Discussion response

B

ever

ly,

“Pastor,

thanks

for

allowing

me

to

answer

your

concerns

.

Personally,

I

disagree

with

Jay

Adams’

statement

.

I

accept

the

position

that

all

human

beings,

myself

included,

are

innately

sinful,

but

I

do

not

agree

tha

t

all

of

psychology

is

reduced

to

“sinful

human

beings

sinfully

thinking

about

sinful

human

beings.

”

Adams

come

along

during

a

time

in

which

a

biblical

approach

to

counseling

was

being

overlooked

and

counselors

were

“too

dependent

on

psychological

literat

ure”

(Brewer

&

Peters,

n.d.,

11:20)

.

Adams

introduced

“Nouthetic

Counseling”

and

took

a

combative

stance

against

psychology

rather

than

an

integrative

approach

(Entwistle,

2015,

p.

200)

.

He

stated

the

problem

with

people

is

sin

and

held

the

idea

that

Scr

ipture

is

sufficient

for

dealing

with

all

their

counseling

needs

(Entwistle,

2015,

pp.

200

-

203)

.

I

agree

sin

is

a

problem

for

all

because

of

the

Fall,

but

there

are

problems

that

people

may

need

help

with

that

may

not

be

helped

by

simple

admonishment

and

warning

.

And

though

I

see

Scripture

as

Authority,

I

do

not

see

it

as

a

practical

guide

for

counseling

that

ultimately

renders

the

discipline

of

psychology

as

useless

.

Rather,

God’s

Word

is

the

larger

framework

in

which

we

can

consider

the

subordinate

d

iscipline

of

psychology

(Entwistle,

2015,

p.

9)

.

Psychology

is

the

“study

of

human

behavior”

that

can

be

observed

in

God’s

creative

order

of

the

world

(Entwistle,

2015,

p.

11)

.

I

hold

that

all

truth

is

God’s

truth;

truth

can

be

observed

in

the

law

of

hum

an

nature

and

in

Scripture,

and

all

truth

is

“under

God’s

sovereignty”

(Entwistle,

2015,

p.182)

.

I

see

Scripture

and

the

discipline

of

psychology

as

allies

.

Reference

s

Brewer,

G.

&

Peters,

C.

(n.d.).

COUC

506

Week

One,

Foundational

and

worldview

issues

of

integration.

[Film].

Lynchburg,

VA:

Liberty

University

.

Entwistle,

D.

(2015).

Integrative

approaches

to

psychology

and

Christianity:

An

introduction

to

worldview

issues,

philosophic

al

foundations,

and

models

of

integration

(

3

rd

ed).

Eugene,

OR:

Wipf

and

Stock

Publishers

.

Linda,

Pastor,

thank

you

for

expressing

your

concerns

and

welcoming

my

opinion.

I

understand

your

perspective

in

that

God

is

the

God

of

truth;

He

is

all

knowing

and

the

gr

eatest

counselor

(Psalm

16:7,

New

International

Version).

With

that

being

said

I’m

afraid

I

must

respectfully

disagree

that

psychology

is

purely

secular

and

cannot

be

integrated

with

theology.

I

do

not

believe

that

Jay

Adam’s

statement

considers

all

signif

icant

factors.

It

is

a

simple

statement

for

a

complex

concept

.

We

must

consider

that,

after

all,

psychology

is

a

science,

and

science

was

created

by

God.

It

would

be

foolish

of

us

to

assume

that

something

God

created

could

not

be

integrated

with

theology.

In

the

text,

Entwistle

(2015)

discusses

the

model

of

integration

known

as

The

Allies

as

Subjects

of

One

Sovereign

(Allies).

Under

this

model,

Christ

is

rightfully

sovereign

overall,

and

all

truth

is

known

by

Him.

The

Allies

model

recognized

that

both

psych

ology

and

theology

are

His

to

rule.

Because

God

created

humans,

He

then

also

created

Psychology,

and

because

He

gave

us

His

word,

He

also

gave

us

theology

(Entwistle,

2015,

p.

263).

These

studies

are

tools

he

has

granted

us

in

order

for

us,

as

his

disciple

s,

to

go

out

into

the

world

and

lead

others

to

Christ,

as

Christ

has

called

us

to

do

(Matthew

28:19

-

20,

New

International

Version)

.

