Integrating Psychology and Theology
Pastor,
thank you for taking the time to speak with me and to offer your opinions on
counseling and religion. I agree with
Jay Adams that psychology involves sinful human beings, but I disagree with
your belief that psychology is secular “mumbo jumbo.” As you well know, the Bible teaches us that
we are all sinners and we all fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). That much of Adams statement is true. God knows this and he created a plan for us
so that we did not have to earn our salvation, but simply believe in Christ and
we will be saved by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). I find it interesting that counselors who
have a sincere desire to help others, particularly Christian Counselors, would
be viewed negatively in your eyes. Much
like pastors have a role to fulfill in the church to teach and equip its
members to spread the word of God, counselors have a role to fulfill in helping
others see their own value and live a full and productive life.
The models
of integration referred to by Entwistle (2010) describe two approaches to
integrating psychology and theology, and I cannot support either one. Adopting a black or white or us against them
mentality when referring to psychology and theology puts the church and the
profession in a dangerous position. The
Secular Combatants view religion as the enemy of psychology and adopt an
attitude that religion attempts to prove science is completely wrong. The Christian Combatants have the opposite
view and believe science is a sinful and searching for meaning behind theories
goes against Biblical teachings (Entwistle, 2010). Secular counselors are guided by a code of
ethics that consist of following professional values such as doing no harm to
their clients (American Counseling Association, 2014). Counselors who adopt a Christian worldview
follow the same code of ethics, but more importantly are guided by the Holy
Spirit through a relationship with Christ.
The Bible is the source of wisdom for the Christian faith, and as such,
God has entrusted me to use it accordingly to guide my pursuit of helping
others.
If you or someone you know are suffering from addiction and you are ready to seek help, contact Coastal Wellness Counseling now for a free consultation.
If you or someone you know are suffering from addiction and you are ready to seek help, contact Coastal Wellness Counseling now for a free consultation.
Reference
Entwistle, D. N. (2010). Integrative Approaches to
Psychology and Christianity: An Introduction to Worldview Issues, Philosophical
Foundations, and Models Of Integration (2nd ed.). Eugene, OR: Cascade
Books.
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