title: Endangered bliss: Reflections on joy and religion.
abstract: This essay begins with the observation that experiences of intense joy are increasingly absent from the religious lives of many Americans. Examination of the linguistic history of the words "bliss" and "bless" suggests the origins and implications of this loss of joy. A case is made that bliss is crucial to vital Christian life, so long as it occurs in the context of disciplined behavior productive of moral and aesthetic value.
authors.affiliation: Columbia University in New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Van Ness