For over a decade, I have studied how cultural patterns of childhood corporal punishment, abandonment, and neglect have shaped the development of religious narratives, beliefs, ethics, rituals, and the emotional dimensions of religious life. My conclusions are contained in journal articles, book chapters, a book manuscript, and in presentations to academic meetings and general audiences.

Among other things, this work can -

• contribute to our understanding of how religions developed and why they have persisted historically;

• highlight an important commonality among seemingly disparate religious traditions;

• shed light on a largely unrecognized motivation for religious violence, and potentially help ameliorate that violence;

• clarify links between childhood pain and religious outlook.

This website describes my work.  If you wish to contact me, or to be notified when downloads of my writings become available, I can be reached at abelow.religion@gmail.com.