This chapter addresses the most common problems in historiographic approaches to religious content in Freud’s oeuvre through a close reading of Freud’s first foray into the ancient Mother cult that appeared in the Zentralblatt at the end of 1911. I explore how misleading assumptions about the untitled four-paragraph text known as “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” reflects broader issues in scholarship on religion in psychoanalysis. I demonstrate that these historiographical trends on religious content has effectively obscured Freud’s main point, which turns out to an editorial epistle announcing Freud’s editorial control of the Zentralblatt after Alfred Adler’s resignation hidden in the metaphoric chaff of religious hootenanny.

This chapter maps five stages of the founding history of the psychoanalytic periodical enterprise, beginning with Freud’s pre-analytic phantasies around a journal, its social form, and unavoidable emotional content. Freud later nurtured a small group of followers expressly to establish a periodical and found the discourse on religion critical to the enterprise. With the arrival of competing periodicals on the scene, the use of religious rhetoric editors utilized the discourse on religion to narrate group dynamics within the Freudian circle and to enact change in the periodical enterprise itself. In is only in 1912 that religious content became a charged site in Christian-Jewish debates for working out contemporary rivalries and for marking out one’s territory. Jung and his circle began to abandon the analogic treatment of religion for the evidence that the history of religion could provide as the basis for their theoretical differences with Freud.

The psychoanalytic movement introduced the study of unconscious processes that influence human activity. The movement was fully consistent with the German model of mental activity, going back to the writings of Leibniz and Kant. Although act psychology and the Gestalt movement were also modern expressions of the German model, psychoanalysis emphasized the goal of a homeostatic balance of unconscious energies within personality. Its founder, Sigmund Freud, used his keen powers of observation to devise much-needed therapeutic approaches, and later expanded his formulations to a psychodynamic theory of personality growth dependent on tension reduction. Other theorists modified Freud’s model to include cultural influences (Jung) and social needs (Adler and Horney). In addition, scholars have integrated the psychoanalytic model with a field approach (Sullivan) and existential assumptions (Fromm). As a contemporary movement, psychoanalysis still exerts considerable influence in psychiatry and clinical psychology, although the movement is fragmented owing to a lack of methodological agreement. In addition, Freud’s statements on the unconscious have led to new interpretations of artistic expression. However, as a viable model for psychology, psychoanalysis has departed from the empirical foundations of psychology and shares little with other systems of psychology that rely on that methodological approach.

Begins with the church–state relationship, noting the Charter of Rights and Freedoms takes into account the effects of federation, particularly the position of Quebec and the associated complications of laïcité, also addresses the legacy and current impact of bijuralism. Provides an overview of the contemporary relevant legal framework, as governed by statutory and constitutional provisions, noting the extent to which the country is a signatory state to international law. Gives an account of the law relating to the definition of “religion” and “belief”. Examines the church–state relationship as illustrated by case law relating to the freedoms of religion, association and expression. Focuses on the effect of equality and non-discrimination law on the church–state relationship as illustrated by case law. Concludes by considering the nature and extent of jurisdictional congruity with USA as regards their current interpretation of the principle; highlighting distinctive Canadian characteristics; identifying particular principles or rules relied upon by the judiciary or administrative bodies; and assesses the significance of cultural context as a differentiating factor.