Neurotheology: How Science Can Enlighten Us About Spirituality

by Andrew B. Newberg

Religion is often cast in opposition to science. Yet both are deeply rooted in the inner workings of the human brain. With the advent of the modern cognitive neurosciences, the scientific study of religious and spiritual phenomena has become far more sophisticated and wide-ranging. What might brain scans of people in prayer, in meditation, or under the influence of psychoactive substances teach us about religious and spiritual beliefs? Are religion and spirituality reducible to neurological processes, or might there be aspects that, at least for now, transcend scientific claims?In this book, Andrew Newberg explores the latest findings of neurotheology, the multidisciplinary field linking neuroscience with religious and spiritual phenomena. He investigates some of the most controversial—and potentially transformative—implications of a neurotheological approach for the truth claims of religion and our understanding of minds and brains. Newberg leads readers on a tour through key intersections of neuroscience and theology, including the potential evolutionary basis of religion; the psychology of religion, including mental health and brain pathology; the neuroscience of myths, rituals, and mystical experiences; how studies of altered states of consciousness shed new light on the mind-brain relationship; and what neurotheology can tell us about free will. When brain science and religious experience are considered together in an integrated approach, Newberg shows, we might come closer to a fuller understanding of the deepest questions.

Genres: Psychology, Religion, Science, Nonfiction, Neuroscience, Spirituality

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 27, 2018

About the author

Dr. Andrew Newberg is Director of Research at the Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Medical College. He is also Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Nuclear Medicine. He is considered a pioneer in the neuroscientific study of religious and spiritual experiences, a field frequently referred to as – neurotheology. His work attempts to better understand the nature of religious and spiritual practices and experiences. This has been compiled into his latest book, Principles of Neurotheology, which reviews the important principles and foundations of neurotheology. Believing that it is important to keep science rigorous and religion religious, he has engaged the topic like few others. He has been fascinated by the implications of this research for the study of the mind, brain, consciousness, morality, theology, and philosophy. He has also been particularly interested in the relationship between the brain, religion, and health. His research has included brain scans of people in prayer, meditation, rituals, and various trance states. He has also performed surveys of people's spiritual experiences and attitudes. Finally, he has evaluated the relationship between religious and spiritual phenomena and health. This includes a recent study on the effect of meditation on memory.

In his career, he has also actively pursued neuroimaging research projects on the study of aging and dementia, Parkinson's disease, depression, and other neurological and psychiatric disorders. He has also researched the neurophysiological correlates of acupuncture, meditation, and alternative therapies, and how brain function is associated with mystical and religious experiences. Dr. Newberg helped develop stress-management programs for the University of Pennsylvania Health Systems and received a Science and Religion Course Award from the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences for his program entitled "The Biology of Spirituality" in the Department of Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania. He is currently teaching a course in the Department of Religious Studies entitled, “Science and the Sacred: An Introduction to Neurotheology.”

Dr. Newberg has published over 150 research articles, essays and book chapters, and is the co-author of the best selling books, Why God Won't Go Away: Brain Science and the Biology of Belief (Ballantine, 2001) and How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist (Ballantine, 2009). He has also published, Principles of Neurotheology (Ashgate, 2011) Why We Believe What We Believe (Ballantine, 2006), and The Mystical Mind (Fortress Press, 1999). He has presented his research throughout the world in both scientific and public forums. He appeared on Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, ABC's World News Tonight, National Public Radio, London Talk Radio and over fifteen nationally syndicated radio programs. His work has been featured in Time, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and many other newspapers and magazines. An overview of his work can be viewed at on this site.

Reviews

[Subodh · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a confirmed atheist I neither believe in an all powerful God, nor in a human soul that existed before our birth and would survive our death. We are material creatures brought into existence by the laws of physics and chemistry and have evolved to be what we are through evolution over billions of years from the first strands of DNA. It just happens that the struggle to survive and reproduce has given us a wonderful organ called the brain capable of remembering the past and imagining the future. Just as different features of our bodies allow us to navigate through life, in the same way the brain has also evolved features to help us survive and reproduce – one of which is the rich internal life we call consciousness.

