Entwistle Summary

What does psychology have to do with the Christian faith? In Psychology and Christianity: Five Views, by Myers, Jones, Roberts, Watson, Coe, Hall, and Powlison (2010) is an introductory textbook for Christian psychology that provides sound arguments for an array of positions on psychology and faith. Each author contributed an essay and in return the other essayist respond by either agreeing or disagreeing by pointing out faults and explaining why.

Today, the integration of Christianity and psychology is becoming more increasingly recognized. The integration begins with understanding the sinful state of the human condition as viewed from a biblical perspective. It continues with being faithful to Christian stewardship and not only embracing theology but also the psychology of human behavior (Entwistle, 2015). A more accurate and complete understanding of human nature and function is provided through the integration of Christianity and psychology. The Allies model confirms that Christian theology and psychology are both subject to God’s authority, and exemplifies the best integrative relationship between Christianity and psychology (Entwistle, 2015). This paper will discuss the integration of Christianity and psychology through the Allies model. It will define integration, review reasons and explanations of why Christianity and psychology should be integrated. As well as look at different methods of knowing, the Allies model concept, and the two books idea along with strengths and weaknesses of this model.

In his book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, David N. Entwistle explores the necessity of integrating psychology and Christianity, the worldview issues, philosophical foundations, models of integration and discusses the difficulty in doing so. It is often thought that there are secular jobs, such as a psychologist or counselor, and there are ministry jobs. Entwistle points out that God has gifted each with abilities and those abilities are best used to serve God and others.

When we get further in the book we are able to understand the relationship among different disciplinary as the author has listed them, the author has shown the relationship between colonialist, spies, enemies allies and neutral parties. According to the antagonist, the enemies are likely to be Christians or secular, both opposing existence of a co-existence between science and faith in the psychological field (Entwistle, 2010). According to Entwistle (2010), the allies are considered to be the Christians with reasonable knowledge in psychology and only happen to be interested in the advantages of their own religious systems. Spies are the individuals who are there to observe the effect of faith on a person. According to Entwistle (20100), the colonialists are those who use parts of psychology so as they use them in their own ideology in accordance to

David Entwistle's (2010) Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity appears to be a text with a primary audience which appears to be conservative evangelical Christians. The basic ‘meat’ of the book is the premise that "weaving together perspectives from psychology and Christian theology can help us understand and appreciate humanity more fully than we could with either perspective alone" (p. 3). Entwistle’s view is that in faithful reading of both the book of God's work (nature) and the book of God's word (theology), this textbook seems to be the work of an individual

The third paradigm is the Colonialists, the colonialist see the significance in psychological ideas without underlying the importance of psychology as the authority (Entwistle, 2010). The fourth paradigm is the Neutral Parties; they consider the ideas of both psychology and theology without trying to make them fit together (Entwistle, 2010). The fifth and final paradigm is the Allies; this paradigm shows how both psychology and theology together embodies integration.

This paper will be reviewing the book “Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: an introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations and models of integration, by David N. Entwistle. As the title states, this book discusses how to integrate psychology and theology. It also dives into to why it is so important to be able to integrate the two. Entwistle explains that just because the two are different does not mean they should be separated and that we have to use both our worldviews. “Weaving together perspectives from psychology and Christian theology can help us understand and appreciate humanity more fully than we could either perspective alone.” (p.3)

David Entwistle’s (2010) book, Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration, opens the reader’s eyes to unexpected possibilities, beginning with the often combative regimes of faith and reason using Tertullian’s symbolism of Athens as the seat of reason and Jerusalem as the seat of faith; which is the basic ongoing battle between science and religion (Entwistle, 2010). What Entwistle addresses is his belief that integration of the disciple of psychology and Christianity is possible, each contributing to the

The book, Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity written by Entwistle, N. David, analyzes the integration between Christianity and psychology. Entwitle explains why Christianity and psychology cannot integrate in the same area because the former is based on faith while the latter is based on the truth. However, he emphasizes that the interaction between psychology and Christianity cannot be avoided because the two concepts help people to understand the source of human behavior, as well as the healing process of a broken heart (Entwistle, 2010, p. 51). The theme of the whole text is inclined upon the idea that psychology and Christianity can be integrated and used together irrespective of the fact that they are based on completely different ideas.

