Abstract
Forgiveness is a concept with deep religious roots. It is also a basic social and psychological phenomenon. In this article, we explore the links between forgiveness and religion by surveying how they are linked in the major monotheistic world religions, and how they appear to be linked empirically. In attempting to account for the current body of empirical findings, we propose four potential substantive and methodological explanations that should be explored in future studies. Because the concept of forgiveness is (a) both spiritual and social-psychological in nature, and (b) possibly linked to some measures of human health and well-being (concerns that have traditionally been of interest to both researchers in personality and researchers in religion), the concept of forgiveness could be an important common ground for future research on the interface of religion and personality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1140-1164 |
| Number of pages | 25 |
| Journal | Journal of Personality |
| Volume | 67 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| State | Published - Dec 1 1999 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
- Social Psychology
Cite this
Religion and the Forgiving Personality. / McCullough, Michael; Worthington, Everett L.
In: Journal of Personality, Vol. 67, No. 6, 01.12.1999, p. 1140-1164.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Religion and the Forgiving Personality
AU - McCullough, Michael
AU - Worthington, Everett L.
PY - 1999/12/1
Y1 - 1999/12/1
N2 - Forgiveness is a concept with deep religious roots. It is also a basic social and psychological phenomenon. In this article, we explore the links between forgiveness and religion by surveying how they are linked in the major monotheistic world religions, and how they appear to be linked empirically. In attempting to account for the current body of empirical findings, we propose four potential substantive and methodological explanations that should be explored in future studies. Because the concept of forgiveness is (a) both spiritual and social-psychological in nature, and (b) possibly linked to some measures of human health and well-being (concerns that have traditionally been of interest to both researchers in personality and researchers in religion), the concept of forgiveness could be an important common ground for future research on the interface of religion and personality.
AB - Forgiveness is a concept with deep religious roots. It is also a basic social and psychological phenomenon. In this article, we explore the links between forgiveness and religion by surveying how they are linked in the major monotheistic world religions, and how they appear to be linked empirically. In attempting to account for the current body of empirical findings, we propose four potential substantive and methodological explanations that should be explored in future studies. Because the concept of forgiveness is (a) both spiritual and social-psychological in nature, and (b) possibly linked to some measures of human health and well-being (concerns that have traditionally been of interest to both researchers in personality and researchers in religion), the concept of forgiveness could be an important common ground for future research on the interface of religion and personality.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 10637990
AN - SCOPUS:0033250150
VL - 67
SP - 1140
EP - 1164
JO - Journal of Personality
JF - Journal of Personality
SN - 0022-3506
IS - 6
ER -