John D. Carter

Secular and Sacred Models of Psychology and Religion

Religion has been viewed with varying degrees of favor or disfavor by psychology. Early in psychologys history, Freud was critical of religion; many Christians reacted with equal disfavor to psychology. More recently, Christians have attempted to articulate the relationship between psychology and Christianity. These attempts have followed the same four approaches or models that psychologists traditionally have taken toward religion. The purpose of this article is to analyze and describe the secular and Christian versions of the four common models. The article describes these models and classifies psychologists such as Allport, Freud, Fromm, Frankl, Ellis, Jung, Mowrer, and Thome, as well as several Christians who have attempted to integrate psychology and Christianity.

The Nature and Scope of Integration: A Proposal

A model for the total integration of psychology and theology based on seven common areas is outlined. The common areas are: Theology Proper-Science of Psychology, Anthropology-Personality, Hamartiology-Pathology, Christology-Counselor, Soteriology-Growth, Ecclesiology-Social Psychology, Eschatology-Hope, and Expectation and Purpose. The difference between psychology and theology in terms of level of explanation, locus of explanation and epistomology is discussed. The methodology used in constructing the model is also described.

Personality and Christian Maturity: A Process Congruity Model

An analysis of Rogers, Gendlins and Jungs theory of personality revealed that the processes of actualization and congruence are common to all three theorists. The same two processes are fundamental to the Scriptures discussion of Christian maturity. These two processes are described as forming a model of personality and Christian maturity in which the processes in these two spheres are the same but the contents are different. The similarities and differences are discussed but it is maintained that genuine integration is only possible when some processes or principles are common to Christianity and psychology.

Adams’ Theory of Nouthetic Counseling

Adams’ theory of nouthetic counseling was analyzed with reference to the nature of man, view of pathology, the counseling model, the counseling process, and the counselor and his techniques. Biblically, Adams’ theory is found to be inadequate. It views man almost entirely in behavioral terms and fails to incorporate such biblical concepts as heart, soul, spirit, and flesh. Adams also fails to provide a biblical basis for building his theory around the word noutheteo. Psychologically, Adams offers no emperical support for his theory and seems unaware of the methodological and research problems involved in supporting his claims of success. Adams’ criticism of Rogers and Freud shows a lack of knowledge of primary sources, and his uncritical positive bias toward Mowrer and Skinner reflects an uncritical presuppositionalism. Finally, he has no theory of motivation or theory of personality.

Maturity: Psychological and Biblical

Five dimensions of maturity are outlined and described: having a realistic view of oneself and others, accepting oneself and others, living in the present but having long range goals, having values and developing ones abilities and coping with daily living. A parallel description of biblical maturity is also made on these dimensions, but differences in content are noted. Psychological maturity is grounded in the image of God in man as created but fallen for both the Christian and the non-Christian, but the additional aspects of biblical maturity are grounded in the renewed image.

Towards A Biblical Model of Counseling

This article attempts to develop a model of counseling which is biblical in structure and which is contrasted to two inadequate alternatives. The model is developed for the Scriptures description of the Flesh and the Spirit and centers on therapeutic relationship as expressed in six dimensions: goal setting, source of value, locus of responsibility, focus on cognition/feeling/behavior, style of therapy, and duration of therapy.

Psychopathology, Sin, and the DSM: Convergence and Divergence

In this article, the Judeo-Christian view of sin is reviewed as well as the psychoanalytic and humanistic views of psychopathology. All three perspectives converge in their assumption of a universally flawed human condition. Conversely, the behavioral and symptom oriented phenotypal description of psychopathology found in the DSM diverges from the Judeo-Christian theological tradition. Inconsistencies and inherent difficulties are noted in the list oriented phenotypal approach to psychopathology or sin.

The Psychology of Gothard and Basic Youth Conflicts Seminar

The structure of Gothards thought as it is outlined in the Seminar on Basic Youth Conflicts and the “red notebook” was analyzed. The analysis focused on three categories which are related to psychology: the nature of man, theory of pathology and theory of therapy. The strengths and weaknesses of Gothards system of thought is evaluated from a biblical perspective since this is his chosen frame of reference. it was concluded that Gothard has developed a vertical psychology of God the Father and omitted a loving relational psychology of the Son and a spontaneous or joyous psychology of the Spirit.

Nouthetic Counseling Defended: A Reply to Ganz

This paper is to reply to Ganzs critique of Carters (1975a) analysis of Adams’ theory of Nouthetic Counseling. It begins with a further analysis of Adams’ thoughts. Several weaknesses were noted in Adams thought: omission of central biblical concepts, rejection of common grace, a theologically inadequate view of the fall, uncritically using psychological concepts yet claiming to be exclusively biblical, ignoring psychology as phenomena and a rhetoric which is confusing. Ganzs comments were then responded to in detail. At many points Ganz did not appear to understand the nature of the original analysis and reacted to a label he placed on my original analysis.