// WELCOME TO THE PREACHING & NEUROSCIENCE
Pioneering research for effective preaching
This project is designed to investigate the way in which real-time preaching by Roman Catholic clergy affects local assemblies. One important aspect of this project is to develop a database of…
OUR GOAL
The project is addressing the following lead questions for establishing an empirically based understanding of effective preaching:
How does preaching increase the listener’s trust in God, in the faith community, and in the preacher?
How can preaching increase hope, as in a sense of agency and optimism in listeners?
How can preaching increase compassion and empathy?
How can preaching increase a listener’s openness and humility in considering their opinions and perspectives?
What is explicitly and implicitly remembered about a homily and what increases these kinds of memories?
Preaching and Neuroscience @ CTU
Executive Team
Edward Foley, Capuchin
Director Lilly project on Preaching and Neuroscience, Catholic Theological Union
Howard C. Nusbaum, PhD
Directer and Founder of the Chicago Center for Practical Wisdom, University of Chicago
Michael Spezio, PhD
Co-Director, Associate Professor of Psychology, Neuroscience, Data Science, Scripps College
Preaching and Neuroscience @ CTU
Some of the Reviewers
Msgr. Arturo J. Bañuelas
Diocese of El Paso, Texas
Padre Norman Moran
pastor of Saint Basil Visitation in Englewood Chicago
Professor Anne McGowan
Associate Professor of Liturgy, Catholic Theological Union
Rev. Dr. Gerald Liu
Director of Collegiate Ministries, Initiatives, and Belonging with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of The United Methodist Church
Preaching and Neuroscience @ CTU
program design
Self-reporting of
Listeners
We will assess self-reporting of listeners to determine the conscious assessment of a particular homily on a listener.
Assess less affected
performance
We can assess performance that is less affected by the social demands that sometimes affect survey responses.
neurophysiological
measurement
We will measure neurophysiological responses and behaviors before and after listening to a homily.
methodology
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with brain electrical activity (EEG)
By combining functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with measures of brain electrical activity (EEG) it is possible to localize brain regions that are responsive during different parts of a homily and to use these brain regions to analyze through EEG measures the relative timing of these responses. This can be used to understand the sequence of neural events that underlie changes in cognition, emotion, and social connection on a msec time scale.
Collaboration