So, why is it that almost all humans everywhere and in all ages have either believed in religion or spirituality or both? This book suggests that capability to believe in religion and spirituality is an adaptive feature shaped through evolution.

“In its most general form, this argument states that religion provided some adaptive advantage that allowed humans to survive more effectively than in earlier times and that is why religion became an essential aspect of early human culture. In other words, religion has nothing to do with an actual God but rather with brain capacity and social or adaptive advantage. Of course, even this conclusion argues for a unique power and persistence of religion. The biologist E. O. Wilson stated that “the predisposition to religious belief is the most complex and powerful force in the human mind and in all probability an ineradicable part of human nature.”

”Studies have focused on both physical and mental health and have shown that various practices such as meditation and prayer can reduce anxiety and depression and improve immune function.”

“Some studies have suggested that just being religious, frequently defined by measures such as amount of church attendance, results in a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, liver disease, or cancer.”

Essentially what religion does is to help us deal with the existential dread of knowing that we are going to die and nothing we do will help us live forever. The other mechanism for coping with this dread is spirituality which involves seeking altered states of mind in which one no longer feels confined to one’s body or mind but part of a cosmic whole. The authors carried out an online survey to seek out individuals who have had intense spiritual experiences to try to understand what these experiences feel like and how they have changed them.

“In our online survey, we asked people to rate how various aspects of life changed after their experience, and more than 90 percent stated that these domains were changed for the better as the result of their experience. Improvements were experienced in their sense of spirituality and, to a lesser extent, their religiousness. For these individuals, these experiences feel radically different and more profound than more traditional experiences based on the dogmas or beliefs of a given religious tradition. The intensity and power of the experience take them into a realm that feels spiritual rather than tied to a specific religious belief system."

"In addition to the sense of spirituality, people also describe significant improvements in their sense of meaning and purpose in life. As a result of the clarity of the experience, they now feel they know what they need to do to live in a sacred way. For some, this even becomes a kind of calling with the goal of living according to the ideals expressed and perceived within their mystical experience. As a result of all these changes, people also tend to feel that their psychological and even physical health improve. They feel better about their lives, and because there are reductions in feelings of depression and anxiety, they experience an overall improvement in their sense of well-being.”

If spiritual experiences have such benefits it would make practical sense to seek them out. Eastern traditions do that:

“Interestingly, various spiritual traditions such as Buddhism and Hinduism have focused extensively on the nature of human consciousness and how it can be manipulated through practices such as meditation and prayer. By manipulating consciousness, it is believed that humans can attain a higher psychological or spiritual state in which they are eventually able to achieve some type of enlightenment, considered the highest form of conscious involvement in the world.”

There are several passages in the book about what a spiritual or mystical experience feels like.

“A mystical experience is a state of mind, achieved commonly through some sort of self-cultivation, of which the following are usually or often the salient, but not necessarily the only, features:
• A feeling of oneness or unity, variously defined.
• A strong confidence in the “reality” or “objectivity” of the experience, i.e., a conviction that it is somehow revelatory of “the truth.”
• A sense of the final inapplicability to the experience of conventional language, i.e., a sense that the experience is ineffable.
• A cessation of normal intellectual operations (e.g., deduction, discrimination, ratiocination, speculation, etc.) or the substitution for them of some “higher” or qualitatively different mode of intellect (e.g., intuition).
• A sense of the coincidence of opposites, of various kinds (paradoxically).
• An extraordinarily strong affective tone, again of various kinds (e.g., sublime joy, utter serenity, great fear, incomparable pleasure, etc.—often an unusual combination of such as these).”

“One other corollary is the intensity of the realness of the experience, as highlighted in the quote from the survey respondent. The capital letters used for “INFINITELY MORE REAL” were used to help emphasize the intensity of the experience. Virtually everyone who has had such an experience describes it as being as real, if not more real, than everyday experiences.”

Neuroscientists have been studying the brains of meditators to try to understand which regions of the brain are involved in spiritual experiences, what happens to the brain when people meditate, and whether these experiences can be explained in terms of the neurochemistry of the brain.

