Neuroscience and Religious Experience

Advances in neuroscience have opened a new front in the philosophy of religion. If religious experiences can be correlated with — or even induced by — specific brain states, does this undermine their evidential value? Or does it merely reveal the neural mechanisms through which genuine encounters with God occur? This lesson examines the key neuroscientific research, the philosophical implications, and the ongoing debate between reductionism and dualism.

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Neurotheology: The Science of Religious Experience

What Is Neurotheology?

Neurotheology (also called the neuroscience of religion or spiritual neuroscience) is the scientific study of the neural correlates of religious and spiritual experiences. It uses brain imaging, neurological case studies, and experimental techniques to investigate what happens in the brain during prayer, meditation, mystical experience, and other forms of religious practice.

Key Definition: Neurotheology — The scientific study of the neurological basis of religious and spiritual experiences. Neurotheology investigates which brain regions are active during prayer, meditation, and mystical states, and whether these experiences can be explained in purely neurological terms.