Sacred Encounters: How Psilocybin Transformed Clergy from Major World Religions
Article Title: “Effects of Psilocybin on Religious and Spiritual Attitudes and Behaviors in Clergy from Various Major World Religions”
Author: Roland R. Griffiths, Robert Jesse, William A. Richards, Matthew W. Johnson, Nathan D. Sepeda, Anthony P. Bossis, Stephen Ross
Publication Date: 2025
Background
Psychedelics have long been associated with spiritual and mystical experiences, yet few studies have examined their impact on ordained religious leaders. This study, conducted at Johns Hopkins and NYU, aimed to fill that gap. The research sought to understand how psilocybin, a psychoactive compound found in certain mushrooms, might influence the spiritual lives, attitudes, and vocations of clergy from various major religions.
Study Overview
The study involved 33 psychedelic-naïve clergy from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and Islamic traditions. Participants were randomly assigned to either an Immediate or Delayed Group. Each underwent two supported psilocybin sessions (20 mg/70 kg first, 20–30 mg/70 kg second), spaced about a month apart. The effects were assessed through a series of self-report questionnaires and follow-ups at 4 and 16 months post-treatment.
Key methodologies included:
Preparatory and integration sessions surrounding the psilocybin experiences.
Use of validated tools like the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (MEQ30).
A Retrospective Psilocybin Session Questionnaire to assess enduring changes in attitudes, behaviours, and spiritual insights.
Key Findings
Spiritual Significance: 96% of participants rated at least one session as among the five most spiritually significant experiences of their lives; 42% named it the most profound.
Enduring Changes: At 16 months post-session, participants reported sustained improvements in:
Religious practices (e.g., prayer, meditation)
Appreciation of their own and other traditions
Effectiveness as religious leaders
Spiritual awareness in daily life
Mystical Experience: 88% met criteria for a “complete” mystical experience. High scores were recorded on spiritual significance, personal meaning, and psychological insight.
Emotional Well-being: Participants noted greater positive mood, life satisfaction, and altruistic behaviours.
Safety: No serious adverse events were reported. 46% described one session as among the most psychologically challenging of their lives, but ultimately beneficial.
Discussion
The study mirrors and extends findings from the famous 1962 “Good Friday Experiment” by involving a broader array of religious traditions and employing more rigorous methodology. Results demonstrate that clergy—deeply grounded in theological frameworks—can experience profound, sacred states through psilocybin that reinforce rather than contradict their beliefs.
Despite limitations such as a homogenous sample and waitlist control design, the findings offer rare insight into how psychedelics may enhance, rather than undermine, religious vocation and spiritual commitment.
Implications
This study has far-reaching implications:
Theological Integration: Challenges the notion that psychedelic experiences are inauthentic or theologically irrelevant.
Clergy Resilience: Suggests potential for preventing burnout and reinvigorating religious leaders.
Interfaith Understanding: Notable increases in appreciation of other religious traditions highlight psilocybin’s potential for promoting inter-religious dialogue.
Potential Application
Psilocybin, administered in supportive, structured settings, may serve as a tool for spiritual renewal and personal transformation among religious professionals. With proper safeguards, it might also be integrated into religious education, pastoral counselling, and even palliative care, where chaplains could play a unique role in psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Conclusions
Professionally trained clergy from diverse major religions reported profound, lasting benefits from psilocybin experiences. These ranged from enhanced spiritual practices to deeper interfaith appreciation, improved well-being, and a renewed sense of sacredness in daily life. The findings suggest that, with careful protocols, psychedelics may have a meaningful place in religious and spiritual development.
Reference:
Griffiths, R. R., Jesse, R., Richards, W. A., Johnson, M. W., Sepeda, N. D., Bossis, A. P., & Ross, S. (2025). Effects of psilocybin on religious and spiritual attitudes and behaviors in clergy from various major world religions. Psychedelic Medicine, Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1089/psymed.2023.0044
You may also like
