Elements of Faith: Psychoanalytic Phenomenon and Lived Experience
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Publishing:30th Oct '25
£51.99
This title is due to be published on 30th October, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
Elements of Faith explores the rich, complex terrain of faith through the lenses of psychoanalysis, existential phenomenology, and lived clinical experience. It offers both theoretical reflections and a compelling case study of a therapeutic journey in faith, identity, and transformation.
This book investigates the multidimensional nature of faith as an existential and psychoanalytic phenomenon. Engaging with thinkers such as Heidegger, Bion, Kierkegaard, and Hillman, Brent Potter examines faith not as static belief but as a lived, dynamic structure of human experience. Drawing upon clinical work, especially the transformative therapeutic process with a patient named Sara, the book reveals how faith surfaces in moments of crisis, longing, and relational rupture. With careful attention to the Hebraic and Greek worldviews, the author provides insight into faith’s ethical, psychological, cultural, and theological contours. It is both scholarly and intimate—bridging theory and practice, ancient insight and modern struggle.
Elements of Faith enriches both theoretical and practical dimensions of psychoanalytic inquiry, and will be of great interest to psychoanalysts looking to explore faith within their practice. It will also appeal to mental health professionals, theologians, students of psychology and religion, and general readers interested in the intersection of faith and clinical practice.
‘Brent's Christian faith has led him to make this profound, warmly readable book about psychoanalysis and its future. His study of faith, including a remarkably healing case study, takes us away from fallacious assumptions that suffering should be pathologized and salvation must be found merely through human cleverness and social engineering.’
John Gordon, Author of Healing Madness
‘This book comes alive with faith in many dimensions. It breathes, aches, suffers, cries and opens depths of joy and renewal. It speaks of a wound that lights and gives credit to much that is devalued, including creative aspects of madness and such pages that keep giving.’
Michael Eigen, PhD, Author of books including The Challenge of Being Human, The Psychotic Core, Contact with the Depths, Faith, and The Psychoanalytic Mystic.
'In the face of fracture and contentious uncertainty we are easily seduced by certitude, tempted to abandon our doubt in the chimeric fortress of knowledge. But at what cost? In his new book Elements of Faith, Brent Potter takes us into the psychoanalytic situation, not as a contender to faith, but as a handmaid in the service of fostering our capacities to embrace mystery, meaning, and courageous openness. Of course we need knowledge, but Potter’s invitation is to walk into the vitalizing tensions of knowing and not knowing, the already and the not yet, the world we inhabit and the world yet to be.'
Earl D. Bland, PsyD, Psy, Professor of Psychology, Licensed Psychologist/Psychoanalyst, Rosemead School of Psychology
'In a time when we are seeing a resurgence of religion and spirituality, especially among the youth of Gen Z, Brent Potter brings a depth and clarify to the question of faith and its implications for our lives.'
Brent Dean Robbins, Ph.D., Program Director, Department of Psychology, Point Park University and Author of The Medicalized Body and Anesthetic Culture: The Cadaver, the Memorial Body, and the Recovery of Lived Experience
ISBN: 9781041099826
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
100 pages