Jan van der Lans

Jan van der Lans
Born (1933-07-10)July 10, 1933
The Hague, Netherlands
Died 2002
Netherlands
Residence Netherlands
Nationality Dutch
Fields psychology of religion
Institutions Catholic University of Nijmegen
Alma mater abbey of Berne in Heeswijk
Catholic University of Nijmegen
Doctoral advisor Han Fortmann
Known for Religious experience and meditation

Johannes (Jan) Maria van der Lans (10 July 1933 - 6 July 2002[1]) was a Dutch professor in the psychology of religion at the Catholic University of Nijmegen (now called Radboud University Nijmegen).

Education

Van der Lans was born in The Hague. After his secondary education he studied from 1953 until 1960 philosophy and theology at the abbey of Berne in Heeswijk. He was a member of this monastery until 1968. He started studying psychology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen in 1961. One of his teachers was Han Fortmann. In 1967 he was accepted as a full-time employee of the university. In 1978 he received his doctorate for his dissertation on Religious experience and meditation (Dutch: Religieuze ervaring en meditatie).

Research

From 1977 onwards he did research among followers of new religious movements.[2] In 1979 he instigated a European platform of psychologists of religion and until 1997 he was chairperson of the International Committee of European Psychologists of Religion. In 1992 he became a professor in the psychology of religion at the university. Van der Lans was involved in the International Association for the Psychology of Religion (German: Internationale Gesellschaft für Religionspsychologie) and as of 1998 part of its executive committee. He was also a member of the Commission Internationale de Psychologie Religieuse Scientifique.

According to one of his colleagues, his work was not without theological preferences and bias, but he presented himself as an empirically oriented psychologist.[3]

Professional associations

From 1997 to his death, he was chair of the Netherlands-based Catholic Study Center for Mental Health (Dutch Katholiek Studiecentrum voor Geestelijke Volksgezondheid, usually abbreviated as KSGV, an organization that undertakes its activities from a Christian inspiration)[4] and wrote several books commissioned by them.

Selected bibliography

English

Dutch

References

Note almost all information is sourced to the following book

Janssen, Jacques; Rien van Uden; Hans van der Ven (editors) Schering en inslag: Opstellen over religie in de hedendaagse cultuur, aangeboden aan Jan van der Lans bij zijn afscheid als hoogleraar godsdienstpsychologie aan de Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen/Warp and woof: essays about religion in contemporary culture, presented to Jan van der Lans on his farewell as professor religion of psychology at the Catholic university of Nijmegen Nijmegen, published by the Catholic study center for mental health June 1998 ISBN 90-75886-04-7 pages 9-11, 253-260
  1. ↑ Belzen, Jacob Dr. Jan Van der Lans (1933-2002) obituary
  2. ↑ Lans, Jan van der Volgelingen van de goeroe: Hedendaagse religieuze bewegingen in Nederland, written by Jan van der Lans on request for the Catholic study center for mental health published by Ambo, Baarn, 1981 ISBN 90-263-0521-4 book flap
  3. ↑ Belzen, Jacob A. Obituary (available online) July 12, 2002
  4. ↑ KSGV: Objectives
    "Het KSGV onderneemt zijn activiteiten vanuit een christelijke inspiratie."

External links

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