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This page revised and Copyrighted: Theon Doxazo |
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03.1.4 |
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Let us begin by considering Alchemy. In the middle ages people tried to turn lead into gold. They tried every combination they could, but they always met with failure. They had no systematic understanding of nature. They used trial and error to find their answers. Alchemy didn't work. The natural sciences use a systematic approach to test hypotheses about the world. They looked in the horse's mouth and counted it's teeth. This approach has paid great dividends.
If we are to approach a Christian Psychology, it would be worthwhile to consider it's component parts. What is Psychology? I flummoxed one of my professors when he asked me that question. Is Psychology the study of Mankind? No, Comparative Psychology studies animals. Is Psychology the study of thinking? No, Behavioral Psychologists ignore it. Is Psychology the study of individuals? No, Social Psychologists look at groups of people. Is Psychology the study of consciousness? No, Psychoanalysis looks at the unconscious.
What is Psychology? Psychology is a battleground! Psychology IS the schools, conventions and journals where ideas do battle. Psychology is a forum for intellectual conflict. So, what does define Psychology? The conflict of ideas is ruled by the empirical method. Only those ideas shown to work are retained. Theories (and even facts!) change across time with new findings. Experiment is the final arbiter of correctness. Psychology is defined by it's METHODS, not by it's content.
What, then, is Christianity? Is Christianity defined by it's methodology? Do sermons define Christianity? No, Bible studies are more informal and Quakers often sit in silence. Do TV Preachers define Christianity? No, the vast majority of Christians are saved without their services. Do Tracts define Christianity? No, these really are not used all that often. Does Neighborhood Witnessing define Christianity? No, some Christians never visit anybody and some never get visited. Christianity is not defined by it's methods. Remember the Gospel Blimp?
What does define Christianity? The Gospel message is the key to Christianity. The Gospel can be spread by any number of methods and still be Christian. Yet, change the Gospel and use the same methods and Christianity will be lost. Christianity is defined by the CONTENT of it's message, not it's methods.
So, what, then, is Christian Psychology? Christian Psychology is the application of the empirical method to test hypotheses derived from an exegetical study of the Scriptures. This definition can (but need not necessarily) be broadened to include empirically studying hypotheses derived from Christian doctrine, theology or tradition.
Just as an aside, what is a Christian Therapy? Given the understanding immediately above, a Christian Therapy would entail the skilled application of the empirical findings of a Christian Psychology to the task of Therapy. While there exist modest methods for the empirical investigation of a given individual intervention (single-subject designs spring to mind), any particular instance of Christian Therapy would itself not be empirical, but would be the craft or art that uses the empirical findings of a Christian Psychology to better serve a specific Christian in need. On the other hand, specific applications of therapeutic approaches can be studied in the context of large numbers of clients with closely defined pathologies, as secular Psychologists have been doing for years.
The methods of empirical social science need to be applied to the process of clarifying normal Christian spiritual development. After this has been done these same methods should be applied to clarifying the abnormalities of spiritual development that can then be identified in contrast to normal development. Only after the above procedures are well underway can something serious be done to develop specific Christian therapies for the various specific spiritual pathologies identified. This is the ultimate goal this theoretical effort strives toward.
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