In his book, “Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity,” David Entwistle (2010) provides a persuasive discourse for the assimilation of psychology and theology; secular and religious disciplines that present a “multifaceted dialogue shaped by historical interactions and tensions.” (p. 51) Of the two systems, psychology is by much of the Church thought to advocate reason over revelation whereas theology is, by more secular-leaning scholars, thought to be wanting of intellect. With Tertullian 's libretti, “what indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem?” (p. 8) in addition to modernism’s philosophy of self-consciousness and the skepticism of postmodernism continuing to fan the flames of segregation, the flawed logic that an integration of psychology and theology is not possible ensues.

The Christian psychology view is represented by Robert Roberts and P. J. Watson. This view points out that psychology—that is, critical reflection on “human psychic well-being and dysfunction” (150)—is ancient, not modern, in origin. Roberts and Watson maintain that there is not one universal psychology, but rather many rival psychologies. In this context, Christian psychologists wish to stake a claim for an approach to psychology that is explicitly based upon the Christian tradition. This recovery of a distinctly Christian psychology takes place in two stages: retrieving the “rich resources that lie within our own tradition” (155) and engaging in empirical research from within this framework. This latter step includes utilizing “well-established” social-scientific methods as well engaging in critical dialogue with psychologies that are based upon other worldviews. In short, Christian psychologists wish to produce a Coe and Hall defend the transformational psychology view. “worldview-explicit” psychology (175).y view. The transformational response to the view of level of explanation approach maintains that “psychology is ultimately an act of love” (199). It focuses on the spiritual and emotional transformation of the psychologist. One of the key premises of the

Throughout the chapters, the book categorizes models of disciplinary relationships, for instance antagonistic involves enemies paradigm, intermediate involves spies paradigm, colonialists paradigm, and neutral parties paradigm, and integrative involves allies paradigm. Neutral parties construct two sections of theological and psychological conclusions, for example Psychological neutrality, which arises when an individual is dedicated to the occupation of psychology and concurrently embraces religious, but not necessarily Christian beliefs. Christian neutrality takes place when someone is devoted to the career of psychology and at the same time holds Christian beliefs. David Entwistle (2004) also states that integrationist feel that, “God has given us two books, the book of His word and the book of His works” (pg. 274). David Entwistle (2004) clarifies that, “The book of God’s word, which reveals the will of God; and the book of God’s works, which express His power” (pg. 308). For all intents and purposes, the book is primarily summed up in a variety of approaches linking psychology and Christianity from fairly common supposition and assumptions and those interested in models of integration, worldview subjects, and philosophical foundations. The book is intended too focal point psychology and

Christian psychologists have varied opinions on the topic of integrating psychology and Christianity. Gary Collins states that "few who believe in the integration of faith and learning would

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental processes. Knowledge in psychology helps to understand the way people behave, think, feel, talk, and in so many other ways. Research is very important in our daily lives because due to research, it has led to new discoveries and interpretation of facts. The goal of this course in the syllabus was to help students better understand the use of scientific methods and to also communicate the ideas about science in the research process. My goal was to learn how to apply Psychology in my everyday life especially my field of study and apply it to my Christian life too. In this synthesis paper, the goal is to reflect and access myself based on a case study approach and link it to a Christian perspective in an in-depth investigation. There has been so many conflict between science and scriptures but through research that is

Entwistle (2015) discusses the philosophical, historical, and practical approach to integrating psychology and Christianity in his book, Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity. The author proposes that psychology and Christianity are ultimately creations of a Sovereign God designed to give complementary enlightenment to mankind for worshiping God and to care for the suffering. Integration is defined as “…a multi-faceted attempt to discern the underlying truths about the nature and functioning of human beings from the unique vantage points of psychology (in its various subdisciplines, utilizing diverse methodologies) and Christianity (in theology, faith, and practice)” (pp. 260-261, italics in original). Psychology discerns truth through empirical means through the scientific process of hypothesizing and testing. The author describes it as a study of the book of “God’s Works”. As a discipline, it focuses on methological naturalism, which canonizes only what may be empirically tested. Theology is the discernment of truth through the interpretation of God’s Word, and of reason. As a discipline, it focuses on the supernatural and morality, how man ought to live, not simply how man does live.