This volume contains the chronological publication of seven inaugural lectures that were given on the occasions of the acceptance of the Endowed Chairs, established by KSGV at several universities in the Netherlands and Flanders. All the Chairs have the domain of religion/worldview and mental health as their main concern. These academic lectures reflect the issues, related to mental health, that were and are fostered by KSGV and its precursors. The first lecture was given in 1996 by Marinus van Uden, who had already started his work in 1994. The most recent lecture was given by Peter Verhagen, in 2022. Hence, these lectures cover a period of almost 30 years. Establishing Endowed Chairs on behalf of KSGV has contributed to the development of an ‘academic infrastructure’ for the study of mental health, religion, spirituality, and meaningmaking, at five universities (Tilburg, Groningen, Utrecht, Leuven, and Nijmegen), in five disciplines (psychology, theology, sociology, psychiatry, and philosophy). In this way, this journey of academic establishings time and again reaches a next stop on ‘the long and winding road’ of religion and mental health. Prof Dr Marinus H.F. van Uden is a licensed clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. He worked as a professor in Clinical Psychology of Religion at Tilburg University, the Netherlands. Prof Dr Peter J. Verhagen is a psychiatrist and group psychotherapist. He works as a professor of Religion and Mental Health with emphasis on Spirituality and Psychiatry at the KU Leuven, Belgium.
