Ana-Mara Rizzuto and the Psychoanalysis of Religion

Ana Mara Rizzutos groundbreaking explorations of the formation of God representations in early childhood and their elaboration throughout the life cycle have made their mark, enriching the practice of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy as well as scholarship within the psychoanalytic study of religion. Assessing Rizzutos legacy on the thirty-fifth anniversary of the publication of The Birth of the Living God, contributors to this international collection of essays confirm the significance of Rizzutos contributions to psychoanalytic theories of religious experience. They also underscore Rizzutos most important contribution to clinical practice: rather than assert that psychoanalysis is incompatible with religious beliefs and practices or with spiritual concerns that patients may bring to a therapeutic context, Rizzuto makes room for the coexistence of psychoanalysis and religion in the therapeutic setting. Accompanied by illuminating commentaries by Rizzuto, the essays in this volume address a range of topics: developmental processes associated with God representations, psychotherapeutic treatment models informed by Rizzutos theory, the practice of psychotherapy in contexts shaped by Eastern religious traditions, monstrous referents in God representations, and the psychoanalysis of religion in light of the new atheism. Demonstrating how Rizzutos work has enhanced connections within and among psychoanalytic theories of religion, established pathways for new developments in psychotherapy, and facilitated interdisciplinary conversations, this volume showcases the compelling power of Rizzutos work and its ongoing influence.