Intro Letter: March 2011

Spring appears to be officially breaking through as I write from Northern Wisconsin.  The long, cold winter has taken its toll upon my patients and my co-workers.  The enthusiasm for the first snow fall gradually gave way to a dark blanket of melancholy, so the changing seasons have been received with gratitude. 

Like the changing seasons, our May edition of Soul & Spirit brings with it fresh ideas that I hope provide encouragement and food for thought.  Paul Vitz provides the conclusion to his 2-part series on the psychology of hatred, suggesting ways that hatred may appear in our daily lives.  Valerie Murphy and Scott Holman describe experiences from their lives and how Scripture has helped mold their understanding of themselves and others.  The topic of positive psychology appears in articles by Dennis Morgan and Lydia Kim-VanDaalen, one by touching upon relatively recent work on the subject and the other by looking back 300 years to the Dutch Further Reformation.  Phil Monroe and UnHye Kwon both touch upon expanding the borders of Christian psychology.  Dr Monroe provides suggestions for increasing the clinical utility of our field and Dr Kwon by describing the establishment of Christian psychology in her native South Korea.  Finally, Mark Yarhouse provides a compelling essay about the importance of wisdom and discernment as we examine diversity issues.

David Powlison speaks of the importance of “riveting scripture and doctrine to everyday life”.  This edition of Soul & Spirit will provide several essays that seek to do that very thing. 

Jason Kanz

Marshfield Clinic