I. Psychological Methods in the Study of Religion 



In considering how far psychology can throw h'ght upon reHgion, 

 it is desirable to set out from some general conception of what 

 Religion is. Religion itself is a state of mind, a mental attitude 

 towards the universe : it is an attitude which we take up towards 

 the totality of existence. Now there are many different attitudes 

 with which we may face existence. We may meet it with a 

 question, as we do in .sking what it is, what is the universe and 

 what are we as parts of the universe. We may endeavour to get 

 to know the universe, and in some mysterious way we do succeed 

 to some extent in understanding it, as a general system of physical 

 and mental forces. Or again, we may enjoy the universe as a 

 work of art or a collection of works of art. We may appreciate 

 the beauty of the scenery and other things about us. We may 

 deplore ugliness which we find intermingled with that beauty. 

 Thirdly, we may face existence from the point of view of duty, of 

 what should be done, or more adequately, in the light of the idea 

 of the Good. There are, then, these three general all-inclusive 

 attitudes towards the universe : (i) a cognitive attitude, based upon 

 the desire to know ; (2) an aesthetic attitude, based upon the 

 desire to appreciate, to do full justice to the beauty of existence, 

 and perhaps to play some little part in adding to that beauty, if the 

 individual is an artist ; (3) an ethical attitude, based upon the 

 desire to achieve the highest good possible in individual conduct. 



Is there a further general attitude remaining over after these 

 three attitudes have, I won't say received adequate satisfaction, but 

 at any rate have discovered their appropriate fields of activity .? 

 There seems to be such a field in the experience of personal 

 relationship towards the universe as that upon which we completely 

 depend. That is, there is an attitude of complete dependence 

 upon the universe which is distinct from the cognitive, aesthetical, 

 and ethical attitudes. This attitude was first singled out by 

 Schleiermacher as the essential element in the religious conscious- 

 ness. But if we analyse the situation psychologically, we find that 



