Positive psychology, religion, and spirituality

In this special issue, we have brought together a collection of six papers that we think are representative of the breadth of research in the positive psychology of religion and spirituality. In the first two papers, Lewis and Cruise (2006 Lewis, CA and Cruise, SM. 2006. Religion and happiness: Consensus, contradictions, comments and concerns. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 9: 213–225. Taylor & Francis Online , Google Scholar), and van Dierendonck and Mohan (2006 van Dierendonck, D and Mohan, K. 2006. Some thoughts on spirituality and eudaimonic well-being. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 9: 227–238. Taylor & Francis Online , Google Scholar), respectively, discuss the empirical literature on religion and well-being, and spirituality and well-being. The third paper, by Fiori, Brown, Cortina, and Antonucci (2006 Fiori, K, Brown, EE, Cortina, KS and Antonucci, TC. 2006. Locus of control as a mediator of the relationship between religiosity and life satisfaction: Age, race, and gender differences. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 9: 239–263. Taylor & Francis Online , Google Scholar), is an example of the use of structural equation modelling to test the mediating effects of locus of control. In the fourth paper, Bretherton (2006 Bretherton, R. 2006. Can existential psychotherapy be good news? Reflections on existential psychotherapy from a Christian perspective. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 9: 265–275. Taylor & Francis Online , Google Scholar) discusses the rapprochement between psychotherapy and religion from a Christian perspective and as a practising clinical psychologist. In the fifth paper, Watts, Dutton, and Gulliford (2006 Watts, F, Dutton, K and Gulliford, L. 2006. Human spiritual qualities: Integrating psychology and religion. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 9: 277–289. Taylor & Francis Online , Google Scholar) outline their ongoing programme of research at the University of Cambridge into the topics of forgiveness, hope, and gratitude. In the sixth paper, Collicutt McGrath (2006 Collicutt McGrath, J. 2006. Posttraumatic growth and the origins of early Christianity. Mental Health, Religion and Culture, 9: 291–306. Taylor & Francis Online , Google Scholar) presents a social psychological account of the early development of Christianity. We hope that these papers will provide further impetus for research into the positive psychology of religion and spirituality.