Introduction
In Psychobabble Richard Ganz characterizes modern psychology as ‘psychobabble.’ Dr. Ganz is a Jewish Christian who, prior to his conversion to Christ, earned his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He served in the Clinical Faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at Upstate Medical Center in Syracuse, New York and taught at the university there. After he gave his life to Christ, he was fired from his position, because he could not separate his faith from his practice. He earned a Master of Divinity at Westminister Theological Seminary and worked with Dr. Jay Adams at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation.. He has since lectured at major secular universities including Harvard. He is the Senior Pastor of the Ottawa Reformed Presbyterian Church, and the Founder and President of Ottawa Theological Hall, where he is also Professor of Biblical Psychology and Counseling. His other books include: Take Charge of Your Life Before It Takes Charge of You, Twenty Controversies That Almost Killed a Church, The Secret of Self Control, Thou Shalt Not Kill: The Christian case Against Abortion and Free Indeed: Escaping Bondage and Brokenness for Freedom in Christ. Psychobabble develops the biblical counseling theme that pastoral care has been abdicated to secular psychology and the dangers of integrating worldly theories into biblical soul care.
Content
Dr. Ganz states that his goal is to “help readers understand that the counseling concepts woven into psychoanalysis (and its secular psychotherapeutic offshoots) are inherently opposed to the Word of God.” He sets out to, “reveal the direct conflict,” between the two and, “strip back to its ug...
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...t the church will stop shuffling her hurting and broken members to the “experts” who lack the power and perspective of the Word of God, that pastors will instead seize the opportunities to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness a people fit for service to King Jesus” (27). Unfortunately, in the twenty years since the book was published the church has a long way to go before realizing Dr. Gantz’s hope.
Conclusion
Psychobabble: The Failure of Modern Psychology and the Biblical Alternative by Dr. Richard Gantz is an excellent book for anyone interested in pursuing a ministry in biblical counseling. It is indispensable for understanding the conflict between Biblical counseling and the theories of man. Dr. Gantz’s book can be a very important tool to returning to God’s view of man in counseling and rejecting man’s self-aggrandizing coddling views.
In essence, McMinn’s intradisciplinary integrated approach to Christian counseling is more than a “toolbox of set strategies for change” instead it is a “deep, abiding, formative work of God’s Spirit,” within the counselors lives (p 31-32). McMinn (2007) explains his theoretical map is cognitive therapy along with developing a strong therapeutic relationship and trust with our clients is not only essential to the effectiveness of counseling, but also is vital to applying his approach of the integration of psychology, theology, and spirituality into counseling. By McMinn using his theoretical cognitive therapy map he can build upon it to integrate the concerns of the spiritual growth wellbeing of our clients as well as their wellbeing of mental
As a Christian counselor, we have the power of the Word on our sides, but so many of us do not understand how to properly apply scripture into the counseling relationship in an effective manner. In Interventions that Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy, Garzon (2005) attempts to accomplish the following; educate individuals on the various techniques one can use to apply scripture, and to encourage and stimulate God ordained creativity in the hopes to create new techniques and methods for applying God’s Word in the counseling relationship.
In Entwistle’s book, Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity (2010), the reasoning for the need of integration of psychology and Christianity is provided. Entwistle explores both psychology and Christianity to illuminate the historical arguments that surround the evolution of both mindsets. Also provided is an explanation of the terminology associated with the philosophical discussion to enable comprehension by the less experienced in the field.
David Entwistle's (2010) Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity is geared more towards Christians with conservative evangelical views and provides the reader an outline to different worldview disputes and truth-seeking groundwork that surround the connection that underlies psychology and theology. In addition to analyzing the possible connection of psychology and theology, Entwisle discusses the consideration of integrating Christian faith with the practice of psychology. “Christian understandings of person-hood, the purpose of human life, our need for God, and the ethical teachings of Christian faith are integral to psychology, not merely parallel to it” (p. 199). Entwistle’s viewpoint on this matter is stated clearly. He believes that it is necessary for theology and psychology be integrated in order to fully understand human nature.
Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: An Introduction to Worldview Issues, Philosophical Foundations, and Models of Integration is a book that fully looks at and examines the correlation between theology and psychology. Theology is a “branch of inquiry that among other things seeks to understand what it means to be human” (p. 3). Understanding that “all truth is God’s truth” (p. 13). Psychology is “one of several academic disciplines that attempt to understand human behavior” (p. 3). These two subjects are individualistically studied but the purpose of this book is to analyze he integration of the two. For some time different researchers have posed perspectives in support to keep the two separate. However, Entwistle explores both pros and cons and even explores the prospective of others. Entwistle defines worldview as, “a window through which he or she views the world, framed by assumptions and beliefs that color what he or she sees” (p. 55). Often time people will believe in their own ideas and beliefs to be accurate. In addition to this the author introduces a Christian worldview which is imperative when exploring the idea of integrating the two perspectives of theology and psychology. Every individual has to desire truth avoiding being partial to just their view of the world.
