Why do we have so many thereapeutic specialists? And -- here's a big one -- why have so many pastors become therapeuts? Perhaps a different angle on this question: Why do so many take their "spiritual" or "psychological" problems to therapists instead of to their pastors or to others in the church community?
Is the gospel supposed to be therapeutic? Is your life now "as good as it gets"? (Jack Nicholson)
So, I'm very pleased that, in their new book, Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives
, Steve Wilkens and Mark Sanford go after this idea of "salvation by therapy."
, Steve Wilkens and Mark Sanford go after this idea of "salvation by therapy."Here's the big issue: millions today think therapy is the means to a happy life. Do we all believe we should be happy? That peace of mind is a right? That our life should be better?
Wilkens and Sanford find three ways Christians conceive of the relationship of psychology and Christian living/theology:
1. All problems are spiritual; forget the psychologist and dig into the Word. Sometimes called "biblical counseling."
2. Salvation comes by discovering your inner self -- therapeutic approach to salvation.
3. Various degrees of combination.
I see the second one in folks who want to capture and re-express all theological truths in psychological language, and I hear it most when I hear things about "inner person" or "inner selves."
They then dip into Freud, Rogers, Skinner and Family systems, and they are right to see them as worldviews. So, what are the advantages of the psychological approach?
1. Psychology, at some level, is instinctive: treating children as children, empathy with the problematized, etc.. these are all gut-level, common sense psychological patterns.
2. Salvation is seen as healing and a process.
3. Reminds us that we emerge from our past.
4. Both Christianity and psychology are into healing.
5. Human flourishing requires love, acceptance and respect.
But there are problems:
1. Too much determinism.
2. Too much reductionism.
3. Problems are more than psychological often.
4. Value-free psychology is a myth.
This completes our series on Wilkens and Sanford, but they have two chps on worldview that we did not cover ... it's worth your reading!
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Diane,
I agree that some are rushed into meds. But, it still reveals that there are many many people in our churches who are hurting - and somehow what is currently happening isnt enough.
The Bible says this about the Messiah, Jesus
"A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. " (Issaiah 42:3a, NIV)
In other words, he is gentle and sensitive when people need gentleness and sensitivity. In my experience, these traits of Jesus often seem absent from the list of traits his followers seek to emulate. Which means that church communities and church leaders cannot be relied on as 'safe' for the bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. It seems very hit and miss whether a follower of Jesus, lay person or professional leader, will have this sensitivity towards those who need it.
On the other hand, counselors are trained to have it, and their desire to be a counselor probably means they already lean that way in the first place.
In my experience, the difference between going to a professional counselor and a church leader or church peer is huge. I think professional counseling has become huge because of the extent to which the church has overlooked the traits of Jesus described in Isaiah 42:3 and has failed to emulate them. People need other people with that sensitivity and if the church lacks it others will step in i.e. professional counselors to fill the gap.
It is my Christian psychologist/therapist who helped me grow my child-like faith into that of an adult.
Helen (#30),
You paint with a fairly large brush. You could have said that you were hurt by a bad church or church leader (a pastor who was unChristlike) and you were helped by a Christlike counselor. No problem. But to accuse most, not all, churches of unChristlikeness is over the top, and to baptize all 'Christian' therapists as gentle and sensitive is untrue.
In *your* experience maybe.
Your comment seems to violate what you affirm for your Christian counselor. Just a thought.
John, thanks for your response and Happy Thanksgiving (if you live somewhere that celebrates Thanksgiving)
I did say "in my experience" twice. While my experience doesn't include all Christians, of course, it does go beyond the people I've met face to face - it includes my reading and listening and Internet interactions with Christians. I suppose I'm thinking mostly of conservative Christians since they tend to be more wary of 'psychology' (*in my experience*) than other Christians.
You speak of 'Christian' therapists but I would rather speak of professional therapists. For me the point is that they are professionally trained in such behavior as being good listeners and showing empathy. Whether Christian or not.
Again, *in my experience*, I definitely have noticed a pattern among conservative Christians of not emphasizing sensitivity. Conservative Christendom is led by males and denounces homosexuality. That combination tends to lead to leadership reticence about being sensitive rather than embracing that trait. Regardless, apparently, of whether it's one of Jesus' traits.
I didn't understand what you meant about my comment violating what I affirm for my Christian counselor. My professional counselor does happen to be a Christian but as I said, for me the emphasis is on him being a professional, not on him being a Christian.
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