Critique of Crabb and Hawkins

Critique of Two Theories:

Crabb and Hawkins

Sandra Hanford

Liberty University

Critique of Two Theories: Crabb and Hawkins

In this critique the two theories put forth by Dr. Larry Crabb and Dr. Ron Hawkins will be studied and compared. After the summary of each theory, the strengths and weaknesses will be discussed as well as the similarities and differences. This critique will end with this writer’s personal reflection and application of each theory.

Summary of Content

People are facing problems and are hurting every day. According to Crabb (1977), the church of Christ has the responsibility to reach out and help those in need. While most secular counselors tend to help the client to find “happiness”, the Christian counselor’s job is to help the person to “enter into a deeper relationship with God, to more effectively please Him through worship and service” (Crabb, 1977, p.21) To be able to do this, there is one basic need that needs to be satisfied. That is the need to have “a sense of personal worth, an acceptance of oneself as a whole, real person” (Crabb, 1977, p, 61). There are two ways to meet this need. The first way to meet this basic need is for the person to have a significance or purpose in life. The second way is to feel security which is defined as love that is “unconditional and consistently expressed; permanent acceptance” (Crabb, 1977, p. 61). Problems will develop when these ways are not met or threatened. As Crabb states, the only way to truly meet these needs is through Christ. Because we live in a fallen world, people resort to other ways of gaining significance and security.

How these Christian counselors do that depends on the approach they use. In his book, Effective Biblical Counseling, Dr. Larry Crabb (1977) describes four different approaches that Christians use in integrating Psychology and Theology. In The Separate but Equal approach, Crabb (1977) shows how some Christians believe that while each is important and equal there...