Identity Crisis and the Formation of Homo Religiosus: A Decolonial Reflection on Erik H. Erikson's Young Man Luther.

This paper delves into Erik H. Erikson's psychohistorical analysis of Martin Luther, thereby highlighting the existential import of Luther's identity crisis in the formation of his religious identity as a homo religiosus. Within this framework, the intricate interrelationship between psychoanalysis and religion is expounded on by centering on Erikson's psychosocial approach to religion. Through a constructive reevaluation of Erikson's seminal work, Young Man Luther, three major events in Luther's adolescence that influenced the formation of Luther's religious identity are examined. This paper especially zeros in on Luther's identity crisis stemming from his disconnection from a "threefold fatherhood" and its resolution through his connection to an alternative fatherhood. Lastly, the applicability of Erikson's psychosocial developmental theory is evaluated in light of decolonization and its intercultural relevance today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]