The Sabbath, or day of rest, is a rich religious concept and practice that has its origin in the Hebrew Bible and the Jewish people but is also extant throughout the history of the Christian Church. It is an idea that has sustained the Jewish people and, as practiced by individuals and communities within Judaism and Christianity, offers a counter-cultural weekly rhythm of life that stands in opposition to systems that are driven by cycles of coveting acquisitiveness, insatiable quests for productivity, and abuse of the environment (Brueggemann 2014). From a psychological perspective, the ritual of Sabbath observance has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, enhance social relations, and improve overall health. For these reasons, the Sabbath is particularly relevant to the fields of religion and psychology.
Religious Roots of the Sabbath
In terms of religious texts, the Sabbath first appears in the Genesis creation story. After creating the world in 6 days, the climax of God’s work...
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Carter, E.C. (2016). Sabbath. In: Leeming, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Psychology and Religion. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27771-9_200106-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27771-9_200106-1
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