Teaching the History of Christian
Psychology:
Looking at the past, pointing to the future
Philip G. Monroe, PsyD
Michael R. McFee, PsyD
www.wisecounsel.wordpress.com
What is Christian psychology?
• Akin to asking what is psychology (what isn’t
within the scope of psychology?)
– We expect to have many permutations and modalities
• And yet we expect to have some distinctives
– High value of the biblical text in shaping the field and
our gaze (different form early psychology of religion
focus)
– Also connectivity to the stream of Christian thought
(e.g., biblical theology/anthropology, ecclesiology,
eschatology, philosophy, etc.)
Histories of psych. often contain:
• Great men/celebrationist approach
• Start with the Cartesian dilemma and the
beginnings of modernist divorcing fact and faith
ending with James’ psychology of religion
• Modernist assumptions unchallenged though
nods given to Kuhn and Gadamer
• Atomism, subfields emerging
• Primary emphasis on clinical psychology &
therapy as a field/industry (last 100 years)
What might be missing
• Key content areas
– Prior to Descartes?
– Pastoral care streams? Theologies of persons? Other
disciplines? Fundamentalist-modernist debates
– Significant depth in area of critical thinking and
epistemologies exposure and analysis
– Exposure to emerging models
• Key pedagogical methods
– Do students leave the course with the view to
continued study and how it relates to their current
practice as therapist?
– Real connections outside of the discipline
Missing content: sufficient critical
analysis of modernism in psychology
• Criticism of Modernism, possible reconnections between faith and fact
– Modernist assumptions
– Fundamentalism/modernism debates
– Evangelical buy-in to modernism
– Postmodern criticisms and philosophy of
science
Anton Boisen
• “Thus it is come to pass that the erstwhile Queen of the
Sciences under whose protective care our colleges and
even our state universities were founded and nurtured is
today a monarch without a throne. The men of today
worship at the shrine of science and give to it the same
unthinking devotion which formerly was given to
accepted religious dogmas. Meanwhile the term
“scientific” has become a sort of shibboleth used
commonly with only the haziest conception of its
fundamental principles.” [1]
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[1] Boisen, A.T. (1936). The exploration of the inner
world: a study of mental disorder and religious
experience. NY: Harper & Brothers, p. 182.
Responding to Descartes
Descartes
Empiricism
Rationalism
Locke
Associationism
Sensation
Empiricism
Liebniz
Vitalism
Innate Ideas
Rationalism
Fechner
Double-aspect monism
Helmholtz
Mechanism
Titchner
Structuralism
Introspectionism
Following Descartes, con’t
Descartes
Mechanism
Empiricism
Modernist Sciences
Holism, Vitalism,
Rationalism
Physiology
Kant, Wundt, & James
Current Modern Dogma Division
(thanks to Descartes)
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Facts
Objective
Public
Reason
Reasonable
Men
Nature’s God
Deist faith
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Values
Subjective
Private
Emotion
Irrational/faith
Women and children
Family God
Pietism
So, where does theology/biblical studies fit?
Missing content: theology of
persons
• Theological anthropology
– Doctrine of sin/evil
– Doctrine of salvation and change
• Cornelius Plantinga
• Stanley Grenz
Missing content: pastoral care
traditions
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Early church
Medieval church
Puritan traditions
American church traditions
Puritan Thought
High water mark of Pastoral care!
Richard Sibbes
Christopher Love
Richard Baxter
Puritan Thought
• High View of Scripture
• Strong Doctrine of Sin
• Sophisticated view of Persons
Puritan Care
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Affirmed the importance of the spiritual.
Focused on the God’s ways in our lives.
Studied the effects of melancholy.
Validated the role and influence of the
body on the mind and spirit.
Spiritual Depression vs.
Mental depression
Melancholy is a dark and dusky humour which
disturbs both the soul and the body, and the cure
of it belongs to the physician [rather] than to the
divine .... It is a humour that unfits a man for all
sorts of services, but especially those that
concern his soul, his spiritual estate, his
everlasting condition. The melancholic person
tries the physician, grieves the minister, wounds
relations and makes sport for the Devil. ...
