Spiritual attachment in Islam and Christianity: similarities and differences
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...
Authors: | ; ; ; |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
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Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2014
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In: |
Mental health, religion & culture
Year: 2014, Volume: 17, Issue: 1, Pages: 79-93 |
Further subjects: | B
Islam
B attachment to God B Comparative Religion B Christianity B psychological practice |
Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
Summary: | 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. |
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ISSN: | 1469-9737 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Mental health, religion & culture
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2012.749452 |