Entheogens: Psychedelic religion in the United States, part one
Religion Compass August 17, 2023 DOI: 10.1111/rec3.12474 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe article examines the historiography of how psychoactive substances have been linked to religiosity in the United States from the 1800s through the 1980s. It contextualizes the current Psychedelic Renaissance, where psychedelic churches are growing and substances are often said to induce religious or mystical experiences. The author traces scholarly discussions across multiple fields that have addressed this association over two centuries, showing that the connection between drugs and religion is not new but has a long history of academic attention.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Religiosity Historiography The renaissance Psychology of religion |
| Key finding | Argues that the association of psychoactive substances with religiosity in the United States has a long historiography from the 1800s to the 1980s, which provides context for the contemporary 'Psychedelic Renaissance'. |
Abstract
Abstract Scholars across the academic spectrum have written about the renewed interest in psychedelics that is commonly called the Psychedelic Renaissance (PR). Psychedelic religion is a major component of the PR, as psychedelic churches are growing exponentially and as people who consume and who research psychedelics routinely contend that these substances induce or occasion religious, spiritual, or mystical experiences. Scholars have noticed the growing association of psychoactive substances and religiosity, and they have addressed this association from a variety of academic fields, methods, and methodologies. This article explores the historiography of associations of psychoactive substances and religiosity in the United States from the 1800s to the 1980s.