DB Forum 1
This discussion needs to begin with an understanding of my Christian Worldview and how my
Christian Worldview was shaped and continues to evolve. There is something good and unique
about all of God’s creation. I try to see all people through the lens of Christ. John 3:16 states that
God so Love the world that he gave. This giving was of God’s self and it has helped me to give
of myself, even if it is just acceptance of all people. Thomas and Sosin (2011) discusses how the
content of ones worldview will determine how one counsels. These authors note that a distorted
content of worldview can lead to inconsistent and incoherent helping. Thus, psychopathology by
definition is the study of abnormal behavior that put people with disorders in categories. Some
how the term can be relatable in some regards. We all have experienced an irrational thought
here or there; however, some resilience kicks in and keep us moving. This brings me to the
thought of Romans12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is”. It is the
abnormal thinking about self and others that has to change. The changing of our minds also helps
to view those that are described by king, Johnson, Davison, and Neale (2018) as having a stigma
because of a psychological disorder. This stigma also describes the secular worldview, seeing
people with disorders as hopeless or unable to change. The secular view also stereotypes
psychological disorders being something that only occurs with a particular culture or class of
people. I want to mention that secular thinking is also mentioned in the bible in which the
suffering people were viewed different. The disciples in John 9:3 saw a man blind or abnormal
and asked Jesus who sinned, the man or his parents. God calls us to be compassionate and caring
of others, even transforming in a sense. Jesus fixed us through dying on the cross and I believe
that we have to see all human as worth helping to change or get fixed. Entwistle (2015) helped
me a great deal in understanding how Christian thinking ought to be done in dialogue with
secular thinking. The two together helps the Christian change the poor thinking about human life
and develop a new way of thinking, such as how Christ thinks of us all. A question that often
comes to mind when I consider Jesus encounter with legion in Mark 5. Jesus recognized that
Legion’s behavior was abnormal, and the town secular view of Legion was that he was a lunatic.
I wonder what moved Jesus past Legion’s abnormity to focus on changing the stigma that was
associated with him.
Entwistle, D. N. (2015). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction
to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration (3rd ed.).
Eugene, OR: Wipf and tock Publisher.
Kring, A. M., Johnsom, S. L., Davison, G., & Neale, J. (2018). Abnormal Psychology: The
science and treatment of psychological disorders (14th ed). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons, Inc.
The Christian Life Bible: The New King James Version (1980). Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas, J. C., & Sosin, L. (2011). Therapeutic expedition: Equipping the Christian counselor
for the journey. Nashville, TN: B& H Academic ISBN-13: 978-1433672361
