Can Spiritualities be Compared? Can their Effects be Measured?

A symposium arranged by Centre for Science and Faith (CVT), University of Copenhagen, and International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR).

This one-day conference, preceding the Annual Symposium of Centre for Science and Faith on August 28, will be devoted to a discussion of the ISSR SORSE project (“Listening, Moving and Reflecting: Wellbeing effects of engaging with three types of spiritual practice”) and other initiatives in the field of spiritual health.

The SORSE project, led by Fraser Watts, investigates the hypothesis that different kinds of spiritual practice use the human cognitive architecture in different ways, and have different experiential effects, though they may all potentially yield similar well-being benefits. The study particularly compares conceptual and non-conceptual practices, hypothesising that non-conceptual practices have more immediate impact, but that conceptual practices, if successful, may have broader and longer-term benefits. Two non-conceptual practices are studied, one the Qigong movement, the other involve sensory attention, listening to plainsong chanting. The third practise under study involves imaginative discussion of four spiritual virtues (hope, gratitude, forgiveness and love/compassion). The effects of the various spiritual practices are conceptualised using Philip Barnard’s cognitive architecture, Interacting Cognitive Subsystems.

The attendants will learn about the first results of the conceptual design and empirical studies undertaken in the SORSE project, to be discussed with colleagues from Denmark and abroad. The afternoon will be used to present a forthcoming Danish book on “Spiritual Health: Being Connected”, edited by Tobias Anker Stripp, Per Torp Sangild, and Niels Henrik Gregersen, and will conclude with discussions on the relations between existential and spiritual health.

Programme

9:00-9:15	Coffee
9:15-9:20	Welcome by Niels Henrik Gregersen (co-leader of CVT, President of ISSR)
9:20-10:00	Fraser Watts (Executive Secretary, ISSR; Visiting Professor, Lincoln Bishop University): Varieties of Spiritual Practices: A Psychological Approach
10:00-11:00	John A. Groeger (Professor of Psychology, Nottingham Trent University): Spiritual Practices and Well-Being: An Empirical Study
11:00-11:20	Coffee and refreshments
11:20-11:45	Postdoc, Dr. in medicine, Tobias Anker Stripp, CVT: Response to the empirical findings of the SORSE project
11:45-12:15	Dr. Harris Wiseman (Research Associate, ISSR) and Fraser Watts: Psychological Processes in Spiritual Practices
12:15-13:15	Lunch
13.15-13:45	Welcome by Per Torp Sangild (Prof. Health Science, and Leader of CVT): General discussions of the SORSE project
13:45-14:00	Coffee
14:00-15:00	Presentation and discussion on the book project “Spiritual Health: Being Connected”, by Tobias Anker Stripp, Per Torp Sangild, and Niels Henrik Gregersen
15:00-16:00	Open discussions on varieties of spirituality: Fraser Watts: On comparing Spiritualities Heidi Frølund Pedersen: Spirituality between Meaning and Trauma, Aarhus University Peter la Cour: Existential Health: Can it be Measured?, psychologist, MF Oslo.