“The earliest studies that can be attributed to a neurotheological approach typically evaluated brain function in people as they performed practices such as meditation or prayer. Since the early 1990s, more than one hundred research articles have been published exploring the various physiological effects associated with these practices, particularly as they relate to the brain.”

“For example, a systematic review of mindfulness meditation found that the most consistent finding across these studies is increased alpha and theta activity (each relating to different frequencies of activity), which signifies a state of relaxed alertness.”

“Future studies might be able to better determine which specific practices are beneficial in particular contexts. For example, mindfulness meditation might prove to be best for anxiety, whereas transcendental meditation might prove most effective for depression. Further, various religious practices such as praying the Rosary or mala beads or other types of prayer may help in a comparable manner to meditation.”

Many findings of the research done so far highlight the importance of the autonomic nervous system composed of two parts: sympathetic and parasympathetic. High sympathetic activation primes us for action – it is what gives us the flight or fight response. Parasympathetic nervous system, on the other hand has a calming and soothing effect. The two arms of the autonomic nervous system are supposed to keep us in a state of healthy balance.

“There is evidence that while the two arms of the autonomic nervous system mutually inhibit each other under normal circumstances, there are times when an intense driving of one side leads to a breakthrough or idiosyncratic turning on of the other side.18 This complex relationship between the arousal and quiescent functions of the autonomic nervous system led two scholars, Ernst Gellhorn and W. F. Kieley, to suggest an autonomic nervous system model of religious experiences, particularly mystical ones. They argued that shifts in the autonomic nervous system were responsible for the compelling sense of quiescence or excitement during rituals.”

The book devotes a lot of space to how different parts of the brain affect our mental states. There is special emphasis on the importance of parietal lobe which ordinarily gives a sense of our place in the world. Decreased activity in this lobe could be responsible for the mystical experience of connectedness to the entire cosmos.

“One intriguing study led by the psychologist Cosimo Urgesi explored the effects of surgery on feelings of self-transcendence in sixty-eight people with malignant brain tumors.25 Using Claude Cloninger’s Temperament and Character Inventory, the investigators questioned these individuals about their feelings of self-transcendence before and after surgery. As we have considered earlier, self-transcendence is an important component of spirituality and religiosity. In fact, in this study religiosity correlated significantly with self-transcendence. The study results were intriguing in that surgery performed on tumors in the parietal lobe were much more likely to be associated with feelings of self-transcendence compared to surgery in other areas of the brain. This finding is consistent with our brain scan studies of a variety of religious and spiritual practices in which decreased activity in the parietal lobes was associated with a sense of oneness and a loss of the sense of self.”

Although there is overlap between religion and spirituality, the two are distinct. Many atheists have been deeply spiritual.

“For some atheists, there is still a profound sense of the spiritual, but not the supernatural. For these individuals, the universe has a deep beauty and mystery that goes beyond anything humans can easily comprehend or experience. Noted individuals in this category include Albert Einstein and Carl Sagan. Much like a religious or spiritual person, such individuals often perceive a sense of substantial interconnectedness of all things in the universe. In thinkers such as Pythagoras, Spinoza, and Einstein, we see a kind of spiritual reverence for mathematics and the beauty and simplicity of the equations that help to describe the workings of the universe, from the large-scale structure of superclusters of galaxies to the quantum structure of the quark.”

Apart from religious and meditative practices mystical experience can also be triggered by drugs like LSD or Psylocibin.

“The transformative aspect of mystical states, regardless of whether they arise from a religious ritual, spiritual practice, entheogen, or any other cause, is unique. The way we typically understand the brain is that it changes slowly over time. As we go through the educational system, we learn mathematics every day and every year and develop a comprehensive sense of how to engage the quantitative areas of our brain. We don’t suddenly flip a switch in order to understand algebra or geometry. Mystical experiences, on the other hand, seem to have a completely different kind of effect. These experiences, which last just seconds to minutes, seem to rewire the brain completely in this very short period of time. It is remarkable that all the different ways a person thinks about the world can radically shift from a singular moment of mystical enlightenment.”

