Psychology & Christianity: Four Views

Psychology has exploded across the academic and popular landscape in the last hundred years. Dozens of schools of thought have arisen and thousands of books have been written on the nature of our personalities, our development, our relationships and our inner well-being. All of this has been of interest (and sometimes of concern) to Christians because of the importance we place on a correct understanding of human nature. Psychology often seems disconnected from, if not antithetical to, Christian perspectives on life. How do we relate our cherished Christian beliefs about persons to what secular versions of psychology tell us? In this book are gathered four models of the relationship of psychology and Christianity. David Powlison (Westminster Theological Seminary) offers the biblical counseling model. The levels-of-explanation model is advanced by David G. Myers (Hope College), while Gary Collins (former executive director of American Association of Christian Counselors) introduces the integration model. The Christian psychology model is put forth by Robert C. Roberts (Baylor University). Each of the contributors responds to the other essayists, noting points of agreement as well as problems they see. Editors Eric L. Johnson and Stanton L. Jones also provide an introduction to the history of Christians and psychology as well as a conclusion that considers what might bind the four views together and how a reader might evaluate the relative strengths and weaknesses of each view.