Integration is the point of convergence between Christian theology and Psychology (Entwistle pg 1)
The inquisition of galeo gallilei, when he proved the heliocentric theory originally put forth by
Copernicus that the earth revolved around the sun. My view: the idea that everything revolves around
the earth was taken out of context from scripture and was a secular believe (held by X) that was adopted
into cannon. And so Galileo, who acknowledged the exitstence of God, was held in contempt for not
readily adopting the extra components of faith, that were not biblical but were ‘christianized’ through
the culture of the time. They assumed that their interpretation of the Bible was correct within the
confines of the worldview that permeated that era.
This is why I believe it is erroneous to consider Christianity a ‘worldview’. Christianity is truth. We all
come to it with varying worldviews. The Martyr and the Champion draw on the same scriptures for
strength, yet would define loss of life differently; the former as a victory and the latter as a loss in battle.
This is why Entwistle’s reference to Alfred North Whitehead’s position appeals most to me, “..christianity
formed the philosophical landscape that allowed for the establishment of science” (pp.26)
The Mechanistic worldview is the closest to which I ascribe, which “allows people to look at the world
with an expectation of finding order that could be described with rational rules”. In today’s description, it
feels very similar to intelligent design. In fact, the Mechanistic worldview was a precursor to the
Protestant’s gravitation to science (Entwistle pg. 32)
Even those who were ardent critics of religion knew the spirit of God when they saw it, as evidenced by
Freud’s long standing relationship with Swiss pastor Pfister (Entwistle pg. 55), and even Ghandi’s
interpretation of Jesus vs the internally attributed Christians he may have been exposed to, “I like your
Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” (cite APA Ghandi here) This
connects to the recommendation McMinn makes when discussing the faith based approach to effective
counseling,
“I suspect the only effective way is to attract people to the spiritual life. Christian counselors who confront
sin but do not live our the fruit of a spirit-transformed life (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control)inadvertently teach their clients a faulty approach to spiritual
formation by trying to push them toward spiritual maturity.”(McMinn-book print-cite APA)
Hence the most effective way is to live a live that demonstrates God’s character towards all of us, placing
ourselves as no different than an after-effect of having met Jesus, whereas the subject we are
ministering to is a before-effect. The closer we resemble Jesus, the more we draw others to us. “And I, If I
am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12:32)
The implications of a worldview are monumental, and permeate every facet of human life for centuries.
As early as the middle 1800’s, the worldview of late modernism saw “(1) exclusion of religious discourse
from the public square, including government and science; (2) the reduction in religious belief and
practice; and (3) the increased viability of other worldview options. (Johnson pg 17) . The emergence of
‘positivism’ built a secular monopoly on the validity of knowledge. “positive” knowledge was only that
which could be verified by empirical research.” (Johnson pg 18). A worldview also permeates cultural
influence and determines what is and is not accepted as ‘common knowledge’.
Psychology and Christianity : Five Views, edited by Eric L. Johnson, InterVarsity Press, 2010. ProQuest
Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=3316538.
Created from liberty on 2024-03-24 22:20:25.
Psychology and Christianity : Five Views, edited by Eric L. Johnson, InterVarsity Press, 2010. ProQuest
Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=3316538.
Created from liberty on 2024-03-24 22:09:47.
In this thread, address the following:
1stpart:
What is a worldview and what are the implications of a worldview?
How might one’s worldview shape one’s view of psychology and
Christianity? Explain using citations from text and scripture.
2ndpart:
Found in Chapter 5 of the McMinn (2011) text is a discussion on the
“relational nature of sin and healing” (p. 194). Expound upon the
concepts presented: the 3 acts, relational theology of sin and
healing, and finally,.the mission of God.
Please review the.Discussion Assignment Instructions . Download Discussion Assignment Instructionsprior to posting. You may also
click the three dots in the upper corner to Show Rubric.
Post-First:.This course utilizes the Post-First feature in all Discussions. This means you will only be able to read and interact with
your classmates’ threads after you have submitted your thread in response to the provided prompt.
The student will complete 3 Discussions in this course. The student will post one thread of at
least 500 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of the assigned module. The student must then
post 1 reply of at least 300 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of the assigned module. For
each thread, students must support their assertions with at least 3 in-text citations in APA format.
Each reply must incorporate at least 2 in-text citations in APA format. In-text citations can come
from all the same source or various acceptable sources to support your assertations/claims made
in your original prompt and reply. Acceptable sources include the course textbooks, the Bible,
outside books or peer-reviewed professional journal articles, etc.
Discussion Post, due 3/28
What Is a worldview and what are the implications of a world view
A world view is the context by which we interpret everything around us.
Entwistle references James Sire’s definition of a world view in his writings, “A
worldview is a set of presuppositions, (assumptions which may be true, partially
true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or
inconsistently) about the basic make-up of the world.” (Entwistle, pg 62). By
definition, a world view is held, and informed, by one’s life experiences, identity and
inherent beliefs. This means that the way one sees the world and the way one
doesn’t see the world is informed by worldviews. Worldviews can, as a result, have
blind spots, exacerbated by group think, despite its best efforts, that exclude key
truths from shining through. By discarding of the common world view of his time,
Hippocrates discovered other causes and cures to illnesses than the assumption of
the day: demonic influence. (Entwistle, pg. 64).
