Neil Van Leeuwen, "Religion As Make-Believe: A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity" (Harvard UP, 2023)

Sep 17, 2024

Neil Van Leeuwen, a scholar specializing in the intersection of psychology and religion, delves into the nuanced distinctions between religious beliefs and ordinary factual beliefs. He introduces the concept of a 'two-map cognitive structure' that combines factual reality with imaginative realms, shaping group identity and social interactions. Van Leeuwen explains how even improbable beliefs play a vital role in fostering community cohesion. The discussion also touches on the psychological dynamics of faith, doubt, and the meaningful role of petitionary prayer within groups.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

The Intersection of Personal Experience and Philosophical Inquiry in Understanding Belief

01:59 • 5min

The Cognitive Dynamics of Play

06:54 • 11min

The Layering of Belief: Understanding Factual Foundations

18:05 • 4min

Belief vs. Thought in Religion

22:02 • 16min

The Role of Petitionary Prayer in Personal and Group Dynamics

37:52 • 5min

Navigating Faith and Doubt

43:00 • 18min

Navigating Beliefs in Childhood

01:01:05 • 12min

It is an intuitive truth that religious beliefs are different from ordinary factual beliefs. We understand that a belief in God or the sacredness of scripture is not the same as believing that the sun will rise again tomorrow or that flipping the switch will turn on the light.

In Religion as Make Believe: A Theory of Belief, Imagination, and Group Identity (Harvard UP, 2023), Neil Van Leeuwen draws on psychological, linguistic, and anthropological evidence to show that psychological mechanisms underlying religious beliefs function like those that enable imaginative play.

When someone pretends, they navigate the world on two levels simultaneously, or as Van Leeuwen describes it, by consulting two maps. The first map is that of factual, mundane reality. The second is a map of the imagined world. This second map is then superimposed on top of the first to create a multi-layered cognitive experience that is consistent with both factual and imaginary understandings.

With this model in mind, we can understand religious belief, which Van Leeuwen terms religious "credence", as a form of make-believe that people use to define their group identity and express values they hold as sacred. Religious communities create a religious-credence map which sits on top of their factual-belief map, creating an experience where ordinary objects and events are rich with sacred and supernatural significance.

Recognizing that our minds process factual and religious beliefs in fundamentally different ways allows us to gain deeper understanding of the complex individual and group psychology of religious faith.

Author recommended reading:

The WEIRDEST People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous by Joseph Henrich.

Mentioned resources:

Lecture 'But... But... But... Extremists!' by Neil van Leeuwen
Talking to the Enemy: Faith, Brotherhood, and the (Un)Making of Terrorists by Scott Atran

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