Preview

Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1324 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity
4-MAT Review
Anita Cox
Liberty University
COUN 506 Integration of Psychology and Theology
September 7, 2012 Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity
David N. Entwistle
Cascade Books, 2010
Summary
Just as the title describes, Entwistle explains within the book the attempts and varied approaches of integrating both psychology and Christianity, two entities which seem to have been at odds with each other since the time of Galileo. By explaining key historical conflicts, such as instances of friction between religion and science, readers are able to understand how psychology and Christianity are intertwined, and how the same principles that hold them together also seek to push them apart. As said best by Entwistle, “The interaction of psychology and theology is virtually inevitable due to their mutual interest in understanding the ambiguities and mysteries of human behavior, and healing human brokenness.” (Entwistle, 2010, p.51)
According to Entwistle each person has their own worldview, a unique way in which one sees the world around them shaped by their own experiences, knowledge, and culture. The family we were born into, the town we grew up, the continent our town is located all help shape our worldview. Our worldview allows us to question if what we believe is true and if our beliefs have a place within our religion. In taking a Christian worldview believing and understanding in the creation, Fall, redemption, and consummation provides a starting point for integration by allowing Christians to understand how the world around them began and their place in that world. (Entwistle, 2010, p.67)
Five paradigms are described as ways of relating psychology to Christianity and they are as follows: enemies, spies, colonialists, neutral parties, and allies as subjects of one sovereign. As enemies, there is no possible way that psychology and Christianity can be integrated. As spies, allegiance is held to one while borrowing principles from the



References: Entwistle, D.N. (2010). Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity. (Second Edition e.d.). Eugene, OR: Cascade Books.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    References: Entwistle, D.N. (2010). Integrative approaches to psychology and christianity: An introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration (2 nd ed.). Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock.…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The 4-MAT Review is a way of responding to readings, lectures, and life experiences that requires you, the learner, to interact with new ideas on several levels. You will write one 4-Mat Review for the Entwistle text and one for the McMinn text. In preparing your 4-Mat Reviews, use each of the 4 sections listed below with corresponding APA-style, Level 1 headers:…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The basis of the book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: An Introduction to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations, and Models of Integration by David N. Entwistle is that putting psychology and Christian theology together will help understand people better than using the two separately. Entwistle gives reasons why Christianity and Psychology can coexist and be used together to help make humanity better. The two books of God as described by Entwistle are the book of God’s word and the book of God’s works. This book does not focus on the differences between Christianity and Psychology but more so on how the two principles can be combined to offer better insight into the issues of the world. There are five integration models discussed: enemies, spies, colonialists, neutral parties, and allies all subscribing to a higher goal of community it uses theological and psychological concepts together to lead to better understanding of the truth (Entwistle 2010).…

    • 555 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    4 MAT Review McMinn

    • 1333 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In his book Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling, Mark McMinn (2011) provides his readers with a book “to investigate the frontier of intra-disciplinary integration” (p. 9). McMinn (2011) provides his readers with the appropriate actions and interventions Christian counselors should taken with their client when faced with the religious challenges in counseling. Throughout his book McMinn (2011) expresses that one’s spiritual discipline is as important to how well effective intra-disciplinary integration is accomplished as biblical and theological foundations are.…

    • 1333 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Entwistle Summary

    • 347 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The relationship between psychology and Christianity has been debated throughout history. There have been people in the past who believed psychology and Christianity could not be integrated such as Tertullian, who believed the relationship between reason-Athens and faith-Jerusalem could not exist (Entwistle, 2010, p. 8). Unlike Tertullian, there are “many God-fearing people who have found the dialogue between Jerusalem and Athens beneficial” (Entwistle, 2010, p. 9). Throughout his book,…

    • 347 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    4 MAT Review System 1

    • 1211 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The book, Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity, written by David Entwistle (2010), provides a basis to integrate the psychology discipline with Christian beliefs. Entwistle’s (2010) opinion is that both psychology and Christianity were both created by God and that the two can merge with one another to provide a well rounded structure for counseling the whole person. According to Entwistle (2010, p.3), “As systems of thought, both psychology and Christian theology provide useful perspectives through which we can study and understand human behavior, and together they can give us a more complete and accurate picture of human nature and functioning than either perspective can provide alone.” This is the basis of the text in that integrating both disciplines can provide the best practice.…

    • 1211 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    He achieves this by combining theoretical foundations in truth, which is represented by the Word of God and illuminated by the Holy Bible which transcends into people’s lives within society. Psychology is represented by what Entwistle refers to as the book of Gods work which is illuminated by God creating human beings with all types of behavior. This book is written with precision appealing to all who are seeking to be tools used by the Holy Spirit. This book covers recent literature based on the history philosophy, theology, and psychology. Difficult areas of study or highlighted allowing the reader to evaluate the material through their own view point of integration and draw their own conclusions. Christianity and Psychology or viewed as two opposing views that should never intertwine, never the less this point is being illegitimated in the book. Entwistle (2010)…

    • 1203 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    4 Mat Review Entwistle

    • 858 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Can psychology and theology be integrated? Does it really need to be integrated? This is a topic of great debate in psychology at this present time. Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity present different approaches to embracing psychology and Christianity. There are many different areas of focus throughout the text but I perceive the main focus to be on integrative approaches in a well-conceived Christian worldview (Entwistle, 2010). I feel that this is an important topic within the text because having a Christian worldview is the foundation for integrating psychology and Christianity.…

    • 858 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The author, David N. Entwistle and his book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity (2004), brings about several questions to the reader when you look at psychology and Christianity. When you take two disciplines psychology and theology and define both you can walk away with mixed emotions from both perspectives. Psychology is defined as “the study of the mind and behavior. The discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience — from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged. In every conceivable setting from scientific research centers to mental health care services, "the understanding of behavior" is the enterprise of psychologists” (American Psychological Association). Theology is defined as the study of nature and God and religious truth (answers.com); the study of religious faith, practice, and experience, especially the study of God and of God’s relation to the world (Merriam-Webster).…

    • 1137 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    psychology, illustrating how psychology and Christian community have worked together throughout time. By doing this Entwistle (2010) enlightens his readers with an a in-depth knowledge of the process of today’s psychological thought in relation to Christianity. While explaining the history of Christianity and psychology Entwistle (2010) also explains how the two have clashed because of the belief that science and theology are opposites. In the text Entwistle (2010) hints that he somewhat agrees with this idea, but makes sure to make the point that he only agrees with an individual who has no prior knowledge about the…

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    References: Cosgrove, M. (2006). Foundations of Christian thought: Faith, learning, and the Christian worldview. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel…

    • 1071 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Entwistle, D.N. (2004). Integrative approaches to psychology and Christianity: an introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations, and models of integration. Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers.…

    • 307 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Historically, scientific and technological advancements have fueled debates among theologists and the scientific community; Entwistle explores these conflicts as well as how they have fed into the views and debates of current time with regard to psychology and Christianity in his book Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity. Through this text he seeks enlightenment, and answers to the doubts that the two disciplines can both exist, in concert, without the view that if one is correct the other must be incorrect. Entwistle starts his analysis by comparing and contrasting the ancient cities of Athens and Jerusalem, stating that both cultures have value to the history of human kind. The fundamental difference between these…

    • 1517 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Psychology of Religious behaviour, belief, and experience, Benjamin Beit-Hallahmi and Michael Argyle, Routledge, (1997)…

    • 2845 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Christian Psychology

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Our faith as Christians can make us better psychologist because Christians look towards the word of God for guidance and wisdom. Christians can take God’s word for truth, they do not need to observe, formulate a hypothesis, test theory, draw conclusion and then evaluate how the earth was created. The bible says God created the universe, it is by faith that Christians believe God spoke and it was good. Christians do not need to follow the steps of the scientific method to believe, it is by faith itself that proves that what is unseen is real. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Christians do not want to overshadow the cross with psychological terminology which can contaminate the Word of God. Christians are led by the Holy Spirit and seek the bible that contains the only pure truth of God.…

    • 985 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays