been on a similar path of discovery. Full of good recommendations. This is a good read!

[Penelope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a Matthew Kelly book and enjoyed the simplicity yet also wanted to go a bit deeper? Enter this book which is equal parts positive psychology and Catholic theology with a solid dose of explanation that makes you think without giving you a philosophy head ache 😎 great book!

[Karen Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Gospel of Happiness, Christopher Kaczor writes, "I hoped to write a book that would be helpful for Christians by providing a glimpse into an exciting new development called positive psychology which can significantly enrich their lives and provide surprising new justifications for practices recommended by Jesus himself."

In 1998, Martin Seligman, president-elect of the American Psychological Association, launched a new movement called "positive psychology." Instead of focusing upon people's problems, Seligman sought to focus upon what makes people happy and more resilient. For example, scientists have discovered that those who practice religion experience less depression.

Kaczor explores the principles of "positive psychology" that parallel Catholic practices and Scripture. In addition, he discusses empirical studies that support the teachings of Jesus.

A Stanford University study found that flyers detailing the consequences of binge drinking were less effective than flyers that identified those who binge drank with a group of students who were "social lepers." The dormitory where the identity-based flyers were displayed (naming the group of "social lepers") experienced 50% less drinking than the dormitory that featured the flyers detailing the consequences.

Kaczor relates the outcomes of this study to Jesus identifying types of people in His parables: "Lazarus and the rich man, the tax collector and the Pharisee, the persistent widow and the unjust judge." The Good Samaritan parable is used elsewhere in the book.

Although Kaczor acknowledges that God can bring growth from negative experiences and the fact that there are unhappy Christians, he emphasizes that happiness is a natural outcome of Christian practice and that "positive psychology" can provide powerful techniques.

Kaczor points out that perfect happiness is the result of a perfect relationship with God and only possible in heaven.

Interestingly, Kaczor does not discuss the Beatitudes, Jesus' teaching to His disciples on blessedness or happiness.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:3-12

Jesus was a "man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," Isaiah 53:3, and yet, Jesus endured temporary unhappiness for the joy set before Him Hebrews 12:2.

Kaczor has written a practical book that blends portions of psychology with the principles of the Christian walk, and "... many of the findings of positive psychology can aid a Christian in living a Christian life by suggesting new empirically tested ways to practice forgiveness and gratitude, by providing empirically tested ways to increase happiness by forgiving those who have trespassed against us, by exploring the power of prayer, and by helping to strengthen willpower.”

First, the Gospel of Salvation, a Gospel defined as "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: And that He was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6a. Then flows the happiness or blessedness that Kaczor describes.

I received a complimentary copy of The Gospel of Happiness from Blogging for Books for my honest review.

[Dave Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kaczor, a professor of philosophy is fairly centred in his approach to the conversation of Happiness (a subject that seems to be gaining more and more interest both in popular and critical culture). He is essentially interested in demonstrating the commonality between the forming concepts of religious practice and Martin Seligman's theoretical re-orientation of the practice of psychology (the father of Positive Psychology, whose theory of a positive approach to what allows people to be resilient rather than the negative approach to what causes people to struggle with illnesses like anxiety and depression created the movement).

Kaczor will likely limit his audience to those who are open to theism (and thus the integration of moral and ethical discussion), with an innate interest in showing how Seligman's theory of PERMA (Positive emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement) aligns with basic tenements of Christian formation, but for those who are interested in wrestling with this part of the discussion Kaczor brings something relevant and helpful to the table.

While Kaczor is interested in showing the commonality, he is also interested in demonstrating how a theistic approach to positive psychology can help provide a more complete therapeutic approach (with the higher virtues of faith, hope and love as the driving force). Happiness is argued as a natural outcome of the Christian approach, and while positive psychology can help us make sense of how this works on a practical level (physical/biological/social), theology can help provide the reigning principles of positive psychology (habits, willpower, positive thinking) with a necessary and spiritual and moral centre. This centre is what can move us to marry the weight of moral and ethical concern with a more positive (beneficial and appropriate) understanding of the Christian virtues above.

