Bereavement related perceptions and transformation: psychological and religious aspects
Mental Health, Religion & Culture September 13, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/13674676.2024.2353247 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Argues that bereavement hallucinations fail to explain the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus, and proposes that ideas from the Cognitive Science of Religion can account for why stories of Jesus' resurrection were successfully transmitted across generations, while social scientists cannot arbitrate on the nature of the visions themselves. |
Abstract
This review paper focuses upon bereavement related perceptions (also called bereavement hallucinations). It begins with a discussion of the literature on the epidemiology, phenomenology, cultural variation and the transformative nature of such perceptions. There follows a critical discussion of the role of bereavement hallucinations in the origins of early Christianity and more specifically visions of the resurrected Christ. Bereavement related perceptions fail to explain the appearances of Jesus post-resurrection. The paper discusses why stories of Jesus’ appearance have been successfully transmitted across generations using ideas from the Cognitive Science of Religion. While social scientists cannot arbitrate upon the nature of the visions of Jesus, they can account for why stories of Jesus resurrection have been successfully transmitted across generations.