To sum up, the book makes a good case that belief in a higher reality, whether we call it God or cosmic consciousness, is an adaptive feature of our brains. It gives a good overview of research as to how different areas of the brain make religious and spiritual experiences possible.

I believe that further research on the connection between our brains and religious and spiritual experiences will help evolve techniques that would make it easier for ordinary people, not just a handful of enlightened beings, to achieve states of religious or spiritual bliss and derive the benefits in terms of better physical and mental well-being that have been observed in the research carried so far. The research may also help us deal with the negative aspects of religion and help formulate effective strategies to minimise fanaticism and religion induced violence.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: A survey of the field of neurotheology, arguing for its viability as a field of inquiry, exploring the various research studies on religious and spiritual experience and practice and correlates of activity and changes in various brain structures, and what might be learned at the intersection of religion and neuroscience that may help us understand the most profound questions of our existence.

There has been an explosion of research in the field of neuroscience and related disciplines in the study of the functioning of the brain and how various brain structures interact with everything from autonomic processes like breathing and heart rate, creation and loss of memory, reasoning, stress responses, sexual response, motor skills, language--indeed every aspect of human experience. This includes a growing field of studies of religious experience and a whole host of questions that arise as to whether brain differences account for different experiences, how such experiences change the brain, and even whether the neuroscience of religious experience can account for the religious nature of human beings. Needless to say, such inquiry can both offer deeper insight into the significance of religious practices, rituals and experiences in our lives, and arouse controversy around the fear that neuroscience could "explain away" faith.

In this work, Andrew Newberg navigates this potentially contentious ground by offering us a survey of the work that has been done, the research questions that might be explored, and the potential or actual value that may be derived from this multi-disciplinary approach to studying neuroscience and religion.

Newberg begins by discussing the "happy prison of the brain" within which all of us are trapped and that all of our perceptions of the world come through our senses and are processed by our brains--religious perceptions as well as scientific ones. He contends that an approach that draws upon both has the potential to help us more fully understand what it means to be human and our belief systems and how we experience them.

The early chapters of the book focus on overview, defining neurotheology and the disciplines that contribute to this study, the most relevant neuroscience data looking at different brain functions as they pertain to religious and spiritual experiences and the elements of religion and spirituality that might be studied by the neurotheologian and the tools that may be used in such study. I was struck by how much was defined by what could be studied while in an fMRI scanner, although sensor "helmets," magnetic fields, as well as survey data are also used. I wonder for example about how one would study various forms of active service in one's community or one's ethical behaviors that arise from one's faith.

Beginning with chapter 6, the focus of the next three chapters are on what various scientific disciplines contribute to our understanding. Evolutionary biology and anthropology helps us understand the evolution of the human brain and known correlates between the development of aspects of religion and the development of specific brain structures. Psychology helps us understand various "cognitive, emotional, attachment, and social elements of religion" and their connection to brain processes. The study of brain pathologies and pharmacology reveal the connection between some forms of brain disorders and some extreme types of spiritual experience. This raises the question of "the God delusion," although the author notes that if this contention is true, much of humanity is delusional.

Chapter 9 and following turn to elements of religion--the creation of mythic stories, rituals and practices like prayer or meditation. Each of these chapters explore some of the brain processes that connect to the various elements of religion as they have been studied. Then chapter 12 and the remaining chapters focus on some special questions such as whether there may be differences in brain function between religious, "spiritual," and non-religious persons, what neuroscience reveals about free will (or free won't, as the author suggests at one point), and the nature of mystical experience, where one experiences transcendence, perceiving that one has escaped one's body. It is fascinating to see the changes that occur both in the frontal and parietal lobes during such experiences.

The final chapter (15) was perhaps the most controversial to me in the author's proposal that neurotheology might offer a "metatheology" or "megatheology." This struck me as at best unhelpful to collaboration between science and faith, suggesting that particular religious or theological perspectives might be subsumed in some universal. This feels a bit like those who claim with smug superiority that all religions really are "different ways up to the ultimate" that they, unlike the poor benighted adherents of particular religions, are enlightened enough to see. Much of this work was characterized by a becoming modesty, that seemed to be suspended at this point. The most charitable interpretation I can place on this is the author's enthusiasm for this multidisciplinary approach, which made this an informative and engaging read.

