Mental Pathology versus Religiosity According to Antoine Vergote

Abstract

According to Antoine Vergote, humanity is being put into existence on two basic dimensions: obligation and desire. Both dimensions may be affected by pathology.

Now pathology may lead to obsessional neurosis. Religious neurosis of fault arises due to transference of obsessional neurosis into the sphere of religiosity.

Pathology of desire, which gives rise to hysterical neurosis, easily affects people’s religiosity. The latter being deformed by mental pathology virtually ceases to depict an image of man’s encounter with the Personal God, but is rather a way to cope with an inner conflict.

Antoine Vergote, a prominent psychologist of religion, with great insight describes in his works the influence which mental pathology bears on religiosity. The present paper is a short, yet coherent, review of the author’s views on the matters in question.