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Paul Gillis-Smith – Psychedelics, Religion & Lisa Bieberman

May 21, 2025
Featuring: Paul Gillis-Smith

In this episode, Joe Moore sits down with Paul Gillis-Smith from The Center for the Study of World Religions to discuss a range of fascinating topics. They begin by discussing the Harvard Divinity School and the CSWR’s mission and history. The conversation delves into the work and legacy of Lisa Bieberman, a pivotal figure in the 1960s psychedelic harm reduction movement. It explores her contributions to the field through her Psychedelic Information Center. They also touch on the Quaker traditions and their intersection with LSD use, showing how spirituality and psychedelics can coalesce. Paul also talks about upcoming psychedelic and chaplaincy workshops, emphasizing the importance of spiritual care in psychedelic experiences. This episode is rich with historical insights and contemporary applications, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in psychedelics and spirituality.

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In this episode, Joe Moore sits down with Paul Gillis-Smith from The Center for the Study of World Religions to discuss a range of fascinating topics. They begin by discussing the Harvard Divinity School and the CSWR’s mission and history. The conversation delves into the work and legacy of Lisa Bieberman, a pivotal figure in the 1960s psychedelic harm reduction movement. It explores her contributions to the field through her Psychedelic Information Center. They also touch on the Quaker traditions and their intersection with LSD use, showing how spirituality and psychedelics can coalesce. Paul also talks about upcoming psychedelic and chaplaincy workshops, emphasizing the importance of spiritual care in psychedelic experiences. This episode is rich with historical insights and contemporary applications, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in psychedelics and spirituality.

Paul Gillis-Smith @ CSWR

Center for the Study of World Religions

Psychometric brahman, psychedelic science: Walter Stace, transnational Vedanta, and the Mystical Experience Questionnaire

00:00 Introduction and Initial Setup

00:34 Meeting at Penn’s Psychedelic Conference

01:14 Postdoctoral Presentations and Indigenous Plant Medicine

03:27 Understanding CSWR and Its Evolution

07:21 Harvard’s Study of Psychedelics in Society and Culture

09:11 Personal Academic Journey and Interest in Psychedelics

11:58 Role at CSWR and Ongoing Projects

18:59 Lisa Bieberman: A Pioneer in Psychedelic Education

40:53 Quaker Theology of LSD

41:58 Meeting Structure and Frequency

42:46 Profound Simple Truths

45:41 Transition to Quakerism

48:45 The New Jerusalem Prophecy

53:02 Quakerism and Its Influence

01:11:25 Clinical Chaplaincy and Psychedelics

01:18:39 Conclusion and Future Projects

Paul Gillis-Smith

Paul Gillis-Smith is a program lead for the psychedelics and spirituality program at the Center for the Study Religions at Harvard Divinity School. He received his Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School, where his research has focused on the history of psychiatry as it relates to psychedelic medicine and chaplaincy. He has published on the philosophical underpinnings and genealogy of the primary psychometric tool for quantifying mystical experience in psychedelic research, the Mystical Experience Questionnaire (Breau and Gillis-Smith, 2023), and his thesis presented a historical triangulation of psychoanalysis, psychiatric chaplaincy, and critiques of psychiatry as they emerged from R.D. Laing, Gilles Deleuze, and Felix Guattari. Grounding his research in hands-on practice, Paul was also the inaugural student chaplain in the Office of Ministry Studies’ ketamine chaplaincy program at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. Paul co-produced the Harvard Psychedelic Walking Tour, co-facilitated the Center’s first reading group on psychedelics and religion, and he has co-organized the Center’s conference on psychedelics since 2023. His latest research is on the history of psychedelic culture in the Boston area through the life and work of Lisa Bieberman.

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