Additionally,

you

stated

that

“after

all,

you,

as

a

sinner,

cannot

be

expected

to

help

other

sinful

people…”,

wouldn’t

this

indicate

that

no

man,

not

even

the

leaders

of

the

church,

are

worthy

of

helping

another,

since

we

are

all

sinful

beings?

For

this,

God

has

equipped

us

with

skills

and

knowledge

so

that

we

may

be

the

hands

and

feet

of

Jesus.

Psychology

is

just

one

of

the

to

ols,

among

many

.

So,

while

I

do

understand

your

concern,

I

must

not

undermine

the

great

strides

in

history

that

both

theology

and

psychology

have

made

by

subjecting

them

to

their

own

corners.

The

course

of

history

has

shown

how

these

two

have

not

only

coin

cided

but

brought

up

one

another.

I

hope

this

perspective

has

allowed

you

to

see

the

subject

in

a

new

light

.

Beverly,

“Pastor, thanks for allowing me to answer your concerns. Personally, I disagree with Jay Adams’ statement. I

accept the position that all human beings, myself included, are innately sinful, but I do not agree that all of

psychology is reduced to “sinful human beings sinfully thinking about sinful human beings.” Adams come along

during a time in which a biblical approach to counseling was being overlooked and counselors were “too dependent

on psychological literature” (Brewer & Peters, n.d., 11:20). Adams introduced “Nouthetic Counseling” and took a

combative stance against psychology rather than an integrative approach (Entwistle, 2015, p. 200). He stated the

problem with people is sin and held the idea that Scripture is sufficient for dealing with all their counseling needs

(Entwistle, 2015, pp. 200-203). I agree sin is a problem for all because of the Fall, but there are problems that

people may need help with that may not be helped by simple admonishment and warning. And though I see

Scripture as Authority, I do not see it as a practical guide for counseling that ultimately renders the discipline of

psychology as useless. Rather, God’s Word is the larger framework in which we can consider the subordinate

discipline of psychology (Entwistle, 2015, p. 9). Psychology is the “study of human behavior” that can be observed

in God’s creative order of the world (Entwistle, 2015, p. 11). I hold that all truth is God’s truth; truth can be

observed in the law of human nature and in Scripture, and all truth is “under God’s sovereignty” (Entwistle, 2015,

p.182). I see Scripture and the discipline of psychology as allies.

References

Brewer, G. & Peters, C. (n.d.). COUC 506 Week One, Foundational and worldview issues of integration. [Film].

Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University.

Entwistle, D. (2015). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to

worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration (3

rd

ed). Eugene, OR: Wipf and

Stock Publishers.

Linda,

Pastor, thank you for expressing your concerns and welcoming my opinion. I understand your

perspective in that God is the God of truth; He is all knowing and the greatest counselor (Psalm

16:7, New International Version). With that being said I’m afraid I must respectfully disagree

that psychology is purely secular and cannot be integrated with theology. I do not believe that

Jay Adam’s statement considers all significant factors. It is a simple statement for a complex

concept.

We must consider that, after all, psychology is a science, and science was created by God. It

would be foolish of us to assume that something God created could not be integrated with

theology. In the text, Entwistle (2015) discusses the model of integration known as The Allies as

Subjects of One Sovereign (Allies). Under this model, Christ is rightfully sovereign overall, and

all truth is known by Him. The Allies model recognized that both psychology and theology are

His to rule. Because God created humans, He then also created Psychology, and because He gave

us His word, He also gave us theology (Entwistle, 2015, p. 263). These studies are tools he has

granted us in order for us, as his disciples, to go out into the world and lead others to Christ, as

Christ has called us to do (Matthew 28:19-20, New International Version).

Additionally, you stated that “after all, you, as a sinner, cannot be expected to help other sinful

people…”, wouldn’t this indicate that no man, not even the leaders of the church, are worthy of

helping another, since we are all sinful beings? For this, God has equipped us with skills and

knowledge so that we may be the hands and feet of Jesus. Psychology is just one of the tools,

among many.

So, while I do understand your concern, I must not undermine the great strides in history that

both theology and psychology have made by subjecting them to their own corners. The course of

history has shown how these two have not only coincided but brought up one another. I hope this

perspective has allowed you to see the subject in a new light.