Religious delusions among Jews.
American Journal of Psychotherapy 1980 DOI: 10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1980.34.1.62 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5 |
| Population | Jewish patients at Friends Hospital |
| Key findings | Religious delusions are equally common among Jews as among Christians, with content drawn from both Testaments. |
Abstract
Though most previous publications described religious delusions only among Christians, a review of cases at Friends Hospital revealed that they are equally common among Jews. Five cases are given, four illustrating psychotic reactions to stress, one demonstrating that a religious experience does not necessarily result in psychosis. Content may come from either the Old or New Testaments. The Messiah delusion is discussed in more detail, with a historical example from the 17th century. Since persecution and other social stress leads to fantasies of a savior, Jewish people are now particularly vulnerable to Messianic delusions.