Religious and spiritual revival through a Winnicottian lens

ABSTRACT The view of psychoanalytic theorists toward religion has proceeded along the same trajectory as sociological theory: from rejection, to ambivalence and tolerance, and on to a guarded acceptance and appreciation. Winnicott viewed religion as a positive and beneficial component of the cultural experience that he called transitional space. I will explore whether religion and spirituality possess a unique role in the service of transitional space experiences and whether Winnicott’s construct of transitional space can be used as a lens to view the postmodern revival of religious practice and spirituality as a response to the hyper-secularization of modern life.