The implications of a worldview are monumental, and permeate every facet of human life for
centuries. As early as the middle 1800’s, the worldview of late modernism saw “(1) exclusion of religious
discourse from the public square, including government and science; (2) the reduction in religious belief
and practice; and (3) the increased viability of other worldview options. (Johnson pg 17) . The
emergence of ‘positivism’ built a secular monopoly on the validity of knowledge. “positive” knowledge
was only that which could be verified by empirical research.” (Johnson pg 18). A large enough shared
worldview controls the public and private lives of countless and is passed on for generations.
World views center around 4 main questions about how we process our
existence, and as a result, we find that many world views are faith-based (animism,
polytheism, pantheism, monotheism), until the outright rejection of a faith based
connection to the answers that a worldview asks (modernism and post modernism),
which seek to prioritize objectivity, but tend to outright reject truths found in faith
based world views. (Entwistle pg. 65, 66)
As one searches for the nuances within the major world views that are held, the
implications of converging world views come in to focus on both a macro and
microcosmic level. For Example, its’ as much a topic of contrasting world views
between monotheistic and modernists, as it would be between Christians and
Muslims (both monotheistic religions), as it would be between the various sects
within each religion. First, one must “understand what happens when variant world
views meet, recognize the degree to which worldviews are inherited and
acknowledge the limited degree to which we can objectively reflect upon and alter
our worldviews.” (Entwistle pg. 67)
How might one’s worldview shape one’s view of psychology and
Christianity? Explain using citations from text and scripture.
Worldviews impact each individual’s approach to psychology, Christianity and it’s
integration, based on the ecosystem that shaped said world view. For example, for
some Christians, the idea of integrating faith with psychology is an affront to the
faith. They would reference scriptures that uphold the sanctity and infallibility of the
Word of God: “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust
in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar” (New
King James Bible, 1982/1994, Proverbs 30:5-6), “You shall not add to the word which
I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord
your God which I command you” (Deuteronomy 4:2). Other people, of the same
reverence, love and affinity for the Word of God would see Psychology, and all
science, as a way to understand the works of God. “When I consider Your heavens,
the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is
man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” (New King
James Bible, 1982/1994, Psalm 8:3-4)
Part 2:
The 3 acts, relational theology of sin and healing, and the mission of God.+
In the text, McMinn contextualizes the relational nature of sin and healing by
providing for us a context of a ‘three-act play’ (McMinn, pg 194): Love and Creation,
Sin and Separation, Redemption and Restoration. These three states are built to
illustrate how the Christian psychologists’ view of sin can strike the balance
between the guilt based ‘Internal attribution’ that posits that we deserve calamity
because we are sinful, and the secular based ‘external attribution’, which implies
that other factors have caused our behavior. We can face the reality of sin with the
love of Jesus, using the three-step understanding of how healing is available when
we fall into sin. The approach of relational theology establishes that our original
purpose is to be in relationship with God. This contextualizes sin, not as a blemish
upon us, but as a mechanism by which we are separated from the God that loves us
and yearns to be in community with us. A hopeful return to the Father is a more
inspirational journey than un-blemishing ourselves in hopes of worthiness, which
can feel like much more daunting a task.
This approach is in keeping with the story Jesus tells of the Prodigal son in
Luke 15. The text establishes him as a son first and foremost, a point often missed
when we lose our way or have always felt lost. The prodigal son then leaves with his
inheritance to illustrate to us that God’s grace and mercy walks with us, even when
we fall short. Finally, in the lowest place, the prodigal son realizes that he can at
least be ‘one of the hired servants’, for they were provided for; (New King James
Bible, 1982/1994, Luke 15:19). Lastly, the response of the father, mirrors the third
act of the play; that God’s desire is always a restoration to sonship, and there’s no
sin that can surpass that love. The Bible gives us the story of relational theology in a
single parable, illustrating the restoration we can achieve through the sacrifice of
Christ.
Lastly, the Bible even provides a remedy for the original ‘forensic’ and
‘courtroom’ way in which the author viewed the concept of sin. The Bible is clear;
whereas in the natural world, we would all favor the justice the prosecution renders,
when it comes to Christ, the prosecutor is Satan, who is called “The accuser of the
brethren” (New King James Bible, 1982/1994, Revelation 12:10). Christ, on the other
hand, is our defense attorney; “and if anyone sins, we have an Advocate wit the
father, Jesus Christ the Righteous” (New King James Bible, 1982/1994, 1st John 2:
1b). This is why, I maintain my position referenced in my first paper: that the Bible
is the tapestry and answer that all natural understanding journeys to discover.
Bibliography:
The Holy Bible, containing the old and new testaments: New king James Version. (1994). .
Thomas Nelson Publishers/ (Original work published 1982)
Entwistle, David N.. Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, Third Edition : An Introduction
to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations, and Models of Integration, Wipf and Stock
Publishers, 2015. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=4534457.
