Persian version of “Principles of Neurotheology” published
Iranian university professor has released the Persian version of book on neurotheology to open new horizons for researchers studying relation between science and religion.
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Ali Sanaee, Iranian assistant professor at University of Semnan has translated “Principles of Neurotheology” by Andrew B. Newberg published by Ashgate in 2010 in line with studying further into the interdisciplinary major, reported Taqrib News Agency (TNA).
Neurotheology is an interdisciplinary major bridging the discoveries of neurology, theology, mysticism and philosophy.
In view of Newberg neurotheology opts for the relation between integration and dialogue out of four possible relations between science and religion: independence, conflict, integration and dialogue. Neurotheology studies the effects of meditation, prayer and practicing religious rituals on man’s bodily and mental health and also the neurological mechanism his brain achieves throughout a spiritual experience.
The most important point in neurotheology is the integration experienced between phenomenology of a mystical experience and processes of neurology.
Although the research hires a scientific language to explain spiritual and mystical experiences, the author is quite cautious that science does not have the permission to comment on the utmost source in a spiritual experience confining that within biological factors since the topic should merely be discussed within the territory of theology and metaphysics.
On the other hand, though, Newberg confirms that a preliminary step for a neurotheology project is that religion and science recognize each other and do not struggle to confine each other.
The book in ten chapters, discusses 54 methodological principles to study neurotheology among them, definitions in neurotheology, interactional principles between neurology and theology and hermeneutics of theology.
Persian language translator of the book, Ali Sanaee is a member of the academic board at University of Semnan previously translated the book “Aquinas on Mind” by Sir Anthony Kenny and also “Philosophy and Religion: From Plato to Postmodernism” by Max Charlesworth.
Dr. Andrew Newberg is Director of Research at the Myrna Brind Center for Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Medical College. He is also Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. He is Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Nuclear Medicine. He is considered a pioneer in the neuroscientific study of religious and spiritual experiences, a field frequently referred to as – neurotheology.
