Visions and Psychopathology in the Middle Ages

Jerusalem Syndrome as reflected in the pilgrimage and biographies of four extraordinary women from the 14th century to the end of the second millennium

“…They found that only four of the visions appeared causally related, by today's standards, to a mental illness. However, the affected individuals were not recognized as mentally ill by their contemporaries.They suggest that since there was a recognition of mental illness in the Middle Ages, it would appear that such recognition was based on symptoms other than visions or hallucinations.They further suggest that, in the Middle Ages, hallucinations were culturally acceptable phenomena and were not necessarily viewed as expressions of psychoses (Kroll & Bachrach, 1982). Kroll and Bachrach's suggestions seem to match our findings regarding the differences between the images of St Bridget and Margery Kempe, as perceived by their contemporaries (though according to modern psychiatry both were demonstrating signs of Jerusalem syndrome).…”

A neurobiological model for near-death experiences

“…In the case of NDEs, where strong religious elements appear coupled to hallucinatory and somesthetic phenomena, the temptation appears to consider models rooted in previous beliefs (for example, astral body explanations), without firm foundations in the light of present knowl edge. Recent neurological analysis of some religious events, such as visionary experiences from written medieval sources (Kroll and Bachrach, 1982), and St. Paul's ecstatic visions (Landsborough, 1987) and sacred painting (Janz, 1987), which seem to correlate well with epileptic phenomenology, suggest that we are on the right path in separating physical elements from metaphysical ones.…”

The Virgin Mary at LaSalette and Lourdes: Whom Did the Children See?

“…Bliss & Clark, 1962;Eisenberg, 1962;Aug & Ables, 1971). Of particular relevance to the present study is Kroll and Bachrach's (1982) study of 134 religious visions from the Middle Ages in Europe. The major finding of this study was that if we put aside the fact of the vision itself, then only 4 of the 134 medieval seers who had these visions seemed to possess any traits that might reasonably be regarded as indicative of mental illness.…”