Overall, I found this work quite helpful in getting up to speed on the current state of research in this field. I found myself often reading with a sense of wonder at how amazing the brain is that is reading that text (not that I am claiming my brain to be amazing in any distinctive way)! Personally, I think, just as we are wired up to function in so many ways effectively in the world, so it is not incredible that if there is a spiritual dimension to life, we would equally have cognitive capacities to apprehend and experience those realities. I do hope there can be a continuing respectful conversation between scientists and believing people (sometimes they are one and the same!). It is clear we have much to learn from each other!

____________________________

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Ricardo Vladimiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fico sempre satisfeito quando termino um livro e sinto que aprendi algo novo. Esta sensação não é rara. O que é raro é sentir que aprendi algo novo sobre a humanidade e ainda mais raro é sentir que aprendi algo sobre mim próprio, em especial quando nada no livro o faria prever.

Este livro é o resumo alargado do trabalho do autor na criação e expansão da área de neuroteologia, ou como já vi escrito por essa internet fora "a neurociência da religião". Esta segunda definição é muito curta para o que Newberg se propõe atingir com esta área de pesquisa, em primeiro porque não é exclusivamente neurociência e em segundo porque não é exclusivamente religião. E neste ponto há um claro conflito de interesses do autor. É claro que é um cientista e que pensa como um cientista, mas também é muito claro que é uma pessoa que no mínimo tem uma enorme curiosidade espiritual. E este conflito nota-se em contradições sobre o desenvolvimento futuro da neuroteologia e em críticas abertas à ciência que seriam dignas de um comentário de Facebook e não de um académico investido em ciência e em teologia.

Não me vou alargar muito sobre o é neuroteologia porque se houver curiosidade o melhor é ler o livro, mas se alguém me perguntasse se eu aconselho o livro eu resumiria da seguinte forma: "achas interessante o estudo científico de fenómenos místicos, espirituais e religiosos com particular foco nos processos cerebrais que os explicam com o objectivo de entender a realidade objectiva e subjectiva da experiência humana?"

Se a resposta à pergunta anterior é sim, a leitura é interessante. Pela parte que me toca chegou a ser surpreendente. Descobri por exemplo que a minha experiência com música é uma espécie de versão marca branca de experiências místicas de transcendência. Essas experiências de transcendência eram totalmente estranhas para mim. Eu não as entendia, não sabia como eram possíveis e, sendo completamente sincero, achava que eram falsas ou delirantes. Entender o paralelo da minha experiência com essas outras experiências através dos mecanismos cerebrais que as provocam tornou essas experiências do outro reais. Esse momento foi verdadeiramente mágico.

[Corvus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I did not leave a full review of this one because my audio files are corrupted and I'm too distracted to spend a ton of time fixing that. Got about 2/3 of the way through. What I was able to listen to it was really interesting. I've been a pretty hard line atheist since I was in my early teens. I grew out of the need to debate about the existence of God shortly after and now have a pretty well-rounded view in my opinion about the importance of religion in various people's lives. I was also not raised with much more religion than people thanking a Christian God at Christmas dinner. So I don't have any cultural needs or background regarding religion, nor do I have any traumatic experiences around it like some people I have met. Thus I'm able to approach religion from the standpoint of curiosity and sometimes fascination fairly easily. I find Richard Dawkins types, along with their highly problematic behavior in general, to make me cringe far more than religious people do for the most part.

All that is to say that I believe I can say with confidence that the way the author approached this topic was fairly grounded as well as open-minded. There is discussion about how subjective assessments of data can be, how religious practice is affect the brain, cultural and social aspects, placebo effects, and so on. There is also discussion about how scientists need to remain open to all possibilities even if the data repeatedly show evidence for one thing or another that is more grounded in the scientific. Strangely enough I found this book to be more grounded than a lot of science books that are written to include a layperson audience. Hopefully nothing shady happens in the last third of the book that would have made me give it a lower rating.

