Sex, God, and the Brain

Andrew Newberg is Director of Research at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Medical College. Dr. Newberg has been particularly involved in the study of mystical and religious experiences throughout his career, in addition to the use of neuroimaging studies in the evaluation of neurological and psychiatric disorders. He is considered a pioneer in the field of neurotheology which seeks to link neuroscience with religious and spiritual experience. Dr. Newberg has published over two hundred articles, essays and book chapters. He is the author or co-author of eight books including the bestselling How God Changes Your Brain (Ballantine, 2009) and Why God Won’t Go Away (Ballantine, 2001). He has presented his work at scientific and religious meetings throughout the world and has appeared on Good Morning America, Nightline, ABC’s World News Tonight, Book TV, National Public Radio, Fresh Air, London Talk Radio, the Discovery Channel, the National Geographic Channel, the BBC, National Public Radio, and the nationally distributed movies, “What the Bleep Do We Know?” and Bill Maher’s movie “Religulous.” His work has been written about in the Los Angeles Times, Time, Newsweek, Discover Magazine, Reader’s Digest, The Washington Post, and The New York Times.

Prologue: Sex and GodPART I: The FoundationChapter 1. In the Beginning…Chapter 2. Rhythms and Rituals: What’s A Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?Chapter 3. Myths and SexualityChapter 4. Sexual Ecstasy and Spiritual EcstasyPART II: The Connection Between Sex, Spirituality, and ScienceChapter 5. Orgasmic Meditation: Making the ConnectionChapter 6. God Molecules and Sex MoleculesChapter 7. The Spiritual Brain on DrugsPART III: The Impact of the Connection—Good and BadChapter 8. Sexual and Spiritual AddictionsChapter 9. Psychology, Sexuality, and GodChapter 10. The Dark Side of Sexuality and ReligionChapter 11. Sexuality, Religion, and ViolenceChapter 12. Sexuality and the Development of MoralityChapter 13. Compassion, Sex, and the BrainChapter 14. Male and Female SpiritualityEpilogue: Is Religion Afraid of Sex? And Should It Be?