Human Being: Reflections from Psychology and Religion

Part I discusses belief in God and the role of religion as an integral aspect of individual and societal evolution. Religion provides spiritual and social identity, motive, and vision that address the changing need of human existence. The section begins with a discussion of the transcendent capacity which is central to the teachings of religion. Examples are drawn from testimonies of individuals both secular and religious. The section further examines and compares the role of religious orthodoxy implicit in concepts like the middle path of Buddhism, Kingdom of God referenced in the Torah and the Quran, and the City of God by Augustine. It discusses the merits of religious orthodoxy as integral to the evolution of the institutions of society. It concludes with a selection of scriptures from the major faith traditions that refer to the ongoing resurrection of religion through messengers or teachers who rearticulate the essential spiritual teachings of religion into the changing exigencies of civilization. Religious institutions evolve in the context of both physical and spiritual social order. The current stage of social development for human kind is global and reflects the capacities of emerging adulthood as a unified whole.

Part II is an introduction to the Baha'i Faith as the latest dispensation in the evolution of religion. It presents a summary of some of its teachings that address the current stage of the development of society. Religious orthodoxy in the context of global human civilization requires a fluid framework to accommodate its diversity and accelerating rate of change. It requires freedom for independent investigation of truth integral to the evolving complexity associated with the expanded scientific and technical capacity integral to a globally interdependent social order. It must accommodate the practical societal implementation of the golden rule and the ethical teachings common in all religions in the pursuit of justice. It must provide the emergent framework of societal acceptance of human diversity required for peaceful cooperation. Central to them is the necessity for the independent investigation of truth through the engagement of reason, evidence, and critical review in every aspect of the administration of the affairs of society including religion.

Part III begins with an interpretation of the story of Adam and Eve as a very early version of the thoughts expressed by Immanuel Kant on human consciousness. The Genesis story is parsed as a metaphor for aspects of human consciousness. The interpretation derives from comments by Abdu'l-Baha, a major figure in the Baha'i Faith, when asked what the story meant. He responded by saying that one way of understanding the story was as a description of human consciousness. Adam is the transcendent human spirit, Eve is the separate human self, and the Serpent is instinctual attachment to the world. This interpretation of the Genesis story provides access to a mutually beneficial and complementary relationship between science and religion. The human spirit seeks purpose and meaning in reality and the separate self seeks understanding of reality through evidence and reason. Religious adherents who deny the consensus of science suffer the consequences associated with ignorance and superstition. Science protects religion from ignorance, superstition and fanaticism; and religion provides understanding with depth of meaning and purpose in being. When science and religion are complimentary, they provide light upon light.

Part IV extends the use of the Adam and Eve metaphor in the context of a few foundational works of psychology and philosophy. It highlights theories of human development and learning from Jung, Vygotsky, Erikson, and Maslow that focus on the nature of being human as transcendent--spiritual.