BC-421THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS IN BIBLICAL

COUNSELING

Week 1Introduction to the Course

The discipline of psychology

Wilhelm Wundt, 1832-1920Father of modern psychology

William James, 1842-1910 Principles of Psychology, 1890

Sigmund Freud, 1856-1939. Developed psychoanalysis when working with hysterical patients

Discipline of theology

Theos (God) and logos (study of)Anselm described theology as “faith seeking

understanding.”Hall: “Theology is that ongoing activity of the

whole church that aims at clarifying what "gospel" must mean here and now.”(6)

Erickson: Theology is biblical, systematic, and relates to the general culture and learning; it is contemporary and practical.(7)

Theology continued

Merriam Webster adds that theology is the study of religious faith, practice, and experience. (8)

Used to be called the “queen of the sciences”Answers meta-physical questionsSystematic theology includes the doctrines of

Scripture, God, man, sin, Christ, salvation, the Church, and last things.

spirituality

Defined separately from religion in the professional literature

Beliefs rather than practicesTranscendence, meaning-making, relationship

qualities, creativity, self-expression, and in therapy, may be used to describe how one’s beliefs in general resonate with the practice of living.

Christian spirituality

Ryrie: Christian spirituality involves regeneration, the work of the Holy Spirit, and time to learn this way of living.(9)

Christian spirituality involves the living out of our religious faith, within a body of believers, sharing in the transcendence of God, and awakening, calling forth, supporting and holding one another accountable.

It is seeking to live a life imitatio Christi

Review of McMinn, Chapter 1Psychology Alone• Completely rejects religion in context of

counseling

Integrated• Open to both religion and faith teachings

and psychological theories and treatments

Religion Alone• Rejects all psychological influences and relies

on the Bible alone

McMinn Continued• Excellent scenarios presented to help you imagine how integration might

occur• Techniques vary• Informed consent is an ethical requirement• “Intra-disciplinary integration in Christian counseling is both conceptual

and relational. Conceptually, it draws upon important idea s from theology, psychology, and counseling theory and offers practical suggestions for how those concepts are applied within the discipline of Christian counseling. And practically, intra-disciplinary integration in Christian counseling is thoroughly relational---emerging out of a counselor’s relationship with God and others, and ultimately influencing client’s relationships.” (McMinn, 2011, 30).

Christian counseling

How do we define Christian counseling?By roles: pastoral, biblical, lay counselors?By location: church, para-church,

professional?By the treatment models we use?By the theories we follow (or avoid)?

References

(1) Photo of books from: http://www.hds.harvard.edu/library/collections/images/031505_Divinity_Library_57.jpg(1)

(2) Photo of William James from: http://0.tqn.com/d/psychology/1/0/R/9/william-james-lg.jpg(3) Photo of Wilhelm Wundt from:

http://www.fidnet.com/~weid/wundt.gif(4) Photo of Sigmund Freud from:

http://www.papermasters.com/images/sigmund-freud.jpg(5) Dennis Coon. Essentials of Psychology, 9th ed. (Belmont, CA:

Thomson/Wadsworth, 2003), 17-21

References continued(6) Douglas J. Hall. “What is Theology?” Cross Currents 53 no. 2 (2003):

177, (7)Millard. J. Erickson. Christian Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: MI:

Baker Books, 2003), 17-38.(8) Theology. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theology(9) Charles C. Ryrie. “What is spirituality?” Biblioteca Sacra 126 no. 503

(1969): 205, ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials, EBSCOhost (accessed December 1, 2011).

(10) Richard Foster. Streams of Living Water. (New York, NY: Harper Collins, 1989), 1-424.

(11) Mark R. McMinn. Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers 2011, 30.