Neurotheologists Take Narrow View of Faith

In recent years, scientists have paid increasing attention to the connection between religious beliefs and the physical composition of our brains. This CNN piece is a solid entry in the field of neurotheological journalism:

The frontal lobe, the area right behind our foreheads, helps us focus our attention in prayer and meditation.

The parietal lobe, located near the backs of our skulls, is the seat of our sensory information. Newberg says it's involved in that feeling of becoming part of something greater than oneself. [...]

Newberg calls religion the great equalizer and points out that similar areas of the brain are affected during prayer and meditation. Newberg suggests that these brain scans may provide proof that our brains are built to believe in God. He says there may be universal features of the human mind that actually make it easier for us to believe in a higher power.

I must confess that neuroscientific studies of religion tends to bring out my inner skeptic. The precise workings of our brains are incompletely understood, and a hint of reductionism still seems to accompany some neuroscientific endeavors.

That being said, research into the biology of faith is both fascinating and important. But I'd like to see it expanded. Faith, after all, is not limited to religion. If researchers are going to look for the neurological basis of religious certitude, why not also seek mental foundations for a secular faiths -- in, for example, the invisible hand of the market, or the unerring wisdom of proletarian rule?

Are humans hard-wired for faith? [CNN]

Images: Mecca by Al-Hassam / Wall Street by Roger Price