Théodore Flournoy: Kıta Avrupa’sında Din Psikolojisinin Kuruluş Sürecine Kuramsal, Metodolojik ve Ampirik Katkılar
Bilimname April 30, 2026 Asım Yapıcı, Saki̇n Özışık
Théodore Flournoy (1854–1920), a founding figure in continental European psychology of religion, sought to reconcile science and religion through the principle of "parallelism." He argued that psychology of religion requires solid psychological knowledge and proposed three methodological principles: research should combine document analysis with qualitative data and statistical methods; focus on inner individual religious experience rather than social manifestations; and maintain neutrality toward religion. Flournoy also advocated excluding metaphysical explanations and interpreting religious phenomena biologically, thereby treating religious experience as a psychological phenomenon. His case analyses of daily religious life, mystical, and paranormal experiences reflected this approach, helping establish psychology of religion as an independent discipline by balancing religious sensitivity with scientific objectivity.