Center for the Study of Health, Religion and Spirituality

Center for the Study of Health, Religion and Spirituality

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Indiana State University
Terre Haute, Indiana

The Center for the Study of Health, Religion and Spirituality was formed in December 2002 with faculty from Psychology, Counseling, Nursing, Life Sciences, and the Terre Haute Center for Medical Education. The mission of the Center is to promote conversation and scholarship regarding the interrelationships between religion, spirituality, values, ethics, meaning making, and physical and emotional health and well-being. The Center advocates that the highest levels of scholarship and methodological rigor should be applied to studying the questions regarding health, religion, and spirituality and that contributions and methods from different fields of inquiry are essential. Similarly, good scholarship requires that viewpoints and insights from diverse religions and spiritual traditions are respectfully considered and used to guide and inform research questions and methods. The Center seeks to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and communication regarding relationships among science, religion/spirituality, and health by 1) supporting research and scholarship; 2) providing a forum for conversation between religious professionals and health care researchers, providers, and consumers; and 3) promoting educational and training opportunities for students and professionals. Specific research and dialogue topics include meditation and health and spirituality and addiction. Indiana State University provides matching funds.