Title
Meaning-making, suffering, and religion: A worldview conception
School/Department
Rosemead School of Psychology
Publication Date
6-2019
Abstract
Park’s meaning-making model suggests that events such as the loss of a loved one may cause distress because people’s appraised meaning of the difficult event may challenge their global orienting systems. Meaning-making alleviates distress by reducing this discrepancy. Research has shown the important role that religions often play in the meaning-making process. However, this body of research has largely been limited by a reluctance to address the religious content of meaning-making processes and outcomes. Here we advocate for inclusion of religious beliefs in the study of meaning-making in suffering, and recommend the construct of worldview as a promising resource for this endeavour. Finally, we illustrate the promise of this approach by exploring the contrasting worldviews of three religious traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, and atheism. We trace the ontological, anthropological, axiological, and praxiological assumptions in these worldviews, contrast them, and note the implications for research.
Keywords
Meaning-making;
Publication Title
Mental Health, Religion & Culture
Volume
22
Issue
5
First Page
467
Last Page
479
DOI of Published Version
10.1080/13674676.2019.1625037
Recommended Citation
Hall, M. Elizabeth Lewis and Hill, Peter C., "Meaning-making, suffering, and religion: A worldview conception" (2019). Faculty Articles & Research. 478.
https://digitalcommons.biola.edu/faculty-articles/478
- Citations
- Citation Indexes: 38
- Usage
- Abstract Views: 49
- Captures
- Readers: 52
- Mentions
- References: 1
