EHE Book Reviews

Religion and Parapsychology Record Type: Review ID: 1304
The Christian and the Supernatural Kelsey, Morton T.
This is an introduction to parapsychology by an Episcopal clergyman in a context meaningful to Christians. The overview of parapsychology is very cursory, but it is not the important part of the book, whose primary value lies in the way he relates psi phenomena to the Christian tradition. He points out that although psi phenomena were an accepted part of early Christianity, for centuries mainline churches have dissociated themselves from psi, so that in effect the Christian view of reality is back in the Middle Ages. Kelsey attempts to redress this one-sided emphasis on physical reality, and points out that psi experiences are often associated with deep experiences of God. If religion does not provide a legitimate place for these experiences, people will seek them outside the church. But, as he also points out in a section on psi theology, the value of psi experiences is questionable when sought as ends in theories and not as part of the experience of God. Kelsey has had training as a Jungian, and he offers many useful insights to those who would counsel others regarding psi phenomena. An appendix lists psi experiences occurring in the New Testament.
Publisher Information:	Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1976. 168p. Annotated bibliography: 159-168; Chapter notes; 3 figures

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The Christian and the Supernatural