How Do They Fit?
I think modern psychology and Christianity do not fit together. Psychology as a
science has disparate views that clash with Christian beliefs and teachings as
espoused in the bible. The guiding philosophy of empiricism, a branch of modern
psychology, states that knowledge originates from sensory experiences (Heft,
2017). The belief contradicts the biblical teachings that a supernatural being
created the universe and does not fall into the category of empirical sciences
since the relationship between humans, and God is based on belief rather than
sensory experiences. Modern psychology and Christianity differ significantly on
various levels; therefore, it is challenging to argue that they fit together.
One of the significant differences between modern psychology and Christianity is
their sources of knowledge. Conversely, psychology depends on empirical
evidence achieved through scientific methods to investigate sensory experiences.
At the same time, Christianity is enshrined in biblical teachings, which provide
direction and guidance based on belief. Therefore, since Christianity has no proof
and relies on faith, it is impossible to merge its knowledge with empiricism which
depends on provable data attained through scientific studies of the physical
world. Hence, since God and various Christian beliefs such as heaven and hell are
not physical nor cannot be assessed through empirical studies, it is challenging to
intertwine modern psychology and religion.
Another difference between modern psychology and Christianity is their goals.
Psychology is the systematic study of the mental faculties of the human mind
and their impact on behaviors (American Psychology Association, 2013).
Therefore, the goal of psychology is to understand the human mind by describing
and explaining its process to attain knowledge on how to treat, change, and
improve it to achieve desired behaviors in human beings. On the contrary,
Christianity aims to reunite human beings with God. A supernatural being is
recognized as the creator and all that existence. Therefore, there are two views:
the biblical view and the second the worldview.
The biblical view uses the Bible to enable Christians to make the best lifestyle
choices and decisions based on their faith and relationship with God. Christians
use the Bible as a guide and a compass that directs them toward living moral and
ethical lives on earth, as described in 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 (Hightower, 2020). On
the contrary, the worldview is based on human experiences and how human
research and findings can be used to make the best decisions depending on the
conditions and circumstances (Wolters, 2005). The Bible makes arguments based
on things outside the realm of experience. For example, it is difficult to prove that
a supernatural being created the universe because such belief is beyond the
experiences of earth. Hence, the perceptions and views of the Bible and that of
psychology are not in harmony as they are not congruent.
There will be friction when a psychological scientific study is opposed to biblical
and Christian teachings. Christians believe that the bible provides various answers
to many circumstances faced by human beings. Therefore, Christians will reject
the finding if a scientific study supports psychology while opposing Christianity.
Further, Christians will provide a counter-argument based on the bible to support
their stance against the discoveries made by scientific research.
Despite the differences between modern psychology and Christianity, modern
psychology can fit in the church. Christianity provides spiritual guidance that helps
individuals achieve greater physical, emotional, and mental health.
Notwithstanding, it is guided psychology that sheds light on human conditions to
understand better how to provide mental healing and behavioral change in the
church (Scimecca, 2018). However, psychologists who hold the Christian faith can
only use psychological techniques to increase the discernment between secular
and spiritual methods of providing mental and physical help in the church.
References
American Psychological Association. (2013). Science of Psychology. American
Psychological Association. Retrieved May 12, 2022, from
https://www.apa.org/education-career/guide/science Links to an external site..
Heft, H. (2017). William James’ Psychology, Radical Empiricism, and Field Theory:
Recent Developments. Philosophical inquiries, 5(2), 111-130.
https://doi.org/10.4454/philinq.v5i2.195. Links to an external site.
Hightower, D. (2020). Surely Not by Bread Alone-The Use of Inspiration Derived
from 2 Timothy 3: 16. Diligence: Journal of the Liberty University Online Religion
Capstone in Research and Scholarship, 5(1), 7.
Scimecca, J.A. (2018). Christianity and Sociological Theory: Reclaiming the
Promise (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429467660 Links to
an external site.
Wolters, A. M. (2005). Creation Regained: Biblical Basics for a Reformational
Worldview (Second). William B. Eerdmans Pub. ISBN: 9780802829696