To this end, perhaps the book has the most to offer to those who hold a troubled relationship with this moral centre. Here Kaczor helped me to regain a sense of a more forming and positive approach to traditional Christian ideals such as sin, forgiveness and holiness, concepts which can become unfortunately muddled and even dangerous when married to negative driven approaches to theology.

Admittedly, Kaczor doesn't delve in to the richness of theology and Christian/religious tradition that was available to him, which might be a drawback to this book. There was plenty of opportunity to really provide us with a comparative study of the two fields that he doesn't quite take advantage of. But he does set the stage, and what he does have to offer is mostly helpful and at times eye opening, especially to those of us with an interest in how the fields of psychology and theology intersect.

[Stuart · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Gospel of Happiness is a book that I would normally glance at the title in a bookstore and then pass it over and keep looking at other books. Maybe it's the fact that it sounds too much like the prosperity gospel, or maybe it's that the book is bright yellow. I'm not really sure, but the author of the book Dr. Christopher Kaczor, is someone I have read before and someone I trust as an author, so I decided to give this book a chance. The book's main goal is to show how positive psychology and Christian practice overlap. Chapter One explains Martin Seligman's five elements of happiness - 1. Positive emotion, 2. Engagement, 3, Relationships, 4. Meaning, and 5. Achievement (PERMA). Dr. Kaczor elaborates on each of the five elements and explains how they relate to Christian practice. For example, "The Christian call to engagement is also seen in various personal vocations to different states in life. Through finding and living out a vocation [ . . . ] a person engages in an activity of service to others."

Chapter Two discusses tapping into this great joy which is God by way of faith, hope, and love - the three theological virtues. He explains this further by telling us the following three things. 1. People of faith believe that what they do matters both presently and eternally. 2. Hope is more than a wish that things turn out well, but the belief that despite how awful things are on earth, Heaven is a reality. 3. Love of God is the greatest love, because when we love God we unite our will with his and it opens us up to loving everyone, including our enemies. The remaining chapters in the book cover prayer, gratitude, forgiveness, virtue, and willpower.

This was an interesting book in which Dr. Kaczor does a fine job of showing how Christianity and positive psychology intersect. With that said, a lot of the book felt like preaching to the choir, as most Christians will tell you that the reason for their positive outlook and practices are because of their faith in God and practicing of his teachings. I believe this book would primarily appeal to those interested in the field of psychology and psychiatry. As someone with a BA in psychology, I was appreciative to read about the field of positive psychology, as much of what I encountered in pursuing my undergraduate degree turned me off of the subject entirely. Four stars.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times, an unnecessary tension exists between psychological research and Christian faith, but Dr. Christopher Kaczor has now written a helpful book to clear a path through that forest of tension. In “The Gospel of Happiness,” he highlights the many ways that positive psychological research agrees with practices of the faith, yet he manages to keep his distance and not blur any important distinctions, such as to claim that any of this research “proves” Christian doctrine, or make any unkeepable promises such as that becoming or being a Christian will make your life easier or happier. Who among us is perfect at this whole life thing, after all?

Kaczor acknowledges that “Freud’s atheistic materialism, and reduction of theism to a childish desire for a father figure as a savior from helplessness, exemplifies this conflict” (181). Yet this is not the end of the story. He continues: “the full history of psychology and Christian belief is more complicated and interesting” (181).

Full review here
https://theoress.wordpress.com/2015/1...

[John Warner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Martin Seligman, the father of positive psychology, focused, not on behavior that was dysfunctional, but on happiness and behaviors linked to effective stress management. He believed that positive emotions, focused engagement in an activity, positive relationships, altruism, and accomplishments were integral to a feeling of happiness. The author, a philosophy professor and writer of 11 books on ethics, philosophy, and religion, demonstrates how much of the work of Dr. Seligman and others researchers in positive psychology is mirrored in Christianity.

[Tim Muldoon]

Read this engaging book from my college classmate Christopher Kaczor. It draws from positive psychology's compelling research on happiness and finds resonances with themes from the gospels. Very thought-provoking-- I'm citing it in my next book.

[Jhodig · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it quite a bit. At times it was a bit slow for me like a text book but most of the time I really enjoyed it

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Major fail. Basically espoused moralistic therapeutic deism throughout.