According to McMinn (1996) a strong sense of self is a combination of spiritual growth and mental health that should not be compartmentalized or separated.  The individual’s ability to move toward a healthy and accurate self-awareness is opposite of self-absorption: “To be healthy, we need to move beyond a preoccupation with self” (McMinn, 1996, p. 46).  This means knowing and having an accurate picture of the self in order for growth and maturity to take place.  This should not be confused with selfishness but is instead a process from which to leave unhealty habits and thought processes behind.

A healthy sense of self is recognition of neediness, brokenness, and pain in order to cultivate community, reciprocity in relationships, and healing.  Self-awareness comes from pain and discomfort; producing insight and healing (McMinn, 1996).  From a Christian perspective, I believe that acknowledgment of human sinfulness and fallibility can lead to humble reflection and nuture the ability to change, grow, and thrive.  This type of self-awareness keeps an individual moving forward instead of falling into despair.  I agree with McMinn’s (1996) view that an accurate sense of self, need, and healing relationships all interact together and lead to a holistic picture of spiritual and psychological health.

Reference

McMinn, M.R. (1996). Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House.

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Painful experiences that are a part of life give humanity a longing for healing, for “often it is the dark forest that makes us speak about the open field” (Nouwen, 1975, p. 19).  The counselor is a guide for hurting people to help them come out of painful experiences and find healing.   However, to rememdy the pain to quickly can short circuit the process and may cause dependency.  The client who comes into counseling in despair gives the counselor the opportunity to promote solitude in the counseling session and to “speak about the fertile tree while witnessing the dying of the seed” (Nouwen, 1975, p. 53).  The beauty of true life and transformation is that it comes out of death.  It is the complete message of the gospel.  Nouwen (1975) speaks of creating emptiness in a client in order for them to truly understand themselves, which drives them toward true living.  It would not be wise to state directly to the client that pain must come first in an insensitive manner.  Using professionalism and descretion over blunt verbiage would be best, but the message is still the same.

Reference

Nouwen, H.J.M. (1975). Reaching out: The three movements of the spiritual life. New York: Doubleday.

• Is Motivational Interviewing an Approache to be Used with Clients?

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Nevertheless, this statement cannot be taken niavely or without recognition that the conflict between the Academy and the Church is apparent when one sees a distinction between allegiance to God and allegiance to man (Entwistle, 2004).  For this reason, I agree with Entwistle (2004) that “secular” knowledge, meaning knowledge obtained from observation and methods outside of reading the Bible, is still knowledge of God’s truth and must be viewed from a larger, Biblical framework.

My personal religious background and my education were influencial in my perspective.  I attended public and Christian schools and colleges.  Specifically, in my Christian educational experiences there was much concern and care taken to teach a Biblical worldview while also teaching secular knowledge through a Biblical lens.  This type of education allowed for integration of God’s “Two Books”: the Bible and the creative order (Brewer, n.d.)

References

Brewer, G. (n.d.). [Lecture 2: Defining integration: Key concepts]. Liberty University.

Entwistle, D.N. (2004). Integrative approaches to psychology and christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock.


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Contemplating the given statement begs the question, what does “sinfully thinking” actually mean?  As Entwistle (2004) unpacks in the text, human nature is affected by the Fall and therefore the statement is correct in its declaration that humanity is sinful.  This will always be the true when referring to the nature of humanity.  To say that contemplating the inner workings of humanity, that is, what makes men and women think, act, and make a choice is a sinful act, asks for further definition.

Looking back into the history of the Church in regards to psychology will find that the care and healing of the soul was central to Christianity and the Church, long before our modern view of psychotherapy came into being (Entwistle, 2004).  Viewing psychology, or soul care, as sinful is to make the statement that the Church of antiquity was wrong in its mission to care for human beings.

Entwistle (2004) proposes that the study of psychology is a study of God’s works and is therefore a way to learn about the God who created the universe and its inhabitants.  What should be asked of this original statement is how one interprets psychology based upon worldview perspective.  Defining psychology as a sinful endeavor lies in a Christian combatant perspective from Entwistle’s (2004) Enemies model.  The perspective that theology and psychology must be in opposition with clearly defined territory stems from a fairly recent debate after the Enlightenment and Darwinism (Entwistle, 2004).  Thus, one must recognize that this statement does not stem from a Biblical concept, but from a territorial debate from the very recent nineteenth century.

References

Entwistle, D.N. (2004). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock.

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