Handbook of Positive Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality

Edward B. Davis, Professor of Psychology at Wheaton College (IL), has published over 100 articles and chapters, mostly on the intersections of positive psychology and the psychology of religion and spirituality. He also is a licensed clinical psychologist who practices from a positive psychology framework that often is spiritually integrative. Davis has procured more than $4 million in funding as a principal investigator on research grants and was the recipient of the 2020 Early Career Award from the American Psychological Association’s Division 36 (Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality).Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Commonwealth Professor Emeritus, has published over 500 articles and chapters and over 45 books on positive psychology, religion/spirituality, and the hope-focused couple approach. He does an essentially equal amount of basic scientific and applied research. He has co-edited several Springer-published handbooks. Sarah A. Schnitker, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Baylor University, studies virtue and character development in adolescents and emerging adults, with a focus on the role of spirituality/religion and technology in virtue formation. Schnitker has procured more than $6 million in funding as a principal investigator on multiple research grants and has published over 50 articles and chapters.

“We encourage you to approach this book as an intellectual meal to savor slowly and mindfully. … We encourage you to approach this handbook with that vista of possibility in mind. Search for reasons that might be beneficial for positive psychology to integrate R/S more into its theorizing, empirical research, and practical applications. … Ultimately, we hope this chapter’s suggestions will inform what you “eat” and digest from this book … .” (, Scriptable, rtreview.org, Vol. 116, November, 2023)

• Part I: Historical and Theoretical Considerations.- Integrating Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality: Transcending Coexistence to Potentiate Coevolution.- Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality in Historical Perspective.- On the Integration of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality: Logical, Normative, and Methodological Questions.- Virtues in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Theories of Health and Well-Being Germane to a Positive Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Meaning as a Framework for Integrating Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religiousness and Spirituality.- Part II: Methodological Considerations.- Measurement at the Intersection of Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Methodological Diversity in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Part III: Cultural Considerations.-Cultural Considerations in Positive Psychology and the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.- Positive Psychology and Christianity.- Positive Psychology and Judaism.- Living the Good Life: An Islamic Perspective on Positive Psychology.- Positive Psychology and Hinduism.- Positive Psychology and Buddhism.- "Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality Across Cultures in Europe, Non-U.S. North America, and South America".- Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality Across Cultures in Africa, Asia, and Oceania.- Part IV: Developmental Considerations.- Religion, Spirituality, and Youth Thriving: Investigating the Roles of the Developing Mind and Meaning-Making.- Religious/Spiritual Development and Positive Psychology: Toward an Integrative Theory.- Part V: Happiness and Well-Being.- The Scientific Study of Life Satisfaction and Religion/Spirituality.- The Scientific Study of Positive Emotions and Religion/Spirituality.- The Scientific Study of Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and Physical Health.- The Scientific Study of Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and Mental Health.- Part VI: Character Strengths and Virtues.- The Scientific Study of Religion/Spirituality, Forgiveness, and Hope.- Religion/Spirituality and the Twin Virtues of Humility and Gratitude.- Theological Virtues, Health, and Well-Being: Theory, Research, and Public Health.- Part VII: Clinical and Applied Considerations.- Integrating Positive Psychology, Religion/Spirituality, and a Virtue Focus Within Culturally Responsive Mental Healthcare.- Meaningfulness and Religious/Spiritual Meaning Systems at Work: A Multilevel Framework.- Positive Psychology and Religiousness/Spirituality in the Context of Couples and Families.- Positive Psychology in the Context of Religious Communities.- Building Spiritual Fortitude and Resilience Following Disaster: Synthesizing the Contributions of Positive Psychology and Religion/Spirituality.- Part VIII: Field Unification and Advancement.- Future Directions for the Positive Psychology of Religion and Spirituality.