Melancholy is a disease that works strange
passions, strange imaginations and strange
conclusions.
Thomas Brooks (1669). A Cabinet of Jewels. Works v.3.
Lewis on Baxter and Brooks
In all this there is evidence enough of some
sound psychology in the Puritan approach to
mental depressions, especially in their real
awareness of the distinction between mental
and spiritual depression. It is not only amusing
that Baxter includes into the written sermon
quoted above several pages of medical
'remedies' and an amazing medley of antique
potions and treatments: it also shows an
awareness that, as Thomas Brooks puts it in a
footnote, 'The cure of melancholy belongs rather
to the physician than to the divine, to Galen than
to Paul',101 and that the foregoing counsel
relates not so much to the condition as to the
Christian in the condition. (p.89)
Teaching Method
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Exposure to Puritan Thought
“Spiritual” and “Mental Depression”
Read through various quotes.
Compare “Mental Depression” with DSM.
Lecture on 7 reasons the H.S. allows or
causes a Spiritual Depression.
Spiritual Depression
• “The Genius of Puritanism” by Peter
Lewis. Soli Deo Gloria Publications
(1977, 1996) Morgan, PA
• 7 reasons of the Holy Spirit to allow or
bring a depression:
Spiritual Depression Rationale
1. Out of sovereignty.
2. To show us the comfort, and our
dependence upon him for them.
3. To develop the various Christian graces
in us.
4. To weaken and prevent sin.
5. To chastise for gross sin.
6. To keep believers near himself.
7. That believers may help others from their
own experience.
Evangelical Stigma
Alternative to
simplistic and pop
theology
attributions within
the evangelical
culture, such as:
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unconfessed sin
self-pity
lack of faith
character weakness
lack of piety
the effect of sin
weakness of will
lack of self
discipline1,2
1.White et al, (2003, Spring). Christians and depression: attributions as mediators of
the depression-buffering role of Christian social support. Journal of Psychology
and Christianity, 22(1), 49 - 58
2. McCandless, J. B. (1991). The Church Confronting Adult Depression: A Challenge.
Counseling and Values, 35(2), 104-113
Contemporary Models of CP
• Students need skills to evaluate current
and future theoretical/practical models of
change
– What does this person or model observe
about the world, God, humans, brokenness,
change and how things work?
– What assumptions do they make about life
– What worldview supports and encourages
their observations?
Teaching about assumptions
• Many significant models in psychology and
psychiatry have been founded on an
attempt to protect private faith in light of
empiricist obligations
– Ex: Psychiatric hospital care of the 1830s
under Samuel Woodward. MI as a somatic
disease but treated with compassionate moral
education. Impact of his assumptions?
Parallel Model (Two Book)
q
y
Psychology may challenge interpretation of
Scripture or theological formulations.
Overlap Model
q
y
Integration takes place in the overlap,
where both areas speak of the same things.
Filter Model
y
q
Psychology is passed through the filter of
Christianity so what is left is pure and good y.
Fermentation Model
q
+
y
=
xy
Two areas put together to make a new field,
Christian Psychology
Recasting
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q
y
y
y
y
y
Bits of y taken out, observed, recast, and
used to enrich the theological model (or to
provoke or illustrate)
Position Papers
Primary Goals:
1. To help students prepare for inclass time.
2. To direct students to specific
reading.
3. Cultivate critical thinking and
ownership of the material.
Position Papers
Secondary Goal:
Functions as a gate keeping tool.
- It directly addresses entitlement around lateness
issues.
- The nature of the task with a time demand allows
for a readily received deadline.
- A late position paper is either irrelevant or unfair
to the rest of the class.
Position Papers
• Provide brief directions that orient students
toward the materials that they will read.
• Address those issues where students
need to see and evaluate the evidence for
themselves.
• Students compare/contrast or write out
their personal ideas or opinions.
What are the advantages of each
type of tracking and reflecting?
C: "I feel sad and lonely."
T: "You are feeling sad and
lonely."
C: "Yes, I feel miserable."
T: "So you’re feeling miserable."
C: "I can't stand it anymore. If I
have to talk about this one
more time I am going to go out
of my mind."
