Brain Disease or Religious Experience? Mark Salzman’s Lying Awake

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

What does it mean to feel God’s presence, and how is this related to brain activity? If psychopathology is involved, does this mean it’s not an authentic religious experience? In the age of scientific reductionism, it’s tempting to dismiss mystical experiences as mere abnormal patterns of neural activity. But is mysticism a matter of misfiring neurons, or something more? In the first post of this series, I reviewed a novel that explores similar questions: Ron Hansen’s Mariette in Ecstasy. But... Read more

Psychopathology or Holy Mysticism? Ron Hansen’s Mariette in Ecstasy

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

What is the relationship between pathology and holiness? In recent years, scientific studies have sought to draw a link between psychopathologies — such as epilepsy and schizophrenia — and mysticism. And when science finds a mechanism, it seems to shatter an illusion of mystery. Does this relationship dissolve religious experience into disinhibited temporal lobes? Could altered brain states explain away the long and rich tradition of Christian mysticism? These are questions we must raise and explore; science alone will not... Read more

Actively Anticipating the Nativity

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

Advent is a season of preparation in joyful hope for the coming of Christ. We remember His first coming 2000 years ago, anticipate His coming in glory at the end of times, and so make our hearts ready to welcome Him in the moments of each and every day. Advent is a season of preparation. But preparation is difficult and uncomfortable. It’s hard to listen to John the Baptist’s call to prepare the way for the Lord. It’s tempting to... Read more

On neuroscience and individualism in Advent

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

The Nativity is astonishing. Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was born of a woman. The King of the Universe entered the world as a fragile infant, a bundle of needs who was utterly dependent on his mother. What a terrifying fact. The vulnerability of Our Savior’s gestation and early life is enough to take your breath away. The Advent and Christmas seasons are an invitation for us to examine our own dependence on relationships of love, a dependence... Read more

A few recent finds

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

Here are four things that have challenged, informed, and fascinated me lately. 1. Tapping Into the Brain’s Star Power, from Nature (here). Astrocytes are a type of glial cell, brain cells that are not neurons. They comprise 20-40% of your brain, and yet their function, origin, and structure remain incredibly mysterious. But more and more studies are coming out implicating astrocytes in almost every developmental process, and almost every disease. This feature article is a great overview of research on... Read more

Don’t be afraid of your fear

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

Our culture views fear as a sign of weakness. The fearful person is told to “not be a baby,” our boys are instructed to “man up.” Sometimes fear is maladaptive, distancing us from reality and paralyzing us in front of the challenges of everyday life. But what if a healthy fear, one correctly ordered, by Fear of God, was the starting point for an authentic faith? What is fear? Fear is an instinctive response to potential danger. The experience of... Read more

On spiritual friendship

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

Lately, I’ve been relying more heavily than usual on my friends – or at least, more attuned to my dependence on them. I’ve been blessed with incredible, unexpected friendships during my time at Notre Dame. And I need them. I need this companionship that I’ve been drawn into. So I’ve been wondering, what exactly is our friendship? And why do I need it? Two great accounts of spiritual friendship Of the many eloquent accounts of friendship, two really stick out... Read more

Why you should pray the Liturgy of the Hours

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

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What if I told you that there was a prayer perfectly suited to your biology? There is: The Liturgy of the Hours. This prayer of the Catholic Church is a powerful way to lean into how you are wired. But to understand this, you first need some science. What is a circadian rhythm? The circadian rhythm is your body’s inner biological clock. It’s regulated by genes located in cell throughout your body, but the master biological clock is a cluster... Read more

Your brain on prayer

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

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There has been a surge of interest, in recent years, in identifying the neural correlates of religious experience. Some scientists, particularly Sam Harris, have used this as a methodology to attack religion and portray it as a backward set of biased assumptions. However, we need not be afraid of this line of scientific exploration. When conducted well, and when its limitations are understood, it can enrich our understanding of prayer, and perhaps improve our prayer lives as well. So what... Read more

Therapy, truth, and freedom

Last updated on: March 5, 2021 at 7:04 am By Synapses of the Soul

I’ve done in a lot of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). For a while, I received it myself, and now, I provide CBT to kids who have experienced trauma. And it’s taught me this: the human person was made for truth. That’s not just a metaphysical platitude. Mental illness is rooted in distortions of the truth. Therapy –CBT in particular – helps the client eliminate those distortions. Some people call it “fighting your brain,” but that’s too Cartesian for my comfort.... Read more