Around the Web-December 2011

The Washington Post discusses some recent changes with regard to the self-esteem movement. Promoting self-esteem, regardless of success, has met with some academic failings. Though confidence levels are often high, performances are not. As Christian psychologists, examining the construct of self-esteem from a biblical worldview may be a useful endeavor.

One of the distinctives of Christian psychology seems to gain wisdom by looking backward. We learn about psychology not only from modern conceptions of mental health, but also by considering biblical wisdom, church history, and Christian philosophy. Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a statement based upon two decades of scientific research that has shown that children raised in toxic environments grow up with problems. Laurie Fendrich, writing for the Chronicle of Higher Education, identifies a common modernist bias. She writes, “No matter how obvious the observation, how eternal the topic, how great the works of literature that have tackled any given theme, or how insightful the philosophers who have studied a matter, the modern mind cannot fathom reaching a conclusion without relying on scientific studies.” We can learn from a variety of disciplines and traditions and should continue seeking to do so.  

Around the Web-September 2011

Keith Ward on the Mind-Body problem:  As Christian psychologists, in the age of the brain, our interest in the mind-body problem is very real.  Neuroscience, particularly secular neuroscience, has largely adopted a physicalist perspective, intimately joining what happens in the brain with our concept of soul.  Brian Auten, at the blog Apologetics 315, provides a thorough review of the book More than Matter by Keith Ward, a philosopher, theologian and Anglican priest who has authored more than 30 books.  According to Auten, Ward provides a robust philosophic defense of dualism.  The discerning reader may be interested in looking more closely at this book.

Definitions of Biblical Counseling: The Biblical Counseling Coalition collected definitions of biblical counseling from several well known biblical counseling ministries.  Although limited to biblical counselors, these assembled quotes try to flesh out what the field is about from those involved. 

Thomas Brooks on Silence: Tyler Horton has been blogging through his reading of Thomas Brooks’ works.  He wrote recently about Brooks’ view of silence (there are apparently 12 considerations) and how that fits in our distracted, 21^st century culture.  He asks whether we find it more difficult to focus now than we could perhaps 10 years ago, raising concerns about the distracting nature of our culture. 

Around the Web-July 2011

The lack of church support or awareness for individuals with mental illness was the focus of a recent Science Daily article.  The Science Daily writers featured a research study conducted by a Baylor University psychologist that demonstrated that although mental illness was quite prevalent among 6000 participants (27%), churches were ill-equipped to deal with the challenges these congregants brought.  As Christian psychologists, many of us are aware that we are not only surrounded by hurting people in our churches, but that our churches do not always address the issues well.  Hopefully, as Christian psychology continues to mature, we will be better positioned to help churches address these often difficult challenges. 

On his blog, Phil Monroe wrote of the conflict that often seems to exist between the various schools of Christian counseling, whether they be biblical counseling, Christian psychology, integration, or a host of other labels.  He provides wise counsel about how we might more winsomely interact with one another and with our clients by building one another up.  This article in many ways seems to get at the heart of what Christian psychology is seeking.  

Michael Ruse wrote a rather scathing essay in the Chronicle of Higher Education directed at Calvin College and their upholding of the historical Adam and Eve in the censure of religion professor John Schneider (Schneider has since left). Ruse wrote, “if your religious beliefs conflict with science—deny absolutely and completely basic claims of science—and if you insist on the religion over the science, then don’t expect respect from the rest of us.”  I am including a link to this article in Soul & Spirit because, whatever one’s perspective on evolution, it demonstrates one of the challenges Christian academics face.  The pursuit of developing a distinctly Christian psychology must keep in view the modal perspectives of secular academe in the 21^st century.

