The Contrast of Scripture and Psychological Views of Transformation and Reformation
ShaDonna N. Bell
Oakwood University
Principles of Psychology 101
Pam Cook
September 4, 2015
Abstract
The biblical view of transformation and restoration pertains to the change and healing of one’s spirit and soul according to their relationship with Christ. It is sometimes extremely hard to observe what God does in someone’s life because He works in mysterious ways; so mysterious that even the person in which it happens to may not be able to explain; and word of mouth may be the only available resource. The psychological view of transformation and restoration mostly consist of an observational study of change (transformation) and healing (restoration)
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(n.d.). jesus.com/topics/Transformation
"Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®,
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)
Inspirational Bible Verses & Quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://www.jollynotes.com/2013/03/12/bible-verses-about-restoration-restoring-marriage-relationships-friendships-health-hope/ English Standard Version, 2001 (revisions in 2007 and 2011); Apocrypha 2009, Crossway Bible
Restoration. (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/restoration
What is REHABILITATION? Definition of REHABILITATION (Psychology Dictionary). (n.d.). Retrieved September 7, 2015, from http://psychologydictionary.org/rehabilitation/
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In the book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity by David Entwistle compares and contrasts the secular view of Psychology and the biblical view of Psychology. Entwistle delves into the question is psychology and Christianity mutually compatibility.
The book Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity second edition by David Entwistle introduces the text by explaining how psychology can go in a direction, and Christian theology approach can lead in a different direction. He continued by stating the need for understanding and studying human behavior because people come from different walks of life and different expectations. It leads us to form unique perspectives to help give us an understanding of the individuals you encounter. The Entwistle 's book addresses the relationship between Christianity and culture, Christianity and science, and Christianity and psychology.
No doubt that in the book written by David N. Entwistle Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, the author leaves the truths embodied in his book. Truths that for many to this day are still trying to accommodate in their vast knowledge they have concerning the psychological science. Many still fail to understand that both psychology and theology when they go hand in hand they can become allies in treating those who for one reason or another have external and internal conflicts.
Psychological studies are mainly based on the direct observation of human behavior, rather than reasoning or speculation. Psychology is like any other subject- the majority of people have a very shallow and basic understanding of what the study involves, and yet they lack a crucial knowledge of the major struggles and disagreements among those who study it. It does not surprise me that psychology is one of the more popular majors available. By nature, it sparks human curiosity, especially as to what contributes to the system of our thoughts and the pattern in our behaviors. For the first eighteen
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.
The study of psychology and Christianity has been known to be at odds over the past several decades. Many believe that Christianity and Psychology cannot mix or intertwine. They believe a person can only believe in one but not both. In this essay I will discuss what the integration view entails in reference to psychology and Christianity. I will then discuss the major objectives that can arise from this view and follow by the counter objectives and core strengths of this view. I then will give an example of how this view can be used practically in a counseling situation.
McMinn unveils the realism of what essentially happens in the counseling office. He dives into the fitting together “Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling”. McMinn explains how “those who enter therapy in the midst of their pain experience a restorative counseling relationship that brings acceptance hope, and meaning into their broken lives” (McMinn, 2011, p. 20). There are various questions surrounding Christian counseling that McMinn faces head on in this book when it comes to the challenges counselors face as it relates to integrating religion and spirituality in their sessions. Life on the frontier as McMinn puts it, is where counselors face six basic challenges. Challenges such as moving from two areas of competence to three, blurred personal-professional distinctions, expanded definitions of training, confronting dominant views of mental health, establishing a scientific base or even defining relevant ethical standards (McMinn, 2011). Personal journey’s that McMinn has taken throughout his career provide him with the knowledge, skills and abilities to depict how we should face these challenges. McMinn talks about how many counselors have a need to interpret studies, have good psychodynamics and figure out which cognitive therapy is right for their counseling. As he states, “Christian counseling is more complex than other forms of counseling because our goal are multifaceted (McMinn, 2011, p.
Scripture opens with a witness to the act of God in creation. This fact points to us that understanding the world as the creation of the infinite-personal God is a fundamental starting point in constructing any kind of adequate theology. What is also clear is that it is important to get this understanding right, to the extent that we can do so. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen 1:1 HCSB) (Akin, Theology of the church). But with the revelation of the speaking God who has told us what he has done should make us want to please him each and every day and to show him we love him to.
For this paper I decided to sit down with my childhood friend from my St. Thomas More Catholic School days. Katarina and I have known each other since we were 5 years old. I remember attending church with her family on Sunday morning, spending the night at her house, occasionally attending her family's BBQ's on Easter Sunday, and inviting her to all my birthday parties at Chuck E Cheese. Though we lost touch after high school we found each other again thanks to social media. We are both from Hispanic Catholic families so it was always assumed that we would grow up to be Catholic too. To my surprise I found that on Katie's social media page under religious views it did not say Catholic as I expected but rather Wicca. Turns out Katie decided that the Catholic faith wasn't for her and opted instead to convert to Wicca.
David N. Entwistle in his book titled Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: An Introduction to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations, and Models of Integration (2015) aims to address the process and purpose of integrating Christianity and Psychology. To assist in promoting the readers’ understanding of how integrating Christianity and Psychology can be practiced, and the importance of integrating the two (Entwistle, 2015, p. 5). Entwistle (2015) provides the reader with knowledge of the historical issues and beliefs of Psychology and Theology, helping the reader to understand how the negative relationship they
Mark R. McMinn’s (2011) Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling establish a way to bring Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality to Christian Counselors. He introduces a replica of how to integrate the three disciplines in the counseling office. The purpose of the book is to instruct counselors how to integrate categories of Psychology, Theology and Spirituality into Christian Counseling. McMinn (2011) contends that many challenges both professional and personal face Christian Counselors on the frontier of intradisciplinary integration. (Intradisciplinary integration is the new emerging frontier for Christian Counselors).
Theologians and experts on religion often hear such calls for pragmatic, to do with business training in skills like church the government, marketing, and other parts of quality of being a chief as an attack on the system of beliefs forming a religion. in fact, influential evangelicals such as George Barna have supported the Church to the group, time of work from training and placing old and wise pastoral/teachers over congregations, in-kind act of giving in VisionaryCeo sorts. in harmony with to this story, account, about-beliefs acumen becomes a coming after first or chief thought at a best, beg the question about what happens when Christian leaders become better and better at saying less and less.
In the book, “Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling”, author Mark McMinn gives the reader information on how these three entities can work together in Christian counseling. McMinn offers several ways in which this can be done including the use of prayer, Scripture, confession, forgiveness, the effects of sin, and redemption in counseling sessions. Through narration of counseling vignettes displaying different results, from different approaches demonstrates for the reader integration. There are very many counselors in different walks in their faith and McMinn helps to explore this area for future and practicing clinicians.
Some people may not be familiar with the true meaning of Christian counseling. Many may think it’s just the pastor giving advice concerning problems within their personal life. Christian counseling can be addressed this way: a discipleship created to assist people to become free to take part of God’s forgiveness, purpose, and power from on high to become sons of the living God (Hawkins & Clinton,2015). When people experience Christian counseling, they have an opportunity in expressing wholeness, spiritual maturity, relational competency, and a stability in intellect (Collins, 1993). Christian counselors desire is like a clergy to assist people with possessing their soul to trust and love God with all their hearts. Hawkins & Clinton (2015)
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