When two billion people out of the world population identify themselves as Christian, it is time for a Christian psychology that integrates Christianity with principles of behavioral science. Christians need a psychology that is open to the Trinity's influence and comforting presence in daily life. They need a competent Christian psychology that helps them understand their own personality, relationships, and connection to God.
In short, Christians need a health-oriented Christian psychology that shows them how to be fully human and Christlike in a stress-filled world.
However, as you may know from Western history, the science of psychology divorced itself from Christian doctrine and biblical revelation at the time of the Enlightenment. Behavioral science has considered itself an autonomous human enterprise ever since.
There are positives that arise from this great divorce. For instance, the fields of clinical, educational, and empirical psychology have uncovered a wealth of information about personality structure and function, psychopathology (abnormal psychology), motivation and learning, the body/brain connection (physiological psychology), the dynamics of social relationships (social psychology), and therapeutic transformation (counseling and psychotherapy).
But this enrichment has occurred at a price. Behavioral science has not just brought psychological knowledge into the world, it has brought an assumption that everything about Homo sapiens is explained by genetic and psychosocial factors similarly present in other mammals. The spiritual dimension of persons is considered unscientific, yet it is precisely this spirituality that provides meaning to a person who asks: "Why am I here? How shall I live? What shall I become?"
Thus, too many people who have benefited from psychological knowledge remain unaware that they are precious to God and dear in his sight. They can be left floundering in a big, impersonal universe without a center that holds.
How can people benefit from both psychology and spirituality?
