author
James H. (James Henry) Leuba
1868–1946
A pioneer in the psychology of religion, this Swiss-born American scholar explored belief, mysticism, and religious experience with a strongly scientific eye. His work helped shape early debates about how faith could be studied through psychology rather than theology alone.
1 Audiobook
The Psychological Origin and the Nature of Religion
by James H. (James Henry) Leuba
About the author
Born in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, in 1868, James Henry Leuba later moved to the United States and built his academic career in psychology. He studied at Clark University under G. Stanley Hall and went on to teach for many years at Bryn Mawr College, where he became closely associated with the early development of American psychology.
Leuba is best remembered for his work in the psychology of religion. He examined conversion, mysticism, prayer, and religious belief as subjects for scientific study, and he often argued for naturalistic explanations of experiences that others treated as supernatural. That approach made him an important and sometimes controversial voice in the field.
His books, including A Psychological Study of Religion and The Psychology of Religious Mysticism, reflect a lifelong interest in how religious experience can be understood through observation and analysis. Today, he is still recognized as one of the early figures who helped establish the psychology of religion as a serious area of study.