Eschatology as a Psychological Motivational System: Psychological Parallels Between Religious Savior-Centered Psychotherapy and Contemporary Clinical Theories

Abstract

Religious Savior-Centered Psychotherapy (RSCP) is a spiritually grounded, future-oriented therapeutic approach developed within the framework of Shiʿah eschatology, with a particular focus on near-future anticipatory belief systems. This article presents a comparative and descriptive theoretical analysis of RSCP, examining its conceptual convergence with major psychological models, including Gestalt therapy, Logotherapy, Fromm’s theory of healthy needs, Humanistic psychology (Maslow and Rogers), Rotter’s social learning and expectancy framework, Cognitive–Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Adler’s Individual Psychology. RSCP uniquely incorporates eschatological anticipation of the savior as a central organizing principle, enabling clients to transform passive waiting into active moral, cognitive, and behavioral engagement. Core therapeutic mechanisms include the enhancement of behavioral potential through increased expectancy and reinforcement value, facilitation of self-actualization and peak experiences, cultivation of meaning and purpose, and the integration of social responsibility within spiritual practice. The comparative analysis indicates that, while RSCP shares core mechanisms with established psychotherapeutic approaches, it extends these models by embedding future-oriented eschatological meaning and collective ethical orientation within the therapeutic process. The theoretical implications of the present article, together with preliminary clinical evidence from prior studies in this domain, suggest that RSCP may promote substantial psychological and spiritual development, supporting the transition from a predominantly passive or receptive stance toward an active, agentic, and socially responsible mode of functioning. Accordingly, future research is recommended to examine the applicability and adaptation of RSCP within other religious traditions, such as Christianity, in order to evaluate its cross-cultural and transdiagnostic relevance.