McMinn, M. R. (2012). Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling. Tyndale House
Publishers, Inc...https://mbsdirect.vitalsource.com/books/9781414349237
Psychology and Christianity : Five Views, edited by Eric L. Johnson, InterVarsity Press,
2010.ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?
docID=3316538
Epistemology:
How
we
know
what
we
know?
Can
we
know
reality?
*
Yes,
exactly—Naive
realists
*
Never—anti-realists
*
Yes—but
imperfectly-
critical
realists
Pee
rey
Q
|
Search
accordance
with
the
riches
of
God's
grace
with
regard
to
consummation
and
will
states
the
term
consummation
refers
to
the
completion
of
God's
rule
over
the
creation
that
has
been
rebellion
against
the
sovereignty
the
concept
of
consummation
is
sometimes
framed
as
a
re
creation
that
is
the
God
restores
the
creation
from
this
fallen
state
it
is,
important
to
get
a
good
grasp
of
your
views
on
one
of
what
has
just
been
discussed
as
it,
ultimately
will
help
to
shape
your
view
of
integration
psychology
and
Christianity
how
we
know
what
we
know
can
we
know
reality
there
are
3
different
perspectives
on
reality
ong
perspective
is
yes
we
cain
no
exactly.
This
is
found
within
the
ninety's
realists
as
explained
by
and
whistle
they
believe
that
there
is
a
direct
$1.00
to
$1.00
correspondence
between
perception
and
reality
an
example
of
this
would
be
what
|
see
as
a
chair
you see
as
a
chair
there's
also
another
perspective
that
we
can
never
know
reality
anti-realist
as
explained
by
Entwistle
believe
that
there
is
no
necessary
correspondence
between
perception
and
reality
the
biases
of
the
individual
and
.
correspondence
between
perception
and
reality
the
biases
of
the
individual
and
community
along
with the
assumptions
of
our
theories
determine
what
we
see
this
example
would be
what
|
see
is
a
chair
you
see
as
table
then
another
perspective
would
be
yes
we
can
know
realitybut
imperfectly
critical
realists
as
explained
by an
whistle
take
the
middle
ground
believing
that
while
assumptions
and
biases
color
perception
reality
imposes
some
limitations
on
interpretation
critical
realists
recognize
that
assumptions
and
biases
affect
data
interpretation
but
they
also
believe
assumptions
and
biases
can be
evaluated
at
least
to
some
degree
and
that
interpretations
can
be
judged
by
their
fitness
with
data
this
example
would
be
what
|
see
as
a
chair
you
would
Thanks for sharing your perspective here Esther!
To the point of strengths, I see a strong analysis of the inherent bias of worldview. The individual
perception of the world is indeed informed by experience. I like Entwistle’s description of bias in the
analogy of wearing glasses; “Worldviews function somewhat like eyeglasses. If you wear glasses, you
might remember how distracting the rims of the glasses were when you first wore them. In a short
while, however, you lost your awareness of the rims and even the lenses. (Entwistle, 2015, p. 61)” This
speaks to the inherent blind spots we have without knowing them and further affirms your position.
A key strength is the conclusion you make on the relational nature of sin and healing. It shows a
strong mastery of the core of the text to assert that a revelation of the intention of God is the key to the
best methodology by which to approach sin. We have this outline in Romans as well, which reminds us
that ‘the law’, which can be likened to internal attribution is not strong enough to accomplish the task of
freeing us from sin. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin
and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His
own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh.” (New King
James Bible, 1994, Romans 8:2)
To the point of opportunities, I think more could have been expounded upon on the break out of
the 2 key worldviews that undergird psychology and Christianity in that: the associated impacts of
todays’ world tend to continually reflect post-modernism in every arena, despite the historical answers
of world view always having some sort of spiritual based component for the preceding millennia of
recorded knowledge. Adding that breakout may have strengthened the answer on the implications of
worldviews today, and set the stage for how integration is impacted by an unlevel playing field.
There is also an opportunity here to engage more with scripture; and a friendly reminder to
include The Bible in your references list. There are tons of rich content at your disposal; from the
contrasting worldviews that Paul faces in how he explains the Gospel to gentiles, how Jesus wholly
embraces a different worldview than the Pharisees and Sadducees (which do share his upbringing) or the
many fascinating stories of Bible characters battling with the imposition and influence of different
worldviews (Samson and David both dealt with the Philistines, Joseph and Moses both dealt with the
Egyptians)
Lastly, a question for you: based on your mastery of the text, I’m interested to know how your
worldview plays a part in your opinion of the integration of Christianity and Psychology. To what degree
does your worldview inform the appropriateness of integration, if at all? Thanks for the chance to
engage with you!
-Evie Staples
The Holy Bible, containing the old and new testaments: New king James Version. (1994). .
Thomas Nelson Publishers/ (Original work published 1982)
Entwistle, David N.. Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, Third Edition : An Introduction
to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations, and Models of Integration, Wipf and Stock Publishers,
2015. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?
docID=4534457.
Created from liberty on 2024-03-28 19:50:18.
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