Modern psychology and Christianity have fundamentally different goals. They are incompatible, and a Christian who turns to psychology for relief is denying the sufficiency of Christ. Scripture is the only true means of remedy for the human condition. In addition, the theories and therapies promoted by psychologists only distort the message of Scripture. Christians who fight against these theories and therapies aim to preserve the authority of religious pronouncements from corruption.
Incompatible
The relationship between psychology and Christianity has long been a source of debate. The modern psychology field considers itself a science, and is heavily based on research. However, it is still classified as a soft science, and psychological data is rarely expressed in mathematical form. This article examines this problem and discusses the relationship between psychology and the church.
While psychologists and Christians may share similar values, they disagree on how psychology and the church should be integrated. Psychologists who specialize in counseling and therapy have been most active in the integration dialogue, but not everyone shares the same perspective. For example, Christian psychologists may have different views on how psychology has been influenced by postmodern thinking, while secular psychologists may have a different perspective on what psychology and Christianity can and cannot be.
Some Christians recognize this conflict, and exhort Christians to return to the Word of God. However, criticizing the practice of modern psychology is not the answer. Rather, we should seek to integrate biblical psychology into all aspects of ministry. Therefore, we should aim to provide complete counseling and Christian counseling.
The term psychology comes from Greek words that mean “study of persons” and “psychology.” While some might argue that psychology is religious in nature, the word’s origin does not necessarily reflect its meaning today. Today, psychology refers to nontangible personal aspects of human beings, rather than the human spirit.
Modern psychology has advanced to the point where its application is increasingly becoming more widespread. The scientific method is the best way to study material reality, but it is less helpful when we try to learn about immaterial reality, such as love. While a love letter or a rose can tell us that someone loves you, it cannot be tested empirically.
Fundamentally opposed
Modern psychology is skeptical of the existence of a supreme Being. Its founder, Sigmund Freud, was an atheist who argued that religion is merely an illusion. His theories suggest that man is nothing more than a biological machine driven by a desire for sexual satisfaction.
Both modern psychology and traditional Christianity hold fundamentally opposing views about the nature of man. Modern psychology contends that man is an evolved animal, and that the key to understanding human personality is to study animal behavior. However, the Bible claims that mankind is fundamentally different from animals and is endowed with personhood.
Interestingly, the two disciplines have very different goals. In a sense, each seeks to understand the human spirit and the ways in which it works. In other words, Christianity holds that human beings are governed by non-tangible inner processes, while psychology holds that human beings are not governed by any higher power.
In the US, modern psychology was dominated by behaviorism, which is the dominant philosophy in the academic world for the past 80 years. The rise of humanistic psychology drew from the early days of psychoanalysis. Wundt’s work drew influence from phenomenologists such as Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Nevertheless, despite Wundt’s efforts, the university was unable to admit a woman to its psychology program.
The relationship between modern psychology and the church has become more complicated in recent times. After World War II, thousands of soldiers suffered from psychiatric conditions. Then, drugs for treating mental disorders were developed. Now, the Church holds that the root cause of moral weakness is in the human spirit and not the physical one.
In-group
Most Christian denominations desire to remain faithful to God’s Word, but practice minimal discernment when it comes to modern psychology. Despite their theological training, pastors aren’t trained to evaluate this new field. And many of them have never earned an academic degree in psychology. As a result, they aren’t equipped to speak with authority about such matters. Instead, they are charged with teaching theology, and their colleagues will often call them out if they embrace strange psychology.
The relationship between modern psychology and the church is complex and polarized, and it is difficult to discern which aspects should be accepted and which should be rejected. Fortunately, Bob and Gretchen Passantino offer a biblical perspective on psychology. This book should help Christians discern how to proceed with this issue.
Modern psychologists have an interest in exploring religion from a scientific perspective. They note that spiritual life can be beneficial and often leads to better mental health. However, they should take a pluralistic approach, and should avoid narrow-minded approaches that ignore the diversity of religion and culture.
Our-group bias
Our-group bias is a common phenomenon, which can lead to conflict between groups. It occurs when groups have incompatible goals or different interests. One group may achieve its goal while the other does not. Hence, it is important to maintain fairness and objectivity in evaluating people.
This bias can be difficult to overcome because it works beneath the surface of consciousness. However, research shows that certain techniques can help to reduce the effects of this bias. One of these tactics is a reductionist approach. It can be used to examine the motivations behind the behavior of individuals.
In a study conducted during the 2008 presidential election, Democrat voters showed in-group bias. However, their bias dissipated after the Democratic National Convention, which was designed to foster a sense of shared identity. Likewise, basketball fans who supported their favorite team exhibited strong in-group bias in ratings of fans of opposing teams. This bias was strongest after home games. However, these effects can be reduced by engaging people with different groups and giving them incentives to act impartially.
In modern psychology, there are many ways to measure in-group bias. One of the most widely used measures is called the Implicit Association Test. It is a computer-based test that measures the speed at which individuals sort different groups. This test was developed by psychologists in order to measure the level of prejudice.
Another way to measure in-group bias is by comparing the differences between the in-group and out-group. The differences in the way we evaluate the same group are quite striking. In some cases, the differences between the groups are so significant that they affect how people perceive one another.
