"Many have worried that psychology has corrupted American faith, eroded citizens' virtue, and weakened its community life. But the social history of three major psycho-spiritual movements since World War II--Alcoholics Anonymous, The Salvation Army's outreach to homeless men, and the "clinical pastoral education" movement finds the opposite. These groups innovated a practical religious psychology that nurtured participants' faith, fellowship, and personal responsibility. This is one of the first works to have found a positive role for psychology in bolstering American religious and democratic life. It is also perhaps the only book in the history of religion and psychology to base its arguments on the effect of psycho-spiritual programs on its subjects' actual lives over time"--Provided by publisher. "The social history of three major psycho-spiritual movements since World War II shows that these groups innovated a practical religious psychology that nurtured participants' faith, fellowship, and responsibility"--Provided by publisher.
Includes bibliographical references and index.