Nationality Dutch Died 2002, Netherlands Fields psychology of religion Residence Netherlands | Doctoral advisor Han Fortmann Academic advisor Han Fortmann Name Jan der | |
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Born July 10, 1933
The Hague, Netherlands ( 1933-07-10 ) Institutions Catholic University of Nijmegen Alma mater abbey of Berne in Heeswijk
Catholic University of Nijmegen Known for Religious experience and meditation Education Radboud University Nijmegen | ||
Johannes (Jan) Maria van der Lans (10 July 1933 – 6 July 2002) was a Dutch professor in the psychology of religion at the Catholic University of Nijmegen (now called Radboud University Nijmegen).
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Education
Van der Lans was born in The Hague. After his secondary education he studied from 1953 until 1960 philosophy and theology at the abbey of Berne in Heeswijk. He was a member of this monastery until 1968. He started studying psychology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen in 1961. One of his teachers was Han Fortmann. In 1967 he was accepted as a full-time employee of the university. In 1978 he received his doctorate for his dissertation on Religious experience and meditation (Dutch: Religieuze ervaring en meditatie).
Research
From 1977 onwards he did research among followers of new religious movements. In 1979 he instigated a European platform of psychologists of religion and until 1997 he was chairperson of the International Committee of European Psychologists of Religion. In 1992 he became a professor in the psychology of religion at the university. Van der Lans was involved in the International Association for the Psychology of Religion (German: Internationale Gesellschaft für Religionspsychologie) and as of 1998 part of its executive committee. He was also a member of the Commission Internationale de Psychologie Religieuse Scientifique.
According to one of his colleagues, his work was not without theological preferences and bias, but he presented himself as an empirically oriented psychologist.
Professional associations
From 1997 to his death, he was chair of the Netherlands-based Catholic Study Center for Mental Health (Dutch Katholiek Studiecentrum voor Geestelijke Volksgezondheid, usually abbreviated as KSGV, an organization that undertakes its activities from a Christian inspiration) and wrote several books commissioned by them.