Meaning Reconstruction in the Context of Religious Coping: Rebuilding the Shattered Assumptive World

Abstract

Recently research studies have begun to examine the theory that religion may help bereaved individuals to provide meaning (or an explanation) to an otherwise inconceivable event. In addition, there has been a growing understanding that bereavement forces individuals to restructure and rebuild previously held assumptions about the self and the world. The purpose of this paper is to examine the inter-relationship of religious coping, meaning reconstruction, and shattered assumptions by reviewing the literature of these three domains. Definitions surrounding “religious coping” and “meaning reconstruction” are clarified, and theoretical constructs are refined by exploring their relationships. Suggestions for future research are discussed, including methodological and conceptual considerations.