T: "You feel like you can’t stand
this and you're not going to be
able to take it anymore."
C: "I feel sad and lonely.
T: "Hmm, is this about the same
when we talked on the
phone?"
C: "Yes, I feel miserable."
T: "You sound quite distressed, is
that something you would like
me to help you with?"
C: "Yes, I can't stand it anymore. I
need to do something. If I have
to talk about this one more
time I am going to go out of my
mind."
T: "You sound exasperated, is that
how you are feeling right
now?"
Position Papers
Grading Structure:
• Position Papers should comprise a
significant portion of the final grade with
serious consequences for missed
papers. (20%-25% suggested)
• Position Papers should not be required
for every class session (suggested use is
one third to half of class sessions).
Position Papers
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Position Papers should be pass/fail.
Given a check if accepted.
Returned with a comment if rejected.
Late position papers are not accepted.
Failed position papers result in points
subtracted from total grade (e.g. 2 points
subtracted for each failed paper).
Syllabus
Position Papers: Position papers are not miniature term
papers. They are short but serious exercises that
prepare you to read the text and to participate in class
discussions. How long should a position paper be? Only
long enough to complete the assignment- no more, and
no less. Many position papers will be just a single page,
others a few pages longer. But there is never a reason
to make the paper longer than it needs to be. Position
papers must be prepared before the class period in
which they are due and turned in during class – no
exceptions. Attempts to prepare these during class and
then to turn them in will be considered an honor code
infraction. Each paper will be given either a “check”
(denoting paper accepted) or a note explaining why the
paper is unacceptable. Two points will be deducted from
your final grade for each missing position paper (up to a
possible 25 points).
Syllabus
“Late Position Papers: If you feel your
paper was late for a valid reason, please
attach a note of explanation (e.g. “I was on
my deathbed last night”) and then turn in
the paper to me. I will let you know
whether the paper is finally accepted.”
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Irrelevance of Late Position Papers
• Late papers are irrelevant because they
are a tool to prepare for class interaction.
• It is unfair to write using peer ideas once
you have participated in the class
discussion
Resources
• Bibliographic
– Philosophy of science; Modernist critique
– Pastoral care history and tradition
– Modern integration debates
– The new christian psychology
– Critical histories of psychology
– Theology of personhood
Phil. of Science
• Evans, C.S. (1996). Wisdom and humanness in
psychology (reprint ed). Regent College
Publishing.
• Kuhn, T. (1970). The structure of scientific
revolutions. Chicago: University of Chicago
Press.
• Mahrer, A.R. (2000). Philosophy of science and
the foundations of psychotherapy. American
Psychologist, 55, 1117-1125.
Pastoral Care Tradition
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Boisen, A.T. (1936). The exploration of the inner world: a study of mental
disorder and religious experience. NY: Harper & Brothers.
Clebsch, W.A. & Jaekle, C.R. (1994). Pastoral Care in historical perspective
Coloquhoun, J. (1998). Spiritual Comfort (Don Kistler, Trans.). Morgan, PA:
Soli Deo Gloria Publications. (Original work published 1814)
Grob, G.N. (1966). The state and the mentally ill: a history of the Worcester
State Hospital, 1830-1920. Chapel Hill, NC: U of N. Carolina Press.
Lewis, P. (1996). The genius of Puritanism. Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria
Publicatioons.
Monroe, P.G. (2006). Why are you downcast, O my soul: Lessons from the
Puritans on helping the hopless. Edification, 2:3, 1-8. [contains bibliography
of numerous Puritan writers on counseling related topics]
Rogers, T. (2002). Trouble of Mind and the Disease of Melancholy (Don
Kistler, Trans.). Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications. (Original work
published 1691)
Integration Debates
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Beck, J.R. (2005). Balanced integration: A reply to Maier & Glass. Journal of Psychology & Christianity, 24, 51-55.
Beck, J.R. (2003). The integration of psychology and theology: An enterprise out of balance. Journal of
Psychology & Theology, 22, 20-29
Beck, J.R. (Ed.). (1997). Sola Scriptura. Journal of Psychology & Christianity, 16:4, 293-362.
