Le sentiment religieux

Delivered to the faculty and students of Montauban in November 1901, this lecture opens with a reflective view of how psychology has only recently claimed its status as a true science. The speaker traces the discipline’s evolution through experimental labs, statistical tables, and international congresses, underscoring both its achievements and ongoing debates.

He then turns to the newest frontier – the psychological study of religious feeling – and argues that, despite centuries of informal observation, a rigorous, isolated inquiry is still overdue. By cataloguing the sparse but influential works of scholars such as Leuba, Starbuck, Ribot, and Durkheim, he sketches a tentative map of the field and highlights its methodological challenges. The address makes clear that this emerging science promises to illuminate the inner life of faith without replacing theological interpretation.

Listeners are invited to follow a thoughtful exploration of how early‑20th‑century thinkers sought to balance empirical rigor with respect for spiritual experience. The result is a concise yet rich portrait of a discipline on the brink of rapid expansion.