Abstract

In 2006, Two Dutch psychiatric residents and their residency training director reported on a small qualitative survey among 13 psychiatrists working in their mental health institution. The psychiatrists were interviewed about their attitude toward religion and spirituality. The interviewers were especially interested in the role religion plays according to the psychiatrists in the relationship between psychiatrists and patient (Fiselier et al. 2006). The theme is not new, and it still evokes a lot of controversy, considering the turmoil the well-known authority and opinion leader in this field of inquiry Koenig recently provoked with his editorial in Psychiatric Bulletin (Koenig 2008; Correspondence 2008). ..