Entwistle Book Review
Book Review:
Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: David Entwistle
Yvonne M. Garcia
Liberty University
Summary
David Entwistle’s (2010) book, Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration, opens the reader’s eyes to unexpected possibilities, beginning with the often combative regimes of faith and reason using Tertullian’s symbolism of Athens as the seat of reason and Jerusalem as the seat of faith; which is the basic ongoing battle between science and religion (Entwistle, 2010). What Entwistle addresses is his belief that integration of the disciple of psychology and Christianity is possible, each contributing to the whole allowing effective therapy, where the therapist becomes a type of shepherd that invites the client into the goodness of God and introduces Christ as his savior. Psychology attempts to understand, describe, and diagnose human behavior but Christian theology seeks to understand “what it means to be human” (Entwistle, 2010, p. 3). In the end Entwistle (2010) reoccurring theme throughout the book is that this integration is possible because “all truth is God’s truth” (p. 13). All the reasoning, precise measurements, and descriptives of psychology are possible because of God’s work in creation. Entwistle expands on the concept of worldviews and how each individual interprets everything around them. Each person will search for the truth but it will be biased according to the individual’s worldview. To understand these biases it is important for each individual to examine their own presuppositions because these effects the way the person interpret the world and the Bible. Entwistle (2010) expands on five models for integration: (1) Enemies, (2) Spies, (3) Colonists, (4) Neutral Parties, and (5) Allies.
Enemies of integration believe science cannot be in agreement with Christianity. Either they believe that psychology and
Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: David Entwistle
Yvonne M. Garcia
Liberty University
Summary
David Entwistle’s (2010) book, Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration, opens the reader’s eyes to unexpected possibilities, beginning with the often combative regimes of faith and reason using Tertullian’s symbolism of Athens as the seat of reason and Jerusalem as the seat of faith; which is the basic ongoing battle between science and religion (Entwistle, 2010). What Entwistle addresses is his belief that integration of the disciple of psychology and Christianity is possible, each contributing to the whole allowing effective therapy, where the therapist becomes a type of shepherd that invites the client into the goodness of God and introduces Christ as his savior. Psychology attempts to understand, describe, and diagnose human behavior but Christian theology seeks to understand “what it means to be human” (Entwistle, 2010, p. 3). In the end Entwistle (2010) reoccurring theme throughout the book is that this integration is possible because “all truth is God’s truth” (p. 13). All the reasoning, precise measurements, and descriptives of psychology are possible because of God’s work in creation. Entwistle expands on the concept of worldviews and how each individual interprets everything around them. Each person will search for the truth but it will be biased according to the individual’s worldview. To understand these biases it is important for each individual to examine their own presuppositions because these effects the way the person interpret the world and the Bible. Entwistle (2010) expands on five models for integration: (1) Enemies, (2) Spies, (3) Colonists, (4) Neutral Parties, and (5) Allies.
Enemies of integration believe science cannot be in agreement with Christianity. Either they believe that psychology and