Page:The International Journal of Psycho-Analysis II 1921 1.djvu/100

 92 COLLECTIVE REVIEWS

Freud has proved in his treatment of the recrudescence of infantile totemism the significance of cliildish ideas for comparative religion. Isolated features important for the later development of the indi- vidual are found also in Freud's article "Notes from Uie history ot an infantile neurosis" (13). In Pfister's ministerial works there appear scattered memoranda of great informatory value as to the religious life of children, lutingon and Reik have made smaller contributions to the comprehension of cliikli.sh beliefs about Ciod (7, 58). The only larger work on this theme, fascinating both in conception and execution, is that by Lou Andreas-Salomi'^ (64) which treats ot "early religious observance" with great sublety and a com- bination of intuitive with analytic psyclvojogy. It is to be hoped that further work will before long fill up the gaps that now exist.

Pfister has devoted him.self to the application of psycho-analysis to ministerial work and has tliereby acliieved very considerable results (38, 39, 40, 46, 48, 50). No doubt such an application re- presents a compromise between ministerial and analytic endeavours in which it remains undecided what part is being played by the priest and what by the analyst. Activity of this kind is undeniably productive and commendable, but in my opinion the religious ele- ment so far as it is apart from the analysis tends to mingle with the tlierapeutic interest of the analysis vvhicii refuses now and always to put itself at tlae service of a definite moral or religious point of view. According to my personal opinion — the only opinion that can here find expression — psycho-analysis is destined at some future date to take the place to a considerable extent of ministerial activity.

Stekel (74) follows out the manifold disguises of the religious sentiment which appear in modern life: this author maintains also that the religious complex usually plays a large part in neuroses: he notices also a special form of the "Christ neurosis". How far this view as well as similar propositions of Adler's can be referred to the effect of reactions of a homosexual feminine fixation on the father (-God) has been explained by Freud (13). Schroeder reports on the sexual factor in die theology of the Mormons (65).

The theoretical exposition of the assumptions, metliods, and aims of the analytic psychology of religion has been successfully accomplished by Rank and Sachs in a comprehensive section ol their joint work which since its appearance in 1913 has been freely modified and enlarged by the work of the last few years. Freud