“The Compleat Person”: Some Theoretical Views and Research Findings for a Theological-Psychology of Religion

Some basic elements of Judeo-Christian theology have been extracted, fashioned into a theoretical framework for research in the psychology of religion and shown to be heuristically fruitful. The vehicle for demonstrating the utility of this view is measures derived from a dichotomous scheme of personal religion — intrinsic-committed and extrinsic-consensual. The latter seems to picture a closeminded, superficial, instrumental version of religion that reflects inaccurate self-perceptions and like views and behavior toward others and Cod. Where an intrinsic-committed faith dominates, one gains the impression of the theologically prescribed religionist, the truly complete person, who has internalized an integrated system in which views of the self, others, and God are constructively united in a purposeful plan for living. Research support for these ideas is presented.