["Nico" · Rating 1 out of 5]

The current edition of Neurotheology contains the eugenic argument that criminality is determined by brain structure, so I cannot recommend reading this text. This reflects a more general problem the author has with being uncritical, in spite of what would otherwise be good neuroscience.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

NEWBERG’S SUMMING UP OF THIS APPROACH TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg wrote in the Introduction to this 2018 book, “Can we determine why some people are devoutly religious whereas others are complete atheists? What research can explain both the beneficial and detrimental effects of religion on the health and well-being of individuals, societies, and all of humanity? How can we explain the tenacity of religion in virtually every culture and age?... What perspective can we take that can provide novel insights into the nature of our world and reality?... Perhaps each of these questions can end with a single answer: neurotheology… I feel like we are at the very beginning stages of acquiring a type of knowledge that just might revolutionize our understanding of ourselves and our world.”

He continues, “since the Enlightenment, there has been a growing gap between religion and science. Where will this opposition lead? One possibility seems to be the inevitable loss of one of these forces. In our current time, it is not clear which might ultimately win… But what if there were an alternative? What if there were a way in which science and religion could come together, in small yet complex ways, that might lay the foundation for greater cooperation in the future?... Neurotheology might just be such an approach. After all, the two forces of science and religion are both products of the human brain… And even if there is a God that exists outside the brain, enabling the universe to work, it is the human brain that enables our beliefs that helps create meaning out of those beliefs… Whether there is a mind or consciousness that actually extends beyond the brain is another story. Neurotheological studies of altered states of consciousness associated with spiritual practices might shed new light on the mind-brain relationship.” (Pg. 3-4)

He outlines, “This book is an attempt at a reasonably thorough… tour of neurotheology as it currently stands. I will argue that (1) neurotheology is … a viable field of scholarship … (2) no other field comprises all of neurotheology… (3) … neurotheology is still in its infancy and has a virtually unlimited future; (4) neurotheology .. [has] many different pieces that provide important information … such as psychology, the use of entheogenic substances, near-death experiences, prayer, mystical experiences health, and theology; (5) neurotheology has an opportunity to help science, religion, and all of humanity.” (Pg. 5) He goes on, “this book… uses neurotheology as an approach to consider the many possible theories, particularly scientific ones, that can be developed to help us better explore the religious side of humanity. The ability to construct scientific experiments that help provide new perspectives on religious and spiritual phenomena is a particularly important element of neurotheological scholarship. It is through such a process that neurotheology might help answer fundamental questions regarding the nature of God, the nature of existence, and what it means to be human.” (Pg. 10-11)

He states, “How do we know what is really real? This is the question that began my own quest to explore neurotheology… I wanted to understand why people looked at the world so differently… religious versus atheist, Republican versus Democrat?... I realized that the answers were far more elusive if I proceeded by only using science, philosophy, or religion alone. It seemed that only an integrated and multidisciplinary approach, such as neurotheology, could provide even the possibility of answering such questions.” (Pg.16)

He recalls, “I was asked my opinion of [atheist Richard Dawkins’] statement that he did not understand how people could believe in something, God, for which there was absolutely no evidence. I said that the problem had to do with … how Dawkins used the word ‘evidence.’ If you were to ask people in a church or mosque if they have evidence that God exists, they will tell you all about the many pieces of evidence that they have. These people have experienced God at the birth of a child, watching a sunset, or resolving a presumably impossible personal situation… Dawkins is correct that such evidence may not meet certain scientific standards, but from a neurotheological perspective, we must be careful about how we assess evidence of any kind. After all, there is no scientific proof that I love my wife, but I have all the evidence I need based on my personal experience.” (Pg. 21)

