Anton Boisen: A Portrait

This psychobiographical essay aims to shift Boisen scholarship from a focus on his disputed psychiatric diagnosis to a more inclusive investigation of the disparate aspects of his personality. I conclude that Boisen's central personality trait was a brand of loquacity that lacked substance—spec...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of religion and health 2012-06, Vol.51 (2), p.450-459
Main Author: Kramp, Joseph M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Autobiographies
Boisen
Boisen, Anton Theophilus (1876-1965)
Clergy
Clinical Psychology
Fathers
History, 19th Century
History, 20th Century
Humans
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Mental illness
Mothers
Original Paper
Pastoral Care - history
Personal profiles
Psychiatric diagnosis
Psychiatry - history
Psychology
Psychology of religion
Public Health
Religion & psychology
Religion and Medicine
Religion and Psychology
Religious experience philosophy
Religious Studies
Schizophrenia - history
Schizophrenic Psychology
Self image
States of being
United States
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Summary:This psychobiographical essay aims to shift Boisen scholarship from a focus on his disputed psychiatric diagnosis to a more inclusive investigation of the disparate aspects of his personality. I conclude that Boisen's central personality trait was a brand of loquacity that lacked substance—specifically the substance of his deepest secrets. This caused a kind of chronic frustration in his relations with others and, I argue, led to his chronic, psychotic state of being. Additionally, I argue that Boisen's psychosis and religious practice worked together to sustain his psychological regression.
ISSN:0022-4197
1573-6571
DOI:10.1007/s10943-010-9370-7