Religious Attachment: Women’s Faith Development in Psychodynamic Perspective

Exploration of religious attachment from a psychodynamic perspective, this book provides a coherent and convincing account of the roots and characteristics of Christian women’s faith experience which will complement and, in some respects correct, existing accounts. Drawing on attachment theory as a conceptual framework, this book employs a qualitative methodological approach, focusing analysis on linguistic meanings, and using autobiographical narrative in-depth interviews with a group of ten Korean Christian women. Examining the patterns of religious attachment in relation to human attachments, the key characteristics in women’s faithing are explored: the language, means and context, and the relational and affective accounts of faith with or in which women practice their faith. Three major patterns of religious attachment are identified in which the women’s faithing strategies and their representations of self and God are presented: these are Distance/Avoidance, Anxiety/Ambivalence and Security/Interdependence. Integrating theoretical and practical implications of religious attachment for Christian education and pastoral practice, this book will be a good use to all concerned with women’s religious attachment, faith development, spirituality and education, and those working in the field of practical theology, pastoral care, Christian education, counselling and psychotherapy.