Integration Of Psychology And Theology: A Critique

Martin & Deidre Bobgan, in their book "psychoHeresy: The psychological seduction of Christianity", 1987, deals with the areas of concern for Christians concerning integration of psychology and theology.


They talk of four myths about psychology in the church that have led Christians to believe that there is a need for psychological intervention.


The four Myths are:

a) Psychotherapy is a science - a means of understanding and helping humanity based on empirical evidence from measurable consistent data

b) The best kind of counseling utilizes both psychology and the Bible.

c) People who are experiencing mental-emotional behavioral problems are mentally ill - they are psychological sick and therefore need psychological therapy

d) Psychotherapy has a high record of success compared to Biblical counseling

Is Psychology a Religion?


Martin & Deidre Bobgan argues that “since God’s word tell us how to live, all ideas about the why’s of behavior and how's of change must be viewed as religious in nature” (Psychoheresy: the Psycho seduction of Christianity, 1987). While the Bible claims divine revelation, psychotherapy claims scientific substantiation. When it comes to behavior and other attitudes, morals and values, we are dealing with religion. According to them Psychotherapy haunts the church because “it is perceived as a scientific salve for the sick soul, than for what it truly is; a pseudoscientific substitute system of religious belief”.

Neil T. Anderson, Julianne S Zuehlke and Terry Zuehlke also support this view in their book Christ centered therapy: The practical integration of Theology and Psychology 1987. They state that Psychotherapists and other health professionals have become the “primary caregivers and dispensers of moral guidance in our society” (Neil T Anderson et al p. 18). David Nobel, as quoted by Neil t. Anderson et al, states “trying to separate the sacred from the secular is like trying to sear the soul from the body-we must recognize that all world views have religious implications” (Neil t Anderson et al p. 38)


Read more at http://www.bukisa.com/articles/273010_integration-of-psychology-and-theology-a-critique

A commentary on Viktor E. Frankl’s book “Man’s search for meaning”

Man’s search for meaning is a narration of one man’s experience inside a concentration camp and the fight for existence.

This is not a book, in my experience, that one can read in a sitting as a narration of an event that took place in the past. Although written by a humanist, the writer found the principles that the author highlights, are basic Biblical principles. This writer had to pause on many occasions to reflect on the magnitude of the events taking place at the concentration camp. At times the writer found herself crying with the prisoners as she imagined their torture. As the writer read the book, many times she had to pause to reflect on her own life and some of the challenges she had encountered. This led to a realization that all her experiences served a purpose.


As the writer read through the pages, she realized that she had been asking the wrong questions about her life. Everything in life happens for a reason; even suffering can define our destiny. Indeed Christ identified His destiny as dying for the salvation of the human race and found meaning in it. The only thing that we truly own and are masters of is our will. Anything else can be taken away or restored but once we lose our will to live we lose everything.


For full reading turn to http://www.bukisa.com/articles/249873_a-commentary-on-viktor-e-frankls-book-mans-search-for-meaning