Around the Web-May 2011

Pornography’s pervasiveness in the culture and in the church is a well-known topic today.  Many books, articles, and websites, primarily directed toward men, have been produced to attempt to address the issue.  Russell Moore, vice president for academic administration at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, wrote a piece entitled Can Christian Romance Novels Hurt Your Heart?, which addresses the potential dangers in romance novels.  He briefly reviewed a book (A Billion Wicked Thoughts by Ogas & Goddam, 2011) that addresses how Internet searches reveal much about men and women.  Moore raised specific concerns for Christians reading “Christian” romance novels:  “A lot of this genre, though, is simply a Christianization of a form not intended to enhance intimacy but to escape to an artificial illusion of it. Granted, there’s no graphic sexuality here. The hero and heroine don’t sleep together; they pray together. But that’s just the point.  How many disappointed middle-aged women in our congregations are reading these novels as a means of comparing the ‘strong spiritual leaders’ depicted there with what by comparison must seem to be underachieving lumps lying next to them on the couch?” As counselors, we need to be aware of the potential influences upon our clients and Moore brings one to light in this blog post.  

Stacy Trasancos, a self-described “scientist turned homemaker and joyful convert to Catholicism” wrote a thoughtful refutation of an article predicting the extinction of religion in nine countries based upon mathematical models.  In her essay, she addressed the inherent complexity and unpredictability of human behavior given that people are not just physical, but also spiritual, possessing free will.  We should value Christians like Trasancos who possess knowledge of the natural world and are able to eloquently refute poor conclusions based upon faulty, a priori assumptions.  As Christian psychologists, our conclusions about human behavior will certainly be informed by our worldview as well, as Jay Kidwell previously pointed out in this newsletter. 

Biblical counselor Bob Kellemen discusses the concept of “victory over” versus “struggling with.” He rightly points out that in many cases Christians, including those in leadership, suggest that dealing with sin involves obtaining victory over it, rather than struggling with sin.  He says, “As we provide pastoral care and biblical counseling, we need to minister out of the anguish of our own ongoing struggle with suffering and against sin. We need to connect soul-to-struggling-soul. As we write and preach, we have to stop implying that the resolution to any battle is easy and matter-of-fact.”  Perhaps our work as Christian psychologists may involve re-orienting people to the legitimate, continuing struggle with sin. 

Around the Web: March 2011

As a society, we are becoming increasingly aware of the effects of social media, such as Facebook, upon psychological functioning.  Russell Moore was prompted by an essay in Slate to write an essay entitled “Why Facebook (and Your Church) May be Making You Sad.” Moore rightly points out that not only does Facebook present a limited, often happy, view of others, we tend to see the same thing in our churches.  Some venues of public Christianity celebrate, but do not lament, are happy (even if artificial) but rarely sorrowful.  Moore writes, “Let’s not be embarrassed to shout for joy, and let’s not be embarrassed to weep in sorrow. Let’s train ourselves not for spin control, but for prayer, for repentance, for joy.” And, may I add, let us encourage others along this path as well. 

In the last issue, an essay about Michael Patton’s struggle with depression was presented in Around the Web.  In a similar vein, Justin Taylor presented a brief essay by Bob Kauflin, who went through a period of anxiety and hopelessness after planting a church.  In a few paragraphs, Kauflin described the depths of his sorrow, yet it was when a friend told him that he was not hopeless enough that he turned a corner toward healing.  These narratives from Christian leaders can be useful in our work with others.

“The Myth of the Teen Brain” was the topic of an essay by Dr Robert Epstein in Scientific American Mind.  Dr Epstein draws from psychology, neuroscience, anthropology in arguing that contrary to much popular opinion, adolescent rebellion is not an inevitable life stage.  In fact, he argues that adolescent rebellion is a myth perpetuated by science and media alike.  Epstein cites Edward Valenstein, a respected neuroscientist and author of Blaming the Brain, who suggested, “we make a serious error of logic when we blame almost any behavior on the brain—especially when drawing conclusions from brain-scanning studies.”  In a psychological era dominated, in many respects by neuroscience, we need to be careful not to overextend the data in drawing conclusions.  Although members of the media, and by extension general society, may be susceptible to colorful brain pictures, as professionals involved in soul care, we must cautiously interpret research and with an eye to Scripture.