My mother is a school counselor and is working on her Ph.D in psychology and counseling, my father is a marriage and drug rehabilitation counselor, and was a minister in his younger years. I agree heavily with the concerns as well as the conclusion with the article. It is important to not trust all clergymen with every problem, some are best left to psychiatrists, and many clergymen are not qualified to help. They may even make the problem worse. But it is also very important to recognize that no two psychiatric cases are the same, each require unique approaches. And, regardless of your opinion on religion, it can be a useful as a tool to help change people’s lives, as the head of a state hospital said, “I’d appoint a horse-doctor to the staff if I thought he might do my patients any good!”
David N. Entwistle is the author of Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity. In his book, he discusses many issues that are relevant and related to the integration of psychology and Christianity. In his book, he quotes Tertullian’s question about whether or not there is a relationship between Athens and Jerusalem and whether or not there is a relationship between science and faith. Tertullian believed psychology and Christianity could not be integrated. Entwistle (2010) then posed an important question, which is “what has psychology to do with Christianity?” (p. 10). Throughout the book, Entwistle answers this question by developing an argument for the integration of psychology
Worthington, E. L. Jr., Hook, J. N., Davis, D. E., & McDaniel, M. A. (2011). Religion and spirituality. In J. C. Norcross (Ed.), Psychotherapy relationships that work (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press
Entwistle’s book explores the links and integration between psychology and Christianity. As the title explains this book paints a picture of the conflicting worldviews and philosophical foundations that people perceive about how they can be integrated. Entwistle provides research through scholarly reflection and various models that link both psychology and Christianity together. Entwistle remarked by saying “There are many events that raise both theological and psychological questions and such events serve as useful springboards to investigate links between Christian theology and other disciplines” (Entwistle, 2015, p. 8). This statement sets the stage for the readers to understand how some events throughout history have laid the
Village, Andrew “Biblical literalism among Anglican clergy: what is the role of psychological type? Mental Health, Religion & Culture. 2012. Web.
This is David Entwistle 2nd edition book published in 2010 by Wipf and Stock in Oregon. Entwistle is a Christian and a licensed psychologist; he has affiliations with Molone University in Canton, Ohio serving as chair of the Psychology Department and has taught courses related to his licensed field. This book clearly is not written for any newcomers to religion. However, it was written for those interested in the integration of science and religion. The authors’ purpose for writing this book was to define the relationship between psychology and theology. There are three specific areas this book touched upon to help readers’ better approach psychology and Christianity in a personal and more professional manner: The context of philosophical issues and worldview, to help the readers become aware of assumptions or beliefs- making the reader a more critical evaluators, and to introduce and familiarize the reader with five paradigms for integrating psychology and theology.
This paper will be reviewing the book “Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: an introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations and models of integration, by David N. Entwistle. As the title states, this book discusses how to integrate psychology and theology. It also dives into to why it is so important to be able to integrate the two. Entwistle explains that just because the two are different does not mean they should be separated and that we have to use both our worldviews. “Weaving together perspectives from psychology and Christian theology can help us understand and appreciate humanity more fully than we could either perspective alone.” (p.3)
David Entwistle’s (2010) is the author of the Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity. In the book Entwistle embarks on a journey to explore Psychology and Christianity. As the title suggests several approaches that are used to define the relationship of Phycology and Christianity. In the book Entwistle begins to takes us on shows that psychology and Christianity go in two different directions and meet up someplace in the middle. This allows them to provide different approaches to understanding and studying the human behavior. Entwistle, (2010) took a new approach that has rarely been used in other books that discussed the topic of integration. Entwistle, (2010) began to talk about the relationship of psychology and Christianity
bless to be a counselor, but Dr. Crabb's biblical teaching in Christian counseling will lay out the foundational requirement to enable the ones
Johnson, Eric L. (2007). Christ, The Lord of Psychology. In Daryl H. Stevenson, Brian E. Eck & Peter C. Hill (Eds.). Psychology Christianity Integration: Seminole Works that Shaped the Movement (pp. 42-57). Batavia, IL: Christian Association for Psychological Studies, Inc.