He lays out “the foundational goals of neurotheology”: “The first goal… by fully developing neurotheology, we have an opportunity to improve research paradigms and learn more about the human mind, brain, and body, as well as their complex interactions. The second goal… pertains to gaining a greater understanding of religion and theology through cognitive neuroscientific research…The third goal … is to improve the human condition in terms of improved health and well-being… The fourth foundational goal … is to improve the human condition, particularly with respect to the religious and spiritual well-being of individuals and of humanity as a whole… Perhaps a neurotheological approach could help identify the most effective liturgies and rituals, thereby enhancing people’s spiritual well-being.” (Pg. 41-43)

He explains, “I have often been asked about my own sense of religiousness or spirituality. This is a difficult question for me to answer … [because] as a neurotheologian, I try to … project a certain level of unbiased objectivity… The second reason… is that neurotheology for me has been a combination of a scientific and a spiritual pursuit… I have always been fascinated by the big questions that neurotheology addresses… I also realized the importance of my own philosophical meditations as a way of engaging important questions about the nature of the universe and reality… my own meditations have led to a spiritual as well as scientific understanding of the universe. While I still do not know the ultimate outcome of my personal journey, I continue to feel that neurotheology… seems the most likely approach to succeed.” (Pg. 92-93)

He observes, “This could certainly be a paradigm-busting study if even a few people’s reports of out-of-body near-death experiences were confirmed. At this point, the data are not strong enough to make any firm conclusions… Overall, there simply are not enough data to conclude anything about whether there is evidence of a nonmaterial spirit or consciousness. However, this type of study would certainly fit within the context of neurotheology, and results from this type of study could ultimately lead to a significant reshaping of the way we think about the world and ourselves.” (Pg. 104-105)

He notes, “Some have argued that religions directly support physical and mental well-being by quelling anxiety and improving mental health, which in turn reduces stress responses in the body and allows the immune system and cardiovascular system to function more effectively. In some sense, religion becomes a kind of placebo effect that works because our mind allows it to work. The placebo effect should not be denigrated, as the bulk of medical research shows that the placebo effect is very powerful and accounts for as much as 50 percent of the health benefit of certain interventions.” (Pg. 119)

He acknowledges, “We still don’t have a definitive answer as to why some people are religious and others are not. It is likely that complex interactions between genetics, development, environment, and personal experience all come together to lead one person to believe in God and another to reject God… And there is always the lingering issue of whether God is created by the brain or vice versa. After all, a lot of these difficult neuroscience problems about being religious would go away if we found that God does exist and simply created the human brain to be religious… hopefully, a carefully designed neurotheological approach can move us closer.” (Pg. 238)

He says, “Descriptions of mystical experiences… almost always describe something so intense that it defies description. For the individual, the experience is the most powerful, most beautiful, most emotional experience ever imagined… Whether a person experiences love, God, or infinite consciousness, the experience is always to intense that its description seems to be beyond the capability or words. The intensity of the experience is part of what defines it as a profoundly important experience.” (Pg. 268) He adds, “The final core component of mystical experiences, the transformational effect, is not so much related to the experience itself, but to its impact or aftereffect… the transformative element has long-lasting effects on virtually every part of a person’s life… The intensity and power of the experience take them into a realm that feels spiritual rather than tied to a specific religious belief system.” (Pg. 274)

He concludes, “neurotheology provides a way of understanding the possible origin and nature of foundational myths from the perspective of the brain… Neurotheology also helps us understand the brain processes underlying the development of specific theological ideas and concepts… it seems reasonable to consider neurotheology as a possible metatheology… Neurotheological research may even suggest certain pathways for people to follow to achieve intense spiritual, or even mystical, experiences… neurotheology might also offer more universal beliefs related to consciousness or some absolute reality.”

This book is an excellent ‘summing up’ of Newberg’s previous books; it will be of great interest to those studying neurotheology, as well as the intersection of brain research and religion.

[Live Forever or Die Trying · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Neurotheology: The study of the interface between neural and spiritual/religious phenomena”

For background I have always had trouble defining my spirituality, or lack thereof. I accept Pascal’s Wager but sympathize with Buddhism’s view of a universal consciousness from a position of panpsycism. However if you were to ask me what I believe the answer changes month to month.

That’s where this book comes in. I was looking for reliable information that gave me some direction as to what to believe about our world and religion as a whole. The author of this book, Andrew Newburg, is the director of research at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health and a Physician at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Combine these credentials with the publisher, Columbia University Press, and I thought this was a perfect place to start my search.

While I can’t say I found much that shaped my world view in this book I did thoroughly enjoy the read and created loonngg further reading list.

So what did I find? Nuerotheology sets it’s sights to describing exactly what the field of study “nuerotheology” is, what disciplines it encompasses, and provides examples of how to properly study religious phenomenon. From that description it sounds a little boring right?

What really brings this book to life and brought value to me is the extensive references, with lively examples, in fields such as anthropology, neuroscience, psychology, and studies into the use of drugs.

For example, In the neurodegenerative disease chapter I was fascinated when we looked at St. Paul and the possible connections with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy as the cause of his interpretation of the events on the road to Damascus.

We also look into myth building, rituals, ancient religions to study the evolution of religions and how they may have co-evolved with humanity as we gained more knowledge and experience as a species.

Finally I also enjoyed the commentary as to the differences between religious and spiritual individuals.

All in all his book is a great survey of the field and serves an engaging jumping off point that can lead to down a number of rabbit holes should you be interested in this topic.

[Walt Kasmir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neurotheology, as a field of study, seeks to bridge the gap between spirituality and neuroscience, offering a fascinating exploration into the neural underpinnings of religious experience. The book delves into the intricate relationship between the human brain and various forms of spiritual practices, such as meditation, prayer, and rituals. The author skillfully employs empirical evidence, drawing from EEG studies, fMRI scans, and psychological assessments, to substantiate the claim that spirituality is not just a metaphysical concept but has tangible, measurable effects on brain activity. The text is replete with case studies and real-world examples, making it not only academically rigorous but also accessible to a broader audience. The author's approach is commendably interdisciplinary, incorporating insights from theology, philosophy, and cognitive neuroscience, which adds depth and nuance to the discussion.

While it makes a compelling case for the neural basis of spirituality, it occasionally veers into reductionism, risking the oversimplification of complex spiritual experiences to mere brain activity. Critics of the field may argue that the book doesn't fully address the limitations of neuroscientific methods in capturing the essence of subjective spiritual experiences. Despite this, the book serves as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the intersection of neuroscience and spirituality. It challenges both religious and scientific communities to reconsider their preconceived notions and invites them to engage in a more integrated, holistic understanding of human experience. Overall, it's a thought-provoking read that stimulates both the mind and the soul.

[Emma Hinkle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neurotheology is the intersection of neuroscience and theology though Dr. Newberg rightfully broadens the definition to include other areas of brain science and spirituality. In this book, Dr. Newberg explores what the newer field of neurotheology is and what can be discovered from it. He argues that it's a very interdisciplinary field and one that can potentially help answer questions right in the middle of religion and science.

I enjoyed this much more than I expected I would. Part of this was due to Dr. Newberg really explaining what the limits of science are for understanding religion and also many ideas for experiments that can investigate religious/spiritual concepts. It did not feel like he overstated anything which says a lot for this kind of book. The 'theology' part of neurotheology really seems to be more about spirituality and mystisicm. As a whole, the field needs more research into specific faith traditions as you cannot lump findings from individuals from different religions and expect to identify nuance.

[Bob Mcinnis · Rating 5 out of 5]

A primer on what happens in our brains when we experience or crave an experience related to religion or spiritual moments. I was most interested in the pathology of the experience and whether it is phenomenology or adaptation.

[Darwin Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good overview of the field. Read this prior to taking on John Wathey's The Illusion of God's Presence: The Biological Origins of Spiritual Longing and The Phantom God: What Neuroscience Reveals about the Compulsion to Believe.

[Nicole J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative on a topic I am just learning about.

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lots of pointless science performed for no good reason. It's not a "-logy", it's just your hobby. The cover should be the X-files poster: I want to believe.

[loree · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF BOOOOOOORINGGGGGGGGGG

[William Colburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather simplistic