Integrated Approaches to Psychology and Christianity

4MAT Review: Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity

Belinda Pauls Anderson

Liberty University

4MAT Review: Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity

Summary

In the book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity, Entwistle (2012) gives an overview on the relationship of psychology and theology. Early in discussion, Entwistle opens the discussion with the question: “what indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem (p. 7); referencing how man seeks knowledge. He historically builds a case outlining how they both have made significant contributions to the study of the nature and the human experiences, but formulates the church as authoritative. Vast evidence exists highlighting the contributions Christianity had on the advancement of science. Their relationship has been both friendly and confrontational. During periods of conflict, there were various unsuccessful approaches to reach a resolution. This raises the question can Christianity and Psychology be integrated?

To attempt to answer the question Entwistle (2012) examines the various worldviews which people ascribe to and the impact that it has on how one understanding and interpreting the world they live. Much of the conflict over worldview stems not from ones worldview but how they are interpreted and the assumptions that are made. Entwistle (2012) points out where the two differ, dialogue should initiate over the intrinsic assumptions of the respective worldviews. Entwistle (2012) gives the readers a good personal example. He writes about an instance where he and a student shared similar worldview but reached totally different assumptions concerning the root of a patient’s bizarre behavior. Finding credibility to point to your assumption being true requires looking at the process by which you arrived at what you claim to be truth. In the pursuit of truth one can never know what is really true because of man’s limitations. Human thinking in not infallible and is...