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    Verbum et Ecclesia

    On-line version ISSN 2074-7705
    Print version ISSN 1609-9982

    Verbum Eccles. (Online) vol.31 n.1 Pretoria  2010

    http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/ve.v31i1.397 

    ORIGINAL RESEARCH

     

    Psalm 137: Perspectives on the (neuro-) psychology of loss

     

     

    Hennie Viviers

    Department of Religion, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

    Correspondence

     

     


    ABSTRACT

    The neuro-psychological imperative first implies the formation of neural networks through exposure to the external environment, both physically and ideologically, giving us our 'selves'. It in turn implies the projection of this internal world onto the outer to achieve neuro-environmental consonance. Situations like bereavement, immigration or exile break down this consonance and are accompanied by strong negative emotions. When viewing Psalm 137 through the lens of the neuro-psychological imperative, its intense experience of the loss of land (and 'self') becomes transparent as this psalm vividly recalls the devastating experience of the Babylonian exile. The shocking end of the psalm, detailing the desire for the brutal annihilation of enemy infants, expresses the understandable ideological drive of the exiles to, ironically, retrieve their lost 'selves.' Although understandable as an upholding of the established internal world, the manner in which this is to be achieved is not to be emulated by modern civilised societies.

    Keywords: bereavement; exile; neuro-psychological imperative; neural networks; Psalm 137


     

     

    Full text available only in PDF format.

     

     

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    Correspondence:
    Hennie Viviers
    Department of Religion, University of Johannesburg
    PO Box 524
    Auckland Park 2006
    South Africa
    Email: hviviers@uj.ac.za

    Received: 17 May 2010
    Accepted: 24 Aug. 2010
    Published: 29 Oct. 2010