I.  Psychology of Religion: Strong and Weak Versions

 1.  Weak Version: - religious issues
                               - Studied through monism & Null Hypothesis (cannot think/feel about other world)
 2.  Strong Version: -psychological study of dualistic phenomena
                                - (Transcendental) (Trans-personal) (positive bias about other world)
 

II.  Swedenborgâs Religious Behaviorism

 A) Spiritual = affections + cognitions
       = interior input (inner life)
       Natural = sensory exterior input

Figure 1 ö Swendenborgâs description of the person as a dual being

 

     B)  Separate, but corresponding relation between spiritual and natural parts of a person.
 
            i)    General version:
                    - moral deterioration of man leads to natural calamities (social breakdown and disease and
                      ugliness).

            ii)    Specific version:
                    - religious feelings and thoughts (i.e. about dualistic ideas)
                    - (interior input)
                    - externalize as natural
                    - corresponds ("symbolism")
                    - corresponds ("parables")
                    - (i.e. natural ideas without negative bias)

                                VS.

Philosophical	Communal
Speculative	Collective
Subjective	Objective
Idiosyncratic	Phenomenal
Non-empirical	Empirical
Fantastic	Actual
Cultist	Experiential
	Observational

 

III.  Science of Correspondences:
    A)    General Version:
 
 

	SPIRITUAL	SPIRITUAL	NATURAL
	Affections	Cognitions	Sensations/Memories
i)	Love of Self	ideas that justify  DOMINION OVER OTHERS	attachments & focus on  PHYSICAL PLEASURES & GAIN
ii)	Love of the world	ideas that justify   EQUITY MORALITY	attachments & focus on  NORMS & MERIT
iii)	Love of others	ideas that justify  FAITH OBEDIENCE	attachments & focus on  RITUALS & CREED
iv)	Love of God	ideas/doctrines that justify  ALTRUISM	attachments & focus on  GOOD WORKS

 
 
    B)    Specific Version:
 

1.	LOVE	WISDOM	USES
2.	GOOD	TRUTH	POWER
3.	ESSENCE   (ESSE)	CAUSE	EFFECT
4.	FIRST END   (GOAL)	MEDIATE END  (INSTRUMENTALITY)	ULTIMATE END  (PRODUCT)
5.	WILL  (AFFECTIVE	UNDERSTANDING  (COGNITIVE)	ULTIMATE END  (PRODUCT)
6.	INTENTION	PLAN	EXECUTION

 

IV.  Applications:  Applied Theistic Psychology (spiritual geography)

    A)    Communal (collective) revelations
                (spiritual communications) (e.g. Bible)
                (prophetical) (visions) (Divine)
                (commandments) (guides)
 
    B)    Dreams
                (see Journal of Dreams)
                (self-revelation) (growth) (preparation)

    C)    Metaphor in everyday expressions
                (trigrammatic theories) (critical thinking ability)

    D)    Instructional Parables
                (spiritual attitudes) (proper strivings)
                (reformation) (repentance)

    E)    Illustration (insight) (moral wisdom)
                (regeneration) (mental health) (self exam)

    etc.)    indicates sub-areas of study (THEORY & RESEARCH) for Theistic Psychology.
 
 

Research issues:
    A1)  What is the difference between guides to conduct from a religious source (collective revelation) and non-religious source (human invention)?
 

IV 1	IV 2
Revealed Scriptures	Human Invention
DV1 - mental health (Tillich)  DV2 - productivity  etc. - lifestyle

 
    B1)  What are valid methods of dream analysis?

    C1)  Does thinking improve with the study of semantic relations based on correspondences?

    D1)  How hoes an acquired transpersonal orientation (or practice of religion) bring about personal change
            and adjustment?

    E1)  How is goodness attained?