Hurding, R.F. (1985). The tree of healing: Psychological & Biblical foundations for counseling and pastoral care.
Grand Rapids, MI: Ministry Resources Library. (pp 212-242 only).
Maier, B.N. & Glass, J.H. (2005). A matter of balance? A response to Beck (2003). Journal of Psychology &
Christianity, 24, 46-50.
Monroe, P.G. (1997). Building bridges with biblical counselors. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 25, 28-37.
Nash, R.H. (1993). Great divides: Understanding the controversies that come between Christians. Colorado
Springs, CO: NavPress.
Powlison, D. (1993). Critiquing modern integrationists. Journal of Biblical Counseling, 11:3, 24-34.
Powlison, D. (1996a). Competent to counsel? The history of a conservative protestant anti-psychiatry movement.
Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Pennsylvania.
Powlison, D. (1996b). Modern therapies and the Church’s faith. Journal of Biblical Counseling, 15:1, 32-41.
Powlison, D. (2000). Affirmations and denials: A proposed definition of Biblical Counseling. Journal of Biblical
Counseling, 19:1, 18-25.
Powlison, D. (2002). Does the shoe fit? Journal of Biblical Counseling, 20:3, 2-15.
Serrano, N. (2003). A history of the Christian Association of Psychological Studies: 1954-1978. Paper presented at
the 2003 CAPS National conference.
Smith, William P. (1996). Authors and arguments in Biblical counseling: A review and analysis. Journal of Biblical
Counseling, 15:1, 9-20.
Smith, Winston T. (2000). Dichotomy or Trichotomy? How the doctrine of man shapes the treatment of depression.
Journal of Biblical Counseling, 18:3, 21-29.
The New Christian Psychology
• Roberts, R.C., & Talbot, M.R. (1997).
Limning the psyche: Explorations in
Christian psychology. Grand Rapids: Wm.
B. Eerdmans.
• See www.christianpsych.org for articles
and bibliographies.
Critical histories of psychology
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Cushman, P. (1990). Why the self is empty: Toward a historically situated psychology.
American Psychologist, 45, 599-611.
Cushman, P., & Gilford, P. (1999). From emptiness to multiplicity: The self at the year
2000. Psychohistory Review, 27, 15-31.
Cushman, P. (1995). Constructing the self, constructing America. Reading, MA:
Addison-Wesley.
Dawes, R. (1994). House of Cards: psychology and psychotherapy build on myth.
New York: Free Press. [Ch. 8 on reserve]
Morawski, J. (ed.) (1988). The rise of experimentation in American Psychology. New
Haven: Yale Univ. Press.
Pickren, W.E. (2000). A whisper of salvation: American psychologists and religion in
the popular press, 1884-1908. American Psychologist, 55, 1022-1024.
Robinson, D.N. (2000). Philosophy of psychology at the turn of the century. American
Psychologist, 55, 1018-1021.
Tweny, R.D., Budzynski, C.A. (2000). The scientific status of American psychology in
1900. American Psychologist, 55, 1014-1017.
Wozniak, R.H. (1992). Mind and Body: Rene Descartes to William James.
Washington: APA.
Theologies of personhood
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Burke, T.J. (ed.) (1987). Man and mind: A Christian theory of personality.
Hillsdale College Press.
Gregersen, Niels, H., Drees, Willem B., & Gorman, Ulf (2000). The human
person in science and theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Grenz, S.J. (2003). The social imago: The image of God and the
postmodern (loss of) self. In C. Wilkins (ed.) The papers of the Henry Luce
III Fellows in theology, vol. VI of Series in Theological Scholarship and
Education. Pittsburgh, PA: ATS.
Grenz, S.J. (2001). The social god and the relational self: A Trinitarian
theology of the Imago Dei. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.
Sedgwick, Peter. (2001). Descartes to Derrida: An introduction to European
Philosophy. Malden, MA: Blackwell.
Schrag, Calvin O. (1997). The self after postmodernity. New Haven, CT:
Yale University Press.
Schults, L. (2003). Reforming Theological Anthropology: After the
philosophical turn to relationality. Wm. B Eerdmans.