Running head: THEORIES AND WORLDVIEW ESSAY
1
Humanism and the Bible: Theories and Worldview Essay
Cassandra Koscak
Liberty University
June 29, 2019
PSYC 210-D03: Developmental Psychology
THEORIES AND WORLDVIEW ESSAY
2
Humanism and the Bible: Theories and Worldview Essay
Everyone views the world through a slightly different lens. The culture in which we are
raised, our family and friends, and our belief system all shape how we look at the world around
us. The unique lens through which we look is our worldview. Every experience we have
influences how we develop and who we become. Principal to the worldview of most is their
belief system and religious understanding. While not always in perfect alignment with each
other, exploring the theories of developmental psychology hand-in-hand with biblical teachings
can provide a strong foundation for the understanding of how we change and grow throughout
our life.
My worldview
My worldview is shaped by many factors. Where I was raised, my belief system, and my
unique experiences have all sculpted the way I view the world. My worldview is shaped
predominantly by the teachings of Jesus. I believe the origin of all existence is God. He created
and guides everything. He too is where I find my identity. My religious convictions color every
experience I have and affect every decision I make. I know my view to be the truth because of its
basis in the Word of God, and I am confident in the eternal promise of God’s love. I do not
believe that this life is all there is. I believe this life is just the beginning, and the full life of
believers awaits us in eternity. I believe my purpose is to walk in as Christlike a manner as
possible. I believe we are called in this life to do good. Psalm 37:3 (NIV) reminds us to, “trust in
the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.” My worldview is also shaped by
factors outside of my faith. I am the product of divorced parents who grew up in the inner city of
THEORIES AND WORLDVIEW ESSAY
3
a large midwestern metropolis. The experiences I have had throughout my life also influence my
perspective.
The Humanistic Approach to Development
Aristotle once wrote, “every action and pursuit is thought to aim at some good; and for
this reason, the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim” (Aristotle,
350bce). This idea seems to be at the heart of humanistic psychology. While earlier theories
suggested a more pessimistic view of personality development, the humanistic theory advocates
that “people are born inherently good” (Cashion, Shriner, Shriner & Mossler, 2016, p. 19) and
“self-actualization occurs when one lives up to his or her highest potential in every area of life”
(Cashion et al., 2016, p. 19). Developed in the 1960s, humanistic psychology is most often
associated with two prominent names; Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers. Maslow presented the
idea of common human needs while Rogers suggested a person’s need for “unconditional
positive regard” (Cashion et al., 2016, p. 19) to traverse negative issues during development.
Humanistic Psychology and the Bible
The basic tenet of humanistic psychology is personal potential and growth throughout
one’s lifetime. This relates directly to the assumptive question of meaning and aligns with my
worldview as the Bible teaches us that we reach our greatest potential by doing and being good.
The theory of humanism posits that all humans share common needs and as these basic needs are
met, one moves closer to self-actualization (Cashion et al., 2016). The idea of commonality
addresses the assumptive question of identity as well as the questions of morality and meaning.
This aligns with my worldview as Scripture teaches us that while God has created us each to be
special and unique, we share a common purpose of living and sharing God’s truth.
THEORIES AND WORLDVIEW ESSAY
4
The humanistic approach to psychological development differs in one significant way
from my worldview. While humanists assert that people are inherently good, we know from
Scripture that we are inherently sinful and only through the sacrifices made by Jesus Christ are
we saved. This contrasts sharply the humanistic view of the inherent goodness of mankind.
Conclusion
Human experiences and perspectives are as individual as fingerprints. It is imperative as
we explore the idea of human development that we acknowledge the unique point of view that is
our individual worldview. By understanding that our worldview can skew how we look at and
interpret information, we can learn how to incorporate our worldview into our application of the
science of psychology.
THEORIES AND WORLDVIEW ESSAY
5
References
Aristotle. (350bce). The Internet Classics Archive | Nicomachean Ethics by Aristotle (W. D.
Ross, Trans.). Retrieved June 27, 2019, from
http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html
Cashion, V., Shriner, B., Shriner, M., & Mossler, R. A. (2016). Lifespan 360: Christian
Perspectives on Human Development (V. Cashion, Ed.). [Liberty University Online
Bookshelf]. Retrieved from
https://libertyonline.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781524911225/
T 6262754 - 3